Alumni Q & A
Image: Kennedy Center
Q&A with Hiram Alumna Kris (Perevosnik) McGuigan ’01
My time at Hiram was amazing. I always jumped on opportunities to stay involved. Having a close-knit community helped me build deep relationships with my professors. I worked as a resident assistant, wrote articles for the newspaper, and served as a tour guide for the Office of Admission. Later, I worked in the career center which helped encourage me to later start my own business, Professional Courage.
After I graduated, I stayed in Cleveland and worked for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Kaiser Permanente. I got my master’s degree in business administration at Case Western University in 2005 and eventually wanted to do more. I wanted to know what my ultimate career would be, so I began going through this self-discovery process and realized that I was more excited about how I would get my next job, than getting the next job.
Hiram allowed me to think outside of myself and be open to viewpoints that I may not have understood or embraced. Now, as the founder and CEO of Professional Courage in Cleveland, Ohio, I help individuals and corporations in high-potential markets find their next possible career. We move people from limited to free. We show them what’s possible. We offer the tools and resources to help people discover their capabilities.
“The Requisite Courage” promotes resiliency, leadership, career wellness, fear management, and personal development. It’s a roadmap for finding professional and personal bravery in the things that matter most to you. It is a strategic plan that will define your desired outcome and include the major steps—those milestones—needed to reach it.
This is the easiest time in your life to explore what you like. Uncover your hidden talents. Build your courage muscle
Q&A with Hiram Alumnus Nana Kwamena Takyi-Micah ’14
When I arrived in Hiram in 2010, I had dreams of becoming an entrepreneur leading an organization and managing several employees. As a result of my ambition, it was natural for me to select management as my major and entrepreneurship as a minor. Hiram gave me easy access to my professors with its small size classes and enabled me to learn and thrive within the community.
As a student, I founded the African Cultural Awareness Club, Intercultural Forum, and I also served on the Student Senate Finance Committee. I also got the chance to perform music on several occasions in front of several audiences on campus. I enjoyed my time as a student because Hiram gave me the opportunity to shine and express my unique attributes and talents.
Since I graduated, I founded Micah Specialty Foods, relocated back to Ghana for a year and a half and then returned to the United States to marry my college sweetheart. Our company manufactures a delicious marinade called Ghana Supreme Sauce that is sold in several grocery stores like Heinen’s, Giant Eagle Market District, Acme, Dave’s Supermarket, and many other locations. We are located in Mayfield Heights, Ohio.
The idea for my business started while I was a student at Hiram during Entrepreneurship Immersion Week. My Hiram education prepared me with the tools to start a business by equipping me with information about finance, management, and marketing. It also laid the foundation for my business network. My goal is to expand my business to Ghana, to create jobs for farmers, and to help cut their post-harvest losses. We also want to distribute our product(s) globally after building brand equity within the U.S.
My advice for current students is to build a solid network while they are still in school for better opportunities in the future. Your network is your net worth!
