Tiger Wisdom Profile: Lindsey Rae '09
?? Corinne Green Endres
Engagement Strategist / Relationship Builder / Jane of All Trades
“My career path has been a string of happy accidents and unexpected opportunities,” says Lindsey Rae ’09 (international studies).
Intent on working for a global company as a translator, Lindsey earned her degree in international studies at RIT, but became interested in library science after four years of working for the RIT Libraries. After completing her masters in Library Science from UNC Chapel Hill, she worked for several academic libraries over the next ten years. But recently, she decided she wanted a change. “I learned I was passionate about what libraries stood for, but not the work I was doing day to day.
A friend showed Lindsey how the skills she’d developed in libraries would make her a great business analyst, and now she works in the IT industry at Red Hat, Inc., a global open-source software organization. Her #TigerWisdom for the Class of 2020 is reflected in her own journey. “Be open to stepping off the path you’ve laid out for yourself.”
Of her path, Lindsey says, “It was a lot of trial and error, hedging my bets, learning by doing, pursuing any open door I saw that had potential, seeing what happened, and then making more choices.” Lindsey’s time after RIT has taken her through numerous jobs and also cities, including Raleigh, Burlington, San Diego, and now Rochester once again. “I’ve moved to Rochester three separate times, so I think I can safely call it home now.”
When asked what part of her RIT experience she found most valuable after her graduation, Lindsey talked about her enduring friendships. “One of those friends referred me to my current job. Another friend’s invitation to stay at her house gave me the courage to try living in San Diego. We have stuck by each other through the hard times and rallied together to celebrate the bright ones. The group of friends I made are no question the part of my RIT experience I’m most grateful for.”
Are you an RIT alum like Lindsey? Share your #TigerWisdom with the Class of 2020 today: https://www.rit.edu/alumni/tiger-wisdom#submit-your-wisdom