Talley Kovacs (A01) is an associate attorney and a St. John’s College alumna making a difference.
St. John’s College: How have you helped the Career Services Office at St. John’s?
Talley Kovacs: When asked, I try to make time to return to the college to speak with prospective and current students about my career path, the challenges I encountered, and how I faced those challenges. Even when not expressly asked, I try to remember to reach out to the office when I am in Annapolis or by email to inquire if there are ways that I can be of service.
SJC: What is your favorite part about interacting with St. John’s students?
TK: I am impressed by their enthusiasm for making good decisions with their time and energy. They remind me of a time when life was simpler and more cerebral without the complications of adulthood and its attendant responsibilities.
SJC: What has the St. John’s College alumni community meant to your own career?
TK: I draw on specific people to help me navigate my charitable and community service efforts. I rely on the reputation of the school and the community to elevate me in the perception of my peers and colleagues.
SJC: How has your education at St. John’s equipped you for your own career?
TK: It becomes more apparent over time that my college experience was completely unique. The fact that I spent some time really excelling but also really struggling with my own ability to think through issues and problems helps me succeed on a daily basis. Law firms are complex universes of power and politics, which reward depth of character and confidence; St. John’s helped plant the seeds of those characteristics in me.
SJC: What would you say to an alumnus who is on the fence about getting involved?
TK: You have gifts that can be useful to those coming behind you. Should you accept the responsibility of sharing those gifts, you will be rewarded with knowing that you have meant something to someone who needed you just at the moment that you showed up.
This interview was edited for length and clarity.
—Brady Lee (AGI14)