An Interview with Heather Roser
By Janine C. Hagan
Heather is a 2004 graduate of the University of Alabama, where she received a B.A in communications and information sciences, majoring in advertising/marketing. She now resides in Greenville, South Carolina, where she seeks employment in advertising or marketing. Heather was born and grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Her boyfriend of three and a half years, Doug, also lives in Greenville and while they talk of getting engaged.

Janine: Heather, I am so excited that you agreed to “do” this interview! I first met you years ago when I was involved with youth ministry. We have both made a lot of changes during and since those years. Can you tell us about some of your recent experiences? I know that you went to the University of Alabama at the main campus in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, but I don’t know a whole lot more. When did you graduate? What was your major field of study? What other interests or work experience did you have while you were there?

Heather: I graduated this past May, but now that I’m out I miss it more than ever!
I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications and information sciences and majored in advertising and minored in marketing. I’m still looking for a job, so I’m open to any advertising or marketing positions if anyone knows of anything! I was in a sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha where I was the social chair and senior programmer for three years. I planned our social functions and parties. It was so much fun! My dream job would be to be an event planner, so if you have anything you want me to plan, just ask!

I also worked for the University of Alabama in the advertising and public relations department. I had jobs every summer, but they weren’t that glamorous, basically just something to do to make money and pass the time. This past summer, however, I was the advertising and marketing director for a water sports company in Myrtle Beach, SC. I loved working there and getting to be at the beach.

Janine: What about after graduation? Tell us a little about that “transition.” Where are you in the employment process?

Heather: Well, before I started my job at the water sports company I played. I spent most of the month of May with my best friends going to the beach and we took a trip to the Bahamas. We almost didn’t come back because we would have loved to stay there forever! It was gorgeous and we didn’t have to worry about anything.

I worked starting in June and finished up at the water sports company in August, they’re only open from mid-April to mid-September. so I finished all of the advertising and marketing stuff I was doing for them and moved to Greenville, SC in August. I’m still looking for a permanent job here, and it’s driving me crazy! I’ve applied and interviewed and applied and interviewed, but the right thing just hasn’t come along. I get frustrated with the whole process, but have to keep reminding myself that the right thing will come along when the Lord’s ready for me to have it… but I do admit that I wish it would come sooner!

I still want to go into marketing or advertising and maybe get into event planning/management. I’m working temporarily right now, which is nice because it helps pay the bills. I am also an advisor to the Clemson University chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha. I just recently accepted this position and I’m super excited about it! I miss college so much and this gives me the opportunity to work with the college crowd.

Janine: As a young adult, and at this time of your life, what are some of your greatest concerns or worries?

Heather: That I’ll never find a job! This has been my biggest fear in the last few months. I know something will come along and I keep praying, but it’s hard to just accept that something will come and not be able to have much control over it. I also worry about my family. I’m now four hours from home, well it’s not so much home anymore, but I still call it that! I worry about my parents; they’re taking care of my grandparents full time now along with working. I also worry about my sister and brother. Worrying about family is pretty much normal, but it’s a little bit harder to deal with now that I can’t check in on them everyday. I try not to worry too much, but it happens. With the whole job hunt going on, I worry daily that maybe I chose the wrong major, etc… which I know can’t be true because I love advertising and marketing, but it’s hard to keep that in perspective when I haven’t had much luck in the job hunt.

Janine: How do you feel about this approaching Advent/Christmas season? What do you think will bring you the greatest meaning this year, in terms of faith experience or memories?

Heather: I’m excited about Christmas, but it’s always been a rough time for my family. My grandfather died on Christmas day when I was younger, so I always carry that with me during the Christmas season. As a family we always come together and are much closer during the Holidays, but this year I won’t be able to spend the whole Christmas season at home with my family. I’ll only be able to drive in for Christmas Eve and stay through the day after Christmas. That makes me a little sad, but I’m also excited about the prospect of creating my own holiday traditions now that I’m out on my own.

I think that my faith experiences over the last year and the ones to come will bring me the greatest meaning this year. Things have been somewhat rocky in terms of my faith over the last year, but I’m starting to get back on track and I’m also starting to remember all the things I learned in middle school and high school. I’ve started to give up my worries and burdens instead of obsessing about them and it helps to not carry a bag of stones with me everywhere I go. I think for me this Christmas will be a new beginning, as this is a new chapter in my life, and I’m very excited and nervous about what the Lord has in store for me, but I know that “that which doesn’t kill us only makes us stronger.”

Janine: In terms of the present economic situation in the USA and in light of your own changes, what do “faithfulness” and “self-control” mean to you?

Heather: That’s a tough question for me. I’ve been in college for the last four years and while I’ve paid attention to the news and the situation of the USA, I haven’t really stopped to think about it much until now. Now that I’m graduated and I’m out in the “real world” I pay attention to things more and try to understand how they can/will impact my life. For me “self-control” means not going shopping and spending all my money… This is mainly because I don’t have a permanent job, so I try to be very frugal about how much and where I spend my money. This requires a lot of self-control for me because I love shopping! When I hear faithfulness it makes me think of being faithful... faithful to the Lord. I always have faith in the Lord, but the whole job hunt makes me question Him sometimes which I know I shouldn’t do and I recognize it, but for me it’s part of being human and it’s something I’m trying to overcome. I also think of being faithful to my boyfriend. Today it’s hard not to hear about someone who’s cheated on their spouse and we’re hearing about divorce more and more. When I hear those kinds of things I always think of my boyfriend and how much I love him and I wonder how people can act in a manner that would hurt someone they love.

Janine: Heather, do you have any last thoughts that you would like to share with people, particularly Christians, regarding college, graduating, employment, faith, and life?

Heather: Never graduate from college. Stay as long as you can! Okay, seriously though, I would love to have stayed in college forever, but there’s so much to see and learn in the “real world.” If I had stayed in school forever I wouldn’t be able to experience everything else God has in store for me, and I hope they’re going to be all good experiences. The hardest thing for me is remembering that God is always there and He’s always watching over you no matter what, so we should put our trust in Him. This is something I think everyone should remember and at least try to do. I know I’m not a perfect person and I will admit I have trouble putting all my trust in something I can’t control, but I’m trying and sometimes it’s not as bad as I once thought it would be.

Interviewer’s Note: Heather is just as vivacious in real life as she “appears” on the web and in print. She was one of the teens with whom I worked in the years that I was a youth ministry professional. Reconnecting with she and her sister reminded me how closely my purpose is tied to all of that age group. Life, love, and the work of the Holy Spirit continue to amaze me. Just when we think that we have “left” something is when we really find what we were looking for all along.

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