Paralegal Studies alumna shares her path from Harper to health care

Divya Jaiswal completed her certificate in Paralegal Studies at Harper College in September 2009. She currently works in the health care field. Divya recently discussed her career path and experiences at Harper.

What’s your current job title or role? 
My current title is contract development lead for a health care company. A majority of what I do encompasses drafting specific contract language to align with the needs of the company and its customers for the sale of hospital products.

How and why did you choose your program of study?  
I have a passion for words. Earlier in life I played around with the idea of authoring fiction. I am interested in everything and what I learn, I enjoy transferring that knowledge or idea to others.

Why did you choose Harper?
I grew up in the area and had taken courses at Harper as a senior in high school. It seemed like an obvious choice as it was both American Bar Association accredited and geographically convenient. I had a few years of experience in the paralegal field prior to starting coursework at Harper. This combination allowed me to gain on-the-job experience during the day as a paralegal and go to class in the evenings to give me the educational background. It was like pieces of a puzzle fitting together.

What did you like the most about your studies at Harper?
Being passionate about what you do, I feel, comes from a thorough understanding of the subject matter. The skills I was learning during the day taught me to do my job well, but the educational background I received at Harper answered a lot of the “why’s” I had about my work.

What do you like the most about your current position or career path? Professor Carol Carlson-Nofsinger mentioned that while many graduates work at a law firm, your work may be a different path than many graduates take. 
While I did start with experience in the traditional path, I am an independent contributor within my team. With drafting and negotiating contracts that help individuals (either at home or in a hospital) needing treatments, I find inspiration in my work – like dialysis treatments that allow patients with kidney failure a chance to live productive lives.

What can you tell us about your path after Harper and your current career? 
It was important to me to build a career that was both mentally stimulating and rewarding. We have to begin the journey to find out what we want from ourselves. That journey began for me at Harper.

What would you tell someone who may be thinking of following a similar career or educational path?  
Connect with me on LinkedIn and ask me questions! I’m happy to share any knowledge that will help.