Connor Mallon
Washington D.C. City Impact Manager / Photographer
The Mission Continues/Smithsonian Institution
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
After completing high school, I worked as a tae kwon do instructor & took community college classes.
After two semesters of school, I decided my heart wasn't in it, and so I joined the Army.
While I was overseas in Korea, my dad passed; that inspired me to do something greater with my life.
Eventually I started questioning why we were at war; I felt disillusioned by my military experience.
When I got out, I took what I'd learned in the military and studied political science with passion.
After graduation, I pursued my interest in photography, and found my fellowship at the Smithsonian.
For a long time, I'd wanted to do volunteer work; eventually I acted and joined Mission Continues.
Getting involved completely changed me; I work with such an amazing, inspirational group of people.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Associate's Degree
Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
Career
Washington D.C. City Impact Manager / Photographer
I help empower, inspire, and mentor veterans to help them get involved in their communities.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Non-Profit Organizations
Armed Services
Teaching / Mentoring
Day to Day
At The Mission Continues, a great workday consists of us putting on an event, knocking it out of the park, and getting really good feedback from the community. Whenever I hear that one of our members has taken the resources we offered to them and done something awesome with them—whether they find a new opportunity or job, or they enroll in or graduate from school—it just fills me with joy. As a contract photographer, a great day means capturing a powerful image and putting it out into the world.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for college students
In college, it's not so much about what degree you get; it's more about learning certain things that you don't learn in the military, like knowing how to network, being able to form an argument, practicing critical thinking. All of those skills were incredibly important for me to learn. In addition, in college you get to be around people who are ambitious and proactive, and making things happen. Choose the right circle of friends and their drive and energy will transfer over to you.
Recommended Education
My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:
Associate's Degree
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Society in General:
"You have to take this job because it's respectable; it's what you *should* do."
