Snapshot of VPS grad success: Anya Pavlovic Kain
When she was a senior at Columbia River High School, Anya Pavlovic Kain stayed busy with International Baccalaureate and Running Start classes and was president of Natural Helpers and a member of the Clark County Youth Commission.
Her hard work was rewarded. Pavlovic received the Clark County Youth Citizenship Award and George C. Marshall Youth Leadership Award in 2004, the year she graduated from high school. Recently we caught up with her to learn about her successes.
College degrees
- Bachelor of Arts degrees in communication and political science, University of Washington
Current job title/employer
- Senior communications specialist, Nordstrom Inc.
Favorite K-12 moment, class or teacher that prepared her for her current occupation
I was in the International Baccalaureate program at Columbia River High School, which required a lot of dedication to my studies and calculated school/life balance. The program was challenging but prepared me so well that I actually found college easier with only three classes per quarter. To this day, I’m very thankful for the discipline and perseverance skills I acquired earlier in life—they’ve been a strong foundation for my success in college and the professional realm.
Advice she would give to today’s students
When you’re thinking about a future career, look at your natural talents and think outside the box. Your career should be what you’re naturally good at and inherently love. The ability to transform your talents into a career choice means you never really have to “work” because what you love doesn’t feel like work. I went to college as pre-law, and it took me a long time to own up to what I loved (fashion) and pick a career field where I was naturally talented (communication)—and I’m so glad I did! Now going to work is a dream, and I get paid every day to love what I do. You probably already know what you’re good at and what you love, so don’t ignore that voice.
