Do you speak French, or have you ever wanted to give it a try? Do you enjoy doing Pilates or other similar workouts? Whether it’s listening to Laufey’s music or sewing in your free time – do either of those sound like you? If you can relate, follow along to meet Laura Goyette, a Recruitment Counselor at Quinsigamond Community College! During this spotlight Interview, not only will you learn more about her life living here in Massachusetts, but you will get an insight on how she manages her busy schedule working at QCC. Join us as she reflects on her journey and how she would define “success.”

Meet Laura Goyette!

Q: Tell me about your background.

“I was born in Concord, Massachusetts, and have lived in Bolton, Massachusetts my entire life. I attended the Nashoba Regional School district, where I made some of my best friends. My grandparents speak French, so I chose to study French in high school, and I still speak French today! I get to use my French speaking skills a good amount in my job at QCC, where we have lots of students who speak French as their first language. After I graduated from Nashoba, I attended Assumption University in Worcester, where I majored in Pre-Physical Therapy and Music, and minored in French.” – Laura Goyette.

Q: Do you own a pet? If so, what is their name and how has your pet impacted your life? Share a bit about them.

I did not have any pets, sadly! I’m allergic. I did have a stuffed animal, a unicorn named Fluffle, that was my best friend growing up. – Laura Goyette.

Q: What’s a fun or unique fact about you? What do you like to do in your free time? Do you have any hobbies, passions, unknown talents, or special interests? If so, what are they?

“I have lots of hobbies! Right now, I really enjoy sewing. I also play the piano, and I’ve recently gotten back into running. It’s hard to make time for all of my hobbies and activities during the busy seasons at QCC, but I really try to make sure I have time to do at least one fun activity during the day, even if that’s just reading one chapter of a book.” – Laura Goyette.

Q: Did you join any extracurriculars when you were younger? Any after school clubs, organizations, programs, or sports in the past? If so, explain.

“I grew up doing dance, mostly. I focused on ballet but I studied tap, jazz, lyrical, hip-hop, pom, and modern. I really enjoyed dancing during high school and continued in college as part of Assumption’s Dance Team! I also did theater when I was younger in middle school, and I enjoyed that too, but preferred dance. I was on the cheerleading team in high school as well, and I sang in the choir in high school and college. Assumption has a scholarship program for students interested in singing, and I was grateful to be a part of that program. That’s given me many singing-related opportunities, even now that I’m out of college.” – Laura Goyette.

Q: Do you have any notable achievements or awards that you’ve received in the past?

“My proudest accomplishment so far has been graduating with honors from Assumption! I was also honored to be chosen to sing in the Massachusetts All-State choir during my senior year of high school. I was the first person to make it to All-State in five years, and I was thrilled to represent Nashoba there!” – Laura Goyette.

Q: What were some challenges you had to overcome during High School? Any advice to Highlanders?

“My senior year of high school was the hardest year of my life so far. I felt really overwhelmed with school, with planning my future, and on top of that, I learned some things about two of my really close friends that made me re-evaluate my friendships with them, and eventually I decided to end those friendships. That was really difficult, but being five years out of high school now, I’m so thankful to be surrounded now by a group of friends who truly care about me. All of my friends are so supportive and fun to be around now! My advice to Highlanders is to listen to your gut – whether that’s about what to do after high school, which activities to prioritize, or even something like which prom dress to buy. Usually, your instinct is the best guide you can have!” – Laura Goyette.

Q: What are your hot takes right now?

“It really needs to stop raining here. I can’t remember the last time we had a weekend with no rain, and that’s sad!” – Laura Goyette.

Q: Do you have any tips on self care, and how do you approach it? What’s your daily routine like? Why do you believe it’s important?

“Even if I’ve had the worst day ever, there is one thing that always makes me feel like I’ve at least accomplished something – doing my skincare. It might seem silly but the feeling of clean, hydrated skin always makes me feel relaxed. I try to run at least twice a week, and I do Pilates another 2 days a week. Like I said earlier, I also try to engage in one fun activity everyday, like working on a craft project or reading a book. Lastly, I’ve been eating a lot of fruit lately and that has really increased my energy levels!” – Laura Goyette.

Q: What’s something you feel nostalgic about? Is there anything you feel very grateful towards? What are some of the most memorable school moments or events that have still stuck with you?

“This might be silly but I really miss these little snacks called Yogos. They were discontinued when I was in first or second grade, I think around 2010. They were kind of like a yogurt-covered raisin but they were different flavors instead of just raisins. They were so yummy!! I feel so grateful to have had all of the experiences I’ve had in my life so far. I believe that everything happens for a reason, and I know that I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I had done anything differently. I’m grateful for my family, and friends, and for the ability to do the things that I love. I hosted a French exchange student, Celestine, when I was in high school. That was such a great experience! Unfortunately we were not able to go to France due to terrorism in the city we were supposed to go to, but when my student was here, it was right around Halloween. They don’t celebrate Halloween in France, so our French teacher threw this huge Halloween party for all of us and our French students. I also remember taking Celestine to Walmart, and how shocked she was when she saw an entire aisle dedicated just to potato chips.” – Laura Goyette.

Q: Do you have any music recommendations?

“Right now I’ve really been enjoying Laufey’s music! I’m excited for her new album to come out this summer. When I’m working, I also listen to a lot of classical music. I find it helps me to concentrate. I drive a lot for my job too, and I listen to lots of podcasts and audiobooks when I get sick of music. A podcast I’ve been enjoying is called Back to the Barre, and it’s hosted by two of the original moms from Dance Moms!” – Laura Goyette.

