From recognizing the hard work our teams do each and every day to supporting each other in fundraising efforts for a cause that’s important to one of our own, we take professional and personal growth very seriously, and are committed to investing in one another. One of the reasons we’re able to keep our focus on our people is because we are constantly thinking about how we can improve. So, we decided to have some fun and ask some FCGers what advice they’d give to themselves if they could travel back in time and have a chat with their college-aged selves. Here’s what they had to say:

“Don’t bail on things because they’re hard or intimidating. Take hard classes and join clubs you normally wouldn’t, like fencing or painting.” – Joseph L., Database Administrator

Go to college right away, but put in the necessary energy and effort to succeed. It gets a lot harder to go to night school later on when you have a family and a full-time job! ­­– Norm Walters, COO

“Have more fun! And tell your future husband not to change his major away from computer science in the middle of junior year! He’ll regret it and end up getting a master’s in it anyway!” – Jamie N., Human Resources Manager

“Make it a point to have some fun in college and take the opportunity to travel if possible. You’ve got to enter the real world when you graduate.” – Dana Gift, CEO/CFO

“Remember to be yourself, and its ok to take your time getting things accomplished; just go for what you really want and need to be happy!” – Stephanie D., Human Resources/Administrative Assistant

“Major in COMPUTER SCIENCE!” – Kaitlin S., Staffing Manager

“I’ve had a couple people ask me about advice since I’ve graduated, and I’ve told everybody the same thing: If you’re a Computer Science major at Towson University, you must take your resume to the CTC (Career & Tech Center) to be critiqued – even if you think it’s perfect. I’ve personally gone three times, and each time I got a different person to review it and give me pointers.” – Jonathan S., Junior Software Engineer

“Look at job boards and figure out what degrees have the most jobs available, what the job requirements are, and the starting salaries. Pick a major that will ensure you can get a job when you graduate. Make sure you do an internship in your major. Find a mentor who works in the field and talk to them regularly. Work with your mentor to make sure the classes you take prepare you for a future job.” – Scott Beall, CTO

“One piece of advice I’d give my college-age self: Study Geography AND Engineering” – Michael W., Geospatial Analyst

What’s even better than getting advice from seasoned professionals? For every submission we received, we donated a backpack full of school supplies to Running Brook Elementary in honor of back-to-school season. Investing in our people and our local community. That’s the Freedom Youniverse.