We are excited to announce that Dan Halloran, University of Richmond ’17 has officially joined our team.  Dan began interning with us in October 2016 and had been such an asset, that we could not let him go!

We did a “Getting to Know” Q&A so that you could get to learn a bit more about Dan as he engages with so many of our friends in the community.  Check it out, along with the blog he wrote about his transition from intern to employee and welcome our newest family member, Daniel Halloran!

TITLE: Special Projects Coordinator

WHAT YOU DO: I have many special projects. I help coordinate Robins events and meetings for the staff. I help plan staff outings and team building activities. I ensure smooth office function in terms of organization, maintenance and, of course, coffee supply. I support the Robins team by helping “Follow Thru” (see: Kolbe A Index result) with various special projects.

CAREER GOALS: I think many millennials entering the workforce right now aspire to be “a big deal” someday. Along my path to becoming one of Time Magazine’s “Most Influential People,” I’m excited to have a positive impact in the world. Basically, my career goals are less Kardashian and more Mother Theresa… but famous nonetheless.

IN WHAT PART OF THE REGION DO YOU LIVE?: I just moved to Byrd Park! There’s no Snapchat geofilter yet, but I’m working on it!

BEST ADVICE EVER RECEIVED: My mom once gave me amazing advice. She told me, “Son, you should watch the 2005 Steve Jobs commencement speech at Stanford University so you can find some truly great words of wisdom.” The quote, “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.” has stuck with me ever since. Not to get all angsty, but being a budding young professional can be intimidating. When life can seem too stressful, it is important to realize the importance of staying hungry and foolish. Basically, work hard but have fun along the way. My mom always knows the best things to say!

ROLE MODEL: My dad lives the kind of life I’d like to lead. He works hard in his multiple jobs. He is generous with his time and money. Despite his busy schedule, he always emphasizes health and leisure. He has a moral compass and is passionate about the things he cares about…mostly golf and politics. He lives a very balanced life and that alone is something to aspire to.

BEST DECISION: By nature of being young, I only recently gained full agency over my life. Previously, in adolescence, most decisions were made for me. That being said, I realize the answer to this question will seem elementary and I hope to make even greater decisions of impact into the future. So far, my best decision was attending the University of Richmond. The experience was not only comfortable and conducive to learning, but it also pushed me to struggle academically, socially, professionally, existentially. My time there, with the people I met and the experiences I had, were truly transformative. Knowing college would be this way, I took choosing the right school very seriously. I think I did a pretty good job because I am so happy with who I’ve become and where I’ve now landed.

CAREER TIP FOR STUDENTS: Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

BOOK/MOVIE THAT INSPIRES YOU: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. This children’s book turned children’s movie inspires me never to give up on my dreams, to believe in myself always. If I want to invent spray-on shoes or a monkey thought translator, I have to believe in myself and I. Can. Do. It!

FAV FOOD or RESTAURANT: Palmetto Cheese: the Pimento Cheese with Soul.

FAV SUBJECT IN SCHOOL: I loved learning about literature. It amazes me how people can be so creative with simple black and white text. Symbolism, foreshadowing, personification and all those other cool literary devices, often goes over my head when I read alone, but studying literature in class allowed me to understand and appreciate these intricacies.