December 2022 Issue 2
From Student to Staff: An Interview with Abby Hassett By Annissa Khanna
“Harvey was a great experience for me as a student, and it was a great environment for me. As a professional, I thought the same rules could apply, but now I’m able to look at the school from a different lens and be able to help a school that helped me.” — Abby Hassett, The Harvey School Class of 2013, Communications Associate The Pulse was fortunate enough to interview Abby Hassett, Harvey’s new communications associate. In doing so, we were able to understand the professional background that led to M. Hassett’s return to Harvey as an alum. Upon graduating from Harvey in 2013, M. Hassett attended college in Beverly, Massachusetts, studying marketing, communications, and photography. Following that, a series of internships (including two production companies and one public relations internship) taught M. Hassett the workplace, and Abby described the time spent learning as “a very formative experience, traveling to London and studying at the University of Westminster, and taking some media classes.” There is quite a lot to understand in the new light of what media has provided for this generation, and the next, which is a vital skill in promoting a place such as Harvey. M. Hassett moved to Brooklyn as a freelance worker at an advertising agency as a junior designer, telling to The Pulse, “The world of advertising in New York City is very cut-throat and very fast.” While in the city, M. Hassett brought an interesting story to light: “I was fired from a coffee shop because I was too honest with them. In Williamsburg, in Brooklyn, coffee is taken very seriously. I was asked what my future in coffee looks like, and I candidly told them I didn’t see a future in this. That comment ultimately caused me to be let go; it was an honest 21-year-old mindset and a rightnow job. In New York City, that is a career.”
The Harvey School 260 Jay Street Katonah, NY 10536
Spending time in New York, doing freelance work, and working at a photography production house in Brooklyn, New York (Root Studios), the professional experience proved itself vital to coming back to Harvey
and returning to work at the same high school, this time with more experience and knowledge. M. Hassett told The Pulse what was behind the decision to return to Harvey, stating, “Most recently, before I was here [Harvey], I was working at a nature preschool. It was totally different, and while I was there, I helped them with their marketing and social media. I found this intersection of doing social media and using my communications background, while also being in a school setting. That’s how I found myself at Harvey. My background and what I was looking for all met up with this.” The culmination of a spreadout background, with time spent on diversions that bring enjoyment into a career, is necessary to develop a strong skill set, while still spending time doing what you love. M. Hassett explained to The Pulse, “One of my biggest passions, and something I’d always want to pursue, is film photography. I’d love to have a show of my work … to me, film photography is the more classical essence of photography.” M. Hassett described the role of a communications associate to The Pulse, stating, “I am behind the Harvey social media accounts, and I’m also helping with the admissions and marketing team, making promotional videos for prospective and current students, to show the different opportunities the school has.” Harvey has changed time and time again. M. Hassett stated, “The school as a whole just feels a lot bigger… Harvey has the same essence as when I went here… I really enjoyed being able to do everything.” Two distinct moments M. Hassett recalled of Harvey serving students for the better were the annual Wells Speech Contest and the Michael Lopes Poetry Recitation Contest. M. Hassett shared a moment where these speeches were beneficial, as they were the officiant of a close friend’s wedding: “I got really comfortable with public speaking at Harvey. What I always credit to Harvey is the speech contest and poetry contest, which
Photo of Communications Associate M. Abby Hassett
helped me be able to speak in front of groups on different scales. When people asked if I had officiated a wedding, I hadn’t done it before, but I was able to say I had practice speaking since eighth grade.” What brought M. Hassett back upon graduating was the professional knowledge picked up from spending the time at Harvey: “When I read the job description the first time around, I knew I had done all of this, and it was the first time I had done a job where I directly met the requirements.” M. Hassett continued, “I always had the chance here. That’s helped me with this role and made me understand a student mindset. So, I can help give a more accurate communications point. I have the professional experiences from being able to try so many different things in adulthood. That is directly linked to Harvey.” In conclusion to our interview, M. Hassett left some words for our younger selves and any student pursuing their ambitions at Harvey: “There is so much that the faculty wants to help you with and do … that’s really special. You don’t really realize that until you’re out of here … take advantage of what you have here and the people you have here.”