Student Voices - An Interview for UPenn

I had the privilege of being interviewed for Penn LPS’s Online magazine after I completed the certificate program in Organizational Anthropology. Below is an excerpt.

“Although Michele Hart studied anthropology as an undergraduate, her professional path took her into marketing and communications. In the midst of a successful career, and now informed by practical work experiences, Michele sought out another academic program in human culture, this time focused on the workplace. The Penn LPS Online Certificate in Organizational Anthropology was the perfect fit. "I think anthropological concepts are really valuable in the business world," she says.

Early in her career, Michele was working in the marketing communications department at a high-tech firm during the dot-com boom. She was gaining valuable experience that would serve her burgeoning career. She even met her husband there. However, when the tech bubble burst in the early 2000s, Michele was ready to move on. "I remember getting laid off on the fifth round of layoffs. At that point, I was so happy to leave because the environment was awful," she recalls.

From there, Michele worked as a freelancer, got married, and took some time off to have the first of her three children. She returned to the workforce part-time at first, managing marketing and communications for a former client's small association. One of the association's board members asked her to do the same for another nonprofit. "Then that happened again," she says, "and before I knew it, I had started an association management business." For the next 14 years, Michele enjoyed working with various professionals and businesses, experiencing all kinds of organizational cultures.”

Read the full article here: https://lpsonline.sas.upenn.edu/about-penn-lps-online/student-voices/michele-spilberg-hart