Hollie Stevens Email & Phone Number

When I was in high school, I swore I was going to be an optometrist! I needed glasses at 9 years old, but I hated wearing them. They were uncomfortable, difficult to wear when active, and I was embarrassed because I thought I looked nerdy. At age 11, my vision became worse, so my optometrist discussed it with my mom and together they decided I was old enough to start wearing contact lenses. What a pivotal moment that was in my life! I was so grateful that not only could I see again, but I didn’t have to bear the burden of wearing glasses anymore. And because of that, I wanted to help others see too.Ultimately, I didn’t end up pursuing a career in optometry, though I started off as a pre-med major in college. Life experiences, including the desire to be a mother more than a doctor, caused me to change my major to another field of interest that I had--Dietetics. I used that degree as a mom and wife to help my family learn to eat healthy, especially when my husband was diagnosed with Celiac Disease and had to completely change his diet to accommodate a gluten-free way of life. After several years of being a stay-at-home mom, I am fortunate to have ended up where I am now as the CTE Internship Coordinator at Westlake High School.I love helping students connect with their careers of interest! I want all of them to know about the incredible opportunity they have at their fingertips! Internships have so many benefits. From hands-on experiences to networking and learning from the pros, internships are amazing! Probably the most important discovery is knowing whether or not their desired career is something they actually want to pursue. Students can see things firsthand, helping them to uncover hidden gems or reveal undesirable things about the job that they would never have discovered from only reading books and listening to professors. Sometimes I wonder if I would’ve continued to pursue optometry in college if I had the chance to intern in high school at my eye doctor’s office. It would’ve given me an idea as to whether or not I should’ve pushed through the challenges of pursuing a doctorate degree as a young mother or if I could’ve saved myself a year of college by changing my major prior to starting my undergraduate degree.No, I didn’t end up helping people to see the physical world around them. But hopefully, I am helping young students “see” themselves in a future career. What a wonderful feeling it is to know that I might be playing a small part in that!