Michael Kozell

Background

About Michael Kozell

People tend to define things by the past & present. But I’m not defined by who I was or who I am. I define myself by who I strive to be. Next is an ironic set of bullets that detail all of that & describes my journey of discovery, acceptance & humility. To paraphrase Reinhold Niebuhr, I strive for “the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, & the wisdom to know the difference.” Lesson: “The best laid plans of mice & men often go awry” -Robert Burns • I have a BS in Civil Engineering from Lafayette College. In short, I love math science, architecture & the environment. I can use AutoCAD, ArcGIS, & more. Twice, on a team, built a steel bridge to the national competition rules. I’ve completed an environmental site assessment. At one point I took 2 years off to manage my health & that’s when I learned plans can fail. Breaking things down & going over details to ensure I had thought of various perspectives seemingly failed me. My graduation became a goal with an unclear path. But I persevered to achieve it. • I work as a children’s librarian assistant. Part of my interview sales pitch was a desire to teach STEAM programs, mostly the E. I wanted to stay in touch with my education & the best way to show understanding is by teaching. I learned other skills like public speaking, since I lead programs; and budgeting since I order a part of the collection monthly from an annual budget. Applying the lesson • I’m a nerd with many interests. I eagerly learn, especially if it piques my curiosity. The more I learn, the more I find there is to learn; a vicious cycle, luckily, I’m a voracious learner. My bucket list is proof. It’s not just a to do list, it’s a to learn list. I want to delve into the English language, quantum mechanics, the human mind, & more. Part of my list is filled with challenges. I want to solo travel where I don’t speak the language. I’m afraid of heights yet want to skydive. I wasn’t an art major, yet I want to try photography, writing & making a podcast. • I’m not perfect. Which is obvious, but many people who are detail oriented can attest to this: you feel a need to be perfect & not make mistakes. But to err is human. I am by design meant to make mistakes. I’m meant to learn from them & learn to be a better person. I’m not perfect, but I am consistent. I’m someone who will get back up when they fall & who strives to be better. I know plans often go awry, but that doesn’t mean I should stop planning completely. Some goals require structure. Requiring flexible guidelines, not hard & fast rules.