Q: Do you want to share a few words about a loved one? What role do relationships—whether with family, friends, or colleagues—play in your life? Do they inspire, motivate, or offer valuable lessons to you?

“My parents have been very inspiring to me my entire life. They have shown me never to give up, even in the face of adversity, and to always be thinking ahead.” – Laura Goyette.

What Does Laura Goyette Do for a living?

Q: Do you have any community work, volunteer work, or internship experiences you want to share with us?

“Before I started my job at QCC, I had an internship with Boston Ballet. That was a really great experience, as I got to work in student activities for the dancers. Coming from a dance background myself, I was able to bond with the students and learn a lot about working in education, and in arts leadership.” – Laura Goyette.

Q: How did you get started in your current profession? What attracted you to your current line of work, and has your passion for it changed over time?

“I’m still very early in my career journey, but I got interested in working in colleges/universities when I was in college. I was an Orientation Leader and a first-year mentor, and I really enjoyed my work during school, so I started to look for jobs in that field and was very fortunate to land this position with QCC admissions. I’ve been here for about a year and a half, and I’m excited to see what the future holds for me in this field!” – Laura Goyette.

Q: What does a typical day look like for you at your job? How has your role evolved since you first started? What skills do you think are the most essential for success in your profession? What do you find most fulfilling about your current position?

“Every day is different at my job, which I like! In the fall, I usually visit 1 or 2 high schools or community organizations everyday. Sometimes I’ll just set up a table and let students come talk to me, and other times it’s more formal and I’ll give a presentation to a group of students. After those visits, I’ll go back to QCC and follow up with the students I met, and work on other office projects such as event planning (we host a lot of admissions events!) or meetings. In the winter, we host instant decision days at all of our high schools – myself and/or my colleagues will visit a high school and meet with most (or all) of the students that have applied to QCC, and we can accept them to QCC on the spot. The students really value these decision days. To be successful in this type of role, one needs to be very comfortable talking to anyone and making conversation. Organization and time management are also important – QCC is a very busy place, and with all of the visits I do, I really need to be punctual. The most rewarding part of my job for me is seeing the students progress and grow during their time at QCC. Sometimes, you see a student in the hallway and they recognize you from last year when you came to their high school. That’s a really great moment for both of us.” – Laura Goyette.

Q: Do you have any role models or people you look up to? Who would you consider a mentor or someone who has guided you in your career?

“Everyone on my team at QCC has been a great mentor to me! I was hired at QCC when I was 22, and I was worried I’d feel like a baby. Everyone was super nice and welcoming (even if they did initially tease me for not knowing how to use a landline phone), and I’m so grateful for all of them!” – Laura Goyette.

Q: What has been one of the most difficult decision you’ve had to make in life, and how did you overcome it? How about an experience that made you change the way you see the world? What has helped you grow the most?

“The hardest decision I’ve had to make so far was where to go to college. I had two options: I could go to Salve Regina University (my dream school at the time) and be in a good amount of debt when I graduated, or I could go to Assumption University on a scholarship and graduate without any student loans or debt. I was very tempted to go to Salve, but I’m lucky enough to have a mom who’s an accountant. She emphasized the importance of saving money, and I’m so grateful that I did. I had a wonderful experience at Assumption, and I’m beyond fortunate to not have student loans. Of course, sometimes I wonder what my life would be like had I chosen Salve, but I’m very secure and confident with my choice of college. An experience that made me change the way I see the world happened last fall. My dad was undergoing surgery to fix a birth defect he has in his heart, and during the surgery, there was a freak accident and his heart stopped. They had to administer the AED twice and do two rounds of CPR before his heart started again and he started breathing. When I got the call from my mom to come to the hospital, I was beyond scared. Seeing him lying in the hospital bed, barely able to move even his finger, crushed me. We are all so blessed that he’s made a full recovery, but that was definitely a wake-up call for me. It’s reminded me to truly live life to the fullest and to (at least try to) enjoy every day, because we’re never promised a tomorrow.” – Laura Goyette.

Q: How would you define success, and do you believe you can reach success despite bad grades? Would you say it’ll be a more difficult experience than others with a good education? What role does having an education play on an individual’s future?

“I believe that success can come in many shapes and sizes. Working at QCC has reinforced that belief for me. To me, success means growth – whether that means earning Bs instead of Cs now, or scoring more points in basketball than you did last season. Getting good grades has always been important to me – my parents both pushed me to get the best grades I could, but they were also understanding when I failed one test here and there, or if I came home with an A- instead of an A on my report card. Overall, yes I would say that success may come easier to those who work hard in school, but that’s not always the case. Some of the best musicians, or mechanics, or athletes aren’t always the best students, and vice versa. Working in education, I feel a little biased, but I do believe it’s important for everyone to try hard in school, even if it’s just for the purpose of learning time management, learning to study, and preparing for whatever may come in the future.” – Laura Goyette.

Q: What keeps you grounded? How do you keep a balance between your job and your personal life? If you could change one thing about your life path, would you, and what would it be?

“I think I’ve mentioned this before but one thing that keeps me balanced is making sure that I do something fun everyday! When it’s nice, I love running or going for a long walk.” – Laura Goyette.

Q: What changes do you see in your industry, and how are you preparing for them? Do you have any goals for the future? Where do you see yourself in your career in the next 5-10 years?

“Now that QCC is free for qualifying students, most other universities are implementing similar policies. Because of this, I think more and more students will come to colleges, because the finances hopefully won’t be as much of a barrier. Personally, I’m not sure where I’ll be in 5-10 years! Wherever I end up, I hope that current Laura would be proud of future Laura.” – Laura Goyette.

After hearing about Laura Goyette’s journey working at QCC and what she shared