Harper College will be closed Wednesday, November 27 through Sunday, December 1 for Thanksgiving Break.
Divya Jaiswal completed her certificate in Paralegal Studies at Harper College in September 2009. She currently works in the health care field. Divya recently discussed her career path and experiences at Harper.
What’s your current job title or role?
My current title is contract development lead for a health care company. A majority
of what I do encompasses drafting specific contract language to align with the needs
of the company and its customers for the sale of hospital products.
How and why did you choose your program of study?
I have a passion for words. Earlier in life I played around with the idea of authoring
fiction. I am interested in everything and what I learn, I enjoy transferring that
knowledge or idea to others.
Why did you choose Harper?
I grew up in the area and had taken courses at Harper as a senior in high school.
It seemed like an obvious choice as it was both American Bar Association accredited
and geographically convenient. I had a few years of experience in the paralegal field
prior to starting coursework at Harper. This combination allowed me to gain on-the-job
experience during the day as a paralegal and go to class in the evenings to give me
the educational background. It was like pieces of a puzzle fitting together.
What did you like the most about your studies at Harper?
Being passionate about what you do, I feel, comes from a thorough understanding of
the subject matter. The skills I was learning during the day taught me to do my job
well, but the educational background I received at Harper answered a lot of the “why’s”
I had about my work.
What do you like the most about your current position or career path? Professor Carol
Carlson-Nofsinger mentioned that while many graduates work at a law firm, your work
may be a different path than many graduates take.
While I did start with experience in the traditional path, I am an independent contributor
within my team. With drafting and negotiating contracts that help individuals (either
at home or in a hospital) needing treatments, I find inspiration in my work – like
dialysis treatments that allow patients with kidney failure a chance to live productive
lives.
What can you tell us about your path after Harper and your current career?
It was important to me to build a career that was both mentally stimulating and rewarding.
We have to begin the journey to find out what we want from ourselves. That journey
began for me at Harper.
What would you tell someone who may be thinking of following a similar career or educational
path?
Connect with me on LinkedIn and ask me questions! I’m happy to share any knowledge
that will help.