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Students "Miles" ahead with Career Day
Jan 22, 2002 8:00 AM
By Stefan Eady - Faculty
From acting to veterinary medicine with careers such as chemical engineering, physical therapy, and social work in between, thirty-one alumni and parents joined keynote speaker Miles Busby ’76, Charlotte, N.C., on campus in mid-January to present information about their careers to Upper School students as part of Career Day hosted by the Alumni Council. While freshmen participated in two one-hour sessions on setting lifetime goals and making life choices, sophomores, juniors, and seniors attended four 25-minute sessions about careers that they had selected online to attend.
Busby kicked off Career Day with a presentation to all Upper School students in Morris Chapel. He focused on the following six skills that students need to succeed in these rapidly changing times, reminding them that 55% of them will not end up working in the field in which they major in college:
· Communication—“Knowing how to write well and speak persuasively to groups are important no matter what you do.”
· People—“Stretch yourself by participating in sports, drama, camping, or field trips. Learn about people in places other than Rome.”
· Problem-solving—“Pay attention in algebra and chemistry because those subjects teach you how to solve a problem. A big part of solving problems is in using common sense. Common sense is learned through your experiences, so travel and study how things work. But, I recommend that you travel while you’re in high school and college rather than taking time off after college. Employers like to see that you are focused on hitting the ground running right after college.”
· Situational awareness—“Know what is going on around you at all times.”
· College—“It really doesn’t matter what college you go to; what matters is that you go and you get good grades. Don’t overload yourself with so many classes that you can’t do well in classes. Get a job while you’re in college, one that will give you good, practical experience."
· Mentors—“Have somebody you can run your ideas by, your parents, friends, or teachers.”
Busby entered Darlington as a freshman in 1972 and graduated in 1976. He served on the transition team to take Darlington from an all-boys school to co-ed. He played varsity soccer and was a member of the varsity track team and the varsity swim team. He was a hall proctor for two years and was student body president in 1976.
Busby attended Clemson University on a soccer scholarship and graduated in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial education. He worked at DataSouth Computer Corporation for five years in various capacities including production scheduling, materials management, and sales.
He started Source Technologies, Inc. in 1986 with an initial investment of $20,000. The company, now in its sixteenth year, has sales of over $45 million and employs 80 people. Source Technologies supplies specialized printers and software to the financial services industry and Fortune 1000 companies. It has been listed in INC 500 for three consecutive years as one of the fastest growing privately held companies in the United States.
Career Day Speakers: Dan Biggers, acting; Jan and Shannon Thomas, archeology; Sam Edgens ’85, architecture; Cooper Sanchez ’94, art; Michelle Williams ’91, art; Jack Harris ’71, business; Eddie Wilson, business; Floyd Lathbury, chemical engineering; Roy Dickinson ’77, education; Bryan Clontz ’89, financial planner; Miles Busby ’76, information technology; Jim Chisholm, interior design; John Wakefield, international business; Rob Monroe ’87, law; Michael Rotti, law enforcement; Dan Hanks ’61, medicine; Marie Griffith, music; Mark Law, photography; Joan Brock ’74, physical therapy; Robert Norton ’66, psychology; Kim Lathbury Clontz ’88, public relations; Jennifer Wysocki Edwards ’90, radio/television; Joanne Simmons, sociology/social work; Mike Davidson ’76, sports; Julius Shaw ’72, textiles; Alice Enloe, travel/tourism; Dan Pate ’76, veterinary medicine; Rena Cooper Webb ’88, lifetime goals; Layton Roberts ’82, lifetime goals; Leigh Patterson, life choices; and John Black, life choices
Busby kicked off Career Day with a presentation to all Upper School students in Morris Chapel. He focused on the following six skills that students need to succeed in these rapidly changing times, reminding them that 55% of them will not end up working in the field in which they major in college:
· Communication—“Knowing how to write well and speak persuasively to groups are important no matter what you do.”
· People—“Stretch yourself by participating in sports, drama, camping, or field trips. Learn about people in places other than Rome.”
· Problem-solving—“Pay attention in algebra and chemistry because those subjects teach you how to solve a problem. A big part of solving problems is in using common sense. Common sense is learned through your experiences, so travel and study how things work. But, I recommend that you travel while you’re in high school and college rather than taking time off after college. Employers like to see that you are focused on hitting the ground running right after college.”
· Situational awareness—“Know what is going on around you at all times.”
· College—“It really doesn’t matter what college you go to; what matters is that you go and you get good grades. Don’t overload yourself with so many classes that you can’t do well in classes. Get a job while you’re in college, one that will give you good, practical experience."
· Mentors—“Have somebody you can run your ideas by, your parents, friends, or teachers.”
Busby entered Darlington as a freshman in 1972 and graduated in 1976. He served on the transition team to take Darlington from an all-boys school to co-ed. He played varsity soccer and was a member of the varsity track team and the varsity swim team. He was a hall proctor for two years and was student body president in 1976.
Busby attended Clemson University on a soccer scholarship and graduated in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial education. He worked at DataSouth Computer Corporation for five years in various capacities including production scheduling, materials management, and sales.
He started Source Technologies, Inc. in 1986 with an initial investment of $20,000. The company, now in its sixteenth year, has sales of over $45 million and employs 80 people. Source Technologies supplies specialized printers and software to the financial services industry and Fortune 1000 companies. It has been listed in INC 500 for three consecutive years as one of the fastest growing privately held companies in the United States.
Career Day Speakers: Dan Biggers, acting; Jan and Shannon Thomas, archeology; Sam Edgens ’85, architecture; Cooper Sanchez ’94, art; Michelle Williams ’91, art; Jack Harris ’71, business; Eddie Wilson, business; Floyd Lathbury, chemical engineering; Roy Dickinson ’77, education; Bryan Clontz ’89, financial planner; Miles Busby ’76, information technology; Jim Chisholm, interior design; John Wakefield, international business; Rob Monroe ’87, law; Michael Rotti, law enforcement; Dan Hanks ’61, medicine; Marie Griffith, music; Mark Law, photography; Joan Brock ’74, physical therapy; Robert Norton ’66, psychology; Kim Lathbury Clontz ’88, public relations; Jennifer Wysocki Edwards ’90, radio/television; Joanne Simmons, sociology/social work; Mike Davidson ’76, sports; Julius Shaw ’72, textiles; Alice Enloe, travel/tourism; Dan Pate ’76, veterinary medicine; Rena Cooper Webb ’88, lifetime goals; Layton Roberts ’82, lifetime goals; Leigh Patterson, life choices; and John Black, life choices
