By Jane Bowden
Features Editor
With graduation just around the corner, seniors might have doubts as to whether they have chosen the right profession.
In an April 1999 issue of The Signal, Elizabeth Gloeggler, a College alumna and CEO of her own clothing company, Mismo, spoke to uncertain students about how what they study in college won’t necessarily be what they do in the real world.
If the past three years have proved anything to Elizabeth Gloeggler, it's that the career you plan for throughout college isn't necessarily what you end up doing in the real world.
Gloeggler graduated from Trenton State College in 1996 with an early childhood education degree and a desire to make positive changes in the lives of children.
Currently 26 and holding the position of CEO at Mismo, the clothing company she started, Gloeggler emphasizes that the messages kids learn out of the classroom are just as important as the ones they learn in it.
Mismo (which means "same" in Spanish) is a catalog clothing business for teens who wear larger sizes — mainly 14 to 24. "At Mismo, we think everyone should have the same choices as far as buying clothes," Gloeggler said, emphasizing that currently, there are not as many choices for girls past size 14.
Gloeggler herself is big on choice. While at Trenton State, she chose to do her student teaching in Puerto Rico.
This experience had a big impact on her life, as she came to have a Rican culture and working with kids.
After graduating, she chose to volunteer for one year with Volunteer In Service To America (VISTA) — an organization that's similar to a domestic Peace Corps.
Her work with VISTA stationed her in Boston, working with non-profit mentoring organizations like the Big Brother/Big Sister program. Working mainly with high school students, as opposed to the young age group she had been trained to work with, proved to be a happy revelation.
"They got all of my jokes," she said. "(I thought) 'wow, these guys are great!'"
After her year of service was through, Gloeggler chose to leave the Boston area, but wanted to continue working with social outreach organizations.
She then began to contemplate starting her own business — one that would donate a good percentage of its profit toward outreach programs.
"The crazy thing is that once you graduate, you never do what you had planned on doing," she said, though she still feels her education degree is extremely important. "Education teaches you to be a thinker," she said.
