A Conversation with Elizabeth Keeney ‘15

What is your current professional role?
I’m a Partner Success Manager at EdSights, an EdTech startup working to create a more student-centered higher education system. In my role, I help colleges and universities strategically use our AI chatbot technology to better understand and support the specific needs of their students. 

You completed multiple internships while you were in college. Why did you choose to do that and how were they beneficial?
My array of internship experiences in college—from non-profit investment management to film production/distribution—helped me understand the number of ways I could apply my skills as an English major, post-grad. I took full advantage of the liberal arts education at Barnard College, had many academic interests, and felt a bit lost about what I wanted to do with my career. These internships helped me feel confident about the critical thinking and communication skills I was building in school—but also showed me paths I knew I didn’t want to pursue further when graduating! 

It was also an excellent and humbling experience to realize that the day-to-day work in the “real world” is not always as impactful or exciting as the classes you take in college!

It seems you were an avid sailor while at OES. Do you still sail?
Yes, I was a proud member of the small OES sailing team through the Willamette Sailing Club. I continued sailing competitively in college and was the captain of the team at Columbia. Frankly, I was a bit burned out from sailing when I graduated from college. It’s been great to take a pause post-grad and explore other interests. But now living in San Francisco, the Bay beckons, and I’m ready to get back out on the water! 

What advice can you give current seniors who are about to enter college to start pursuing their professional goals?
Wow, what an exciting journey ahead of you! Explore your passions and identities, meet new people, create community, and take advantage of all the opportunities available to you. I got a lot out of my college experience but wish I had taken advantage of even more of the opportunities, professors, and experiences available to me on my campus. 

Your senior year at OES, you won the Mary Rodney Leadership Award. What did that mean to you and what have you taken from that into your professional career?
As a founder of St. Helen’s Hall, Mary Rodney was devoted to the education of girls. When I received the award, I was headed to Barnard College (a women’s college) and so I was proud of the recognition for my leadership as a young woman while at OES. However, it’s now interesting to reflect on Mary Rodney’s role as an educator. When I graduated from OES, I had zero plans of working in education! Now, having been a high school English teacher and still working in the broader education space, it seems that my teachers at OES saw a passion within me I had yet to discover. 

What is your fondest memory of OES?
I’m thankful for the chance to have been a part of some unique communities at OES. My favorite was the small, short-lived group of “Support and Solidarity.” This peer support group convened each month as its members dealt with family illnesses and loss. I have the fondest memories of meeting in Counselor Tay McIntyre’s butterfly-covered office for informal lunches to hold space with peers who were also coping with the pressures of illness and grief in addition to the traditional high-school stresses. How amazing to have this community for vulnerability at a young age! I hope current OES students are empowered to create the spaces they need to further improve their lives and the broader OES community!