Center for Career Planning

Patricia Vorwald ‘13

Spanish Teacher at Kings Fork High School

Majors: Philosophy & Linguistics

Please give a brief background about your current company and position.

I teach from freshman to senior high school level. I help students to develop their academic skills in Spanish and become bilingual. 

How do you think being at Christopher Newport helped you to pursue your career path? 

CNU provided me with discipline, work ethic and perseverance. Also, I completed a Masters to help students to complete their education and obtain a GED. 

Which career readiness competency did you develop the most during your time at CNU and how do you use this competency in your career?

Career & Self-Development, Communication, Critical Thinking, Equity & Inclusion, Leadership, Professionalism, Teamwork, Technology - They are all important to become successful in any academic, business, and professional field. 

What advice would you give current students?

Perseverance is the key for success. 

Norah Sheldon ‘26

Intern at Virginia Department of Social Services

Majors: Psychology & Leadership

Minor: Criminology

What resources did you use to find your internship?

None, it was all word of mouth and God given. 

Which career readiness competency did you use during your internship and please give a specific example of how you developed it.

Communication - Part of my job was emailing local department of social services offices and local Virginia departments of corrections. I learned how to articulate myself better via email and phone calls when contacting these departments. 

What advice do you have for underclassmen seeking internship opportunities?

Don’t be afraid to network and meet new people you never know if that person can be your future boss or someone who raves about you to get a shoe in the door for an internship. Take business cards and keep them. Practice your elevator pitch/introduction. Trust me, that’s what reels them in.