UST grad shares what makes cents
My name is Kelsey Malecha. I recently graduated from St. Thomas with a degree in Business Communication and then I spent a summer interning at the Twin Cities’ largest commercial real estate company, United Properties, in the Research Department. I then finished my Real Estate Studies degree at St. Thomas in the spring of 2007.
With my Real Estate Studies degree, I am currently pursuing a career as an appraiser at a commercial real estate appraisal firm in downtown Minneapolis. I love it because the firm is small and it is easy to gain knowledge from my co-workers who have been involved in understanding and analyzing key elements of real estate markets for many years. I have always had an interest in real estate and I am glad that St. Thomas has been able to provide the education and resources necessary to make my career a success!
When I am not working, I am preparing for the June 2008 Miss Minnesota Scholarship Pageant! Initially, I wanted to get involved with pageants to further develop my communication skills, set goals, and to meet people. Little did I know what fun I would have and the challenges that I would overcome! I currently hold the title of Miss Midwest Minnesota, which qualifies me to compete in the Miss Minnesota Scholarship Pageant. There are several aspects of the competition: Talent, closed-panel interview, eveningwear, lifestyle and fitness (which is a painless way of saying that each contestant must wear a swimsuit on stage while walking in 4-inch heels – well, they don’t have to be 4-inch heels, but high enough to “create” long legs!) and on-stage interview.
An additional portion of the pageant that is not judged, but is required, is a platform. Each contestant chooses to promote a cause that they are passionate about and find interesting. My platform is financial literacy and I am partnered with The Minnesota Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy. Some of the ways that I have been promoting my platform include, speaking at Rotary Clubs, developing websites, mentoring youth about finances, and visiting schools. Being given an opportunity to speak about something I am passionate about has not only made me more confident in my speaking abilities, but it has also allowed me to meet and network with many people who are active in various communities and different industries.
YOUR career and my platform: Obviously, in order to take charge of a financial situation and to become financially stable, one must have a source of income. One of the biggest dilemmas when graduating from college is finding a job…not just any job…a job that you are excited to go to every morning!
Right now, I can say that I really like my job; however, I did not get my current job by searching the internet (although that is a good place to start), I got it by talking to people and asking around for available opportunities. In many cases, the professors at St. Thomas have wonderful connections with the community and businesses and they are a great source for job help. What I have found most helpful is being involved with organizations, being active in the community and not being afraid to step out of my “comfort zone” to meet new people. You never know when you will run into somebody or meet another person who has just the right connection to get you into the company, career or industry that you desire.
To tie it all together: I believe that we must strive to make sense of everything and having a purpose in life in order to feel fulfilled and to be truly successful. It is pertinent that I validate the underlying reason for choosing financial literacy as my Miss Minnesota platform. While it is a responsibility in my career to follow issues such as the nationwide mortgage crisis, because of my platform work I have been able to see first-hand how poor financial decisions and a lack of financial understanding and knowledge can cause distress on individuals, families and ultimately the economy.
The goal of my platform is to require students to complete a personal finance course in order to fulfill all graduation standards. It is interesting to wonder where America would be today if there would have been a personal finance standard in education years ago. Would there be a mortgage crisis today? Would there be an overwhelming amount of personal debt? Would people still finance everything from fast food meals and plasma televisions to automobiles and homes? Or, would people today be choosing to live within their means, veering away from using credit for everything, saving abundantly for retirement, and teaching their children to do the same?
The good news: We can all choose to take small steps to build a stronger financial foundation…for ourselves, for our future generations, and for our economy. To learn more about my platform and the need for financial literacy, please visit my website: www.understandingfinances.com.
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