Emily Storm-Smith
Strada Education Network, Inc.
Indianapolis, IN USA
"Every human being has the capacity to learn and work hard and that is the ONLY thing that will ever matter to pursuing what you want to do with your life."
Career Roadmap
Emily's work combines: Business, Entrepreneurship, and Helping People
See more careers and stories that connect to your interests.
Take Roadmap Quiz
Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Brebeuf Jesuit Prep. Schcool
Bachelor's Degree
Nuclear Engineering
Purdue University
Graduate Degree
Masters Public Affairs
Indiana University
Doctorate
Juris Doctorate
Indiana University Maurer School of Law
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Senior Corporate Counsel:
Bachelor's Degree: Business or Finance
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
"Female" Engineer – faced implicit bias as one of only a few women in my field.
2.
Moved for my husband's job opportunity and had to start over because my super specific degree (Nuclear Engineer) didn't have a job I wanted in our new geographic location.
3.
GRAD SCHOOL! Attended graduate school and obtained a Master's in Public Affairs and my JD law degree.
4.
Looking for a full time job, I heard from a lot of people that my undergraduate degree was too "weird" and they "didn't know what to do with me." I had to fight (while pregnant) for business law job.
5.
Convinced a large law firm to let me work in the business law group. It was hard, long, and stressful work. But I learned A LOT and enjoyed my colleagues.
6.
Once my son started school, it was difficult to balance my crazy schedule with my husband's advancing career running a small & growing business. Something had to give.
7.
Found position in-house with a large non-profit organization whose mission is to help advance education and workforce for all Americans. I feel like I have finally found the place where I belong!
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Society in general:
A woman will never be a successful Engineer—try nursing if you like science and math. Business Law and finance is a man's world. You can't be a mother with young kids and an associate at a law firm.
How I responded:
There is nothing inherent in gender, race, family situation, physical disability, economic background, religion, or any other in-group / out-group characteristic that applies to what you can or cannot do with your mind. Every human being has the capacity to learn and work hard and that is the ONLY thing that will ever matter to pursuing what you want to do with your life.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I was pregnant and had my first child while in graduate school. It was difficult being a new parent and trying to start a career in law. I had multiple interviews while heavily pregnant and couldn't hide my pending parenthood.