Post by Melissa Milloway

What's your story? May marks 16 years since I entered the field of learning and development. It started in 2009 in an online journalism class. My professor invited a faculty member from the Master of Science in Instructional Technology (MSIT) program to speak to the whole class, but he pulled me aside separately to make sure I talked to them. He noticed how much I loved helping my classmates learn HTML and CSS. In undergrad I didn't even choose my own major of Public Relations so I just felt lost. I didn't hate it, but the only parts I cared about were the times I was helping people learn something, writing blog posts as one of the first contributors to our school's online publication, or creating materials that connected concepts for others. When I heard about the MSIT program, my life changed. It combined everything I cared about like teaching, technology, and trying to understand how people think. I went to every open house until I got accepted. I fell deeply in love with it (I was also sometimes an awful student, but that's a different post). And I've never looked back. At the CLO Exchange conference this past week, a new friend told me he could feel how passionate I am about what I do. I told him about the first conference I attended, about a year into my career. I was sitting in the lobby and someone far more tenured than me told me I'd quickly lose my shine. Sixteen years later, I still have it. And I'm so very proud to be in this space with all of you. What was the moment you knew you were in the right field? How did you get into it? #eLearning #InstructionalDesign #LearningandDevelopment