USFSM ALUMNA: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DREAMLARGE
USFSM alum Julia Groom attended a recent Mind the Gap career fair not knowing she had arrived at the right place at the right time. She had second thoughts about attending, and arrived a bit late, but her decision to be there would ultimately lead to the job of her dreams, at a company called DreamLarge.
A local benefit corporation that, according to its website, was founded under the belief that “wherever we are, whatever we do, we have a duty to serve our community,” DreamLarge “actively supports the change makers in our community through scholarships, donations, and mentorship.”
The Sarasota-based enterprise works to foster socially aware and environmentally conscious entrepreneurs and startup ventures. It turned out to be the perfect fit for Groom, recipient of USF Sarasota-Manatee’s fall 2018 Outstanding Graduate and Golden Bull awards.
After studying for four years at USFSM and helping as a volunteer in Sarasota, she found herself in the arms of a career she never knew existed, at a place where she can genuinely say, “I love my job.”
I recently sat down with Groom, 23, at the DreamLarge office in Sarasota’s Rosemary district.
Much has transpired in her life since she became an alumna. Notably, she took time off after graduation to spend several weeks on a solo backpacking trip across Thailand. She called the experience amazing and strongly recommends that everyone take time in their lives to explore the world for themselves.
A few days after her return, she began working at DreamLarge.
Founded by Anand Pallegar, DreamLarge is the sister organization of digital marketer ATLARGE, which shares offices nearby. According to its website, DreamLarge is a “change-making organization that works to inspire, impact and enrich the community by cultivating thoughtful ideas and initiatives that they believe can sustain a long-term, positive impact on their ideals.”
Previously an interdisciplinary social sciences major with a focus on political science and sociology, Groom is now a young professional working to benefit her community.
“I outline all the initiatives we tackle,” she said. “I have the freedom to shape the organization as I see fit. This is a unique opportunity that I am trying to make the most of.”
For the moment, she’s working on the “PINC Experience,” an innovative and experiential conference that focuses on “People, Ideas, Nature and Creativity” (PINC). To support the event, Pallegar and Groom are searching for passionate speakers who fit into the framework of PINC. She’s also working on the “DreamLarge Weekend,” a new initiative for children grades 8-11 to connect with mentors and philanthropists to tackle challenges in the local community.
She’s grateful for her education at USFSM, and said her studies in interdisciplinary social science helped her to see the world through many different lenses, which also helps in the position she holds. She believes the opportunities she had at USFSM, and her involvement in leadership positions in Student Government and the Ambassadors program, helped shape her into the young professional she is now.
“Being in Student Government gave me the skills to become a better leader in my community. It gave me the ability to speak with anyone and articulate my thoughts more clearly, leading me to where I am now,” she said. “Being an ambassador taught me how to advocate for my university and advocate for myself.”
Groom believes that if it wasn’t for the Mind the Gap event, she would never have met Pallegar and found the job of her dreams. Everything has seemed to work out in her favor. She’s incredibly passionate and driven in her career, and Groom has always been super community-focused, considering herself an advocate for others. She cares deeply about social justice, education and her role as an inspiration to others. Likewise, she says, DreamLarge truly cares about the local community and is ardently dedicated to changing the world for the better, which is why she has chosen to work there. She knows this job was meant for her.
Groom’s advice to anyone seeking their dream job: Figure out what you enjoy most, pursue that goal with energy, passion and dedication, and everything else will fall into place.
For students at USFSM, opportunity is easy to discover. You must take the initiative and grab it by the horns. Groom is currently seeking an intern to work with her as a part-time project manager. Her long-term goal is to continue to support DreamLarge’s mission and to advance in the organization. For now, she continues to work alongside Pallegar to change the world one event, one inspiration and one dream at a time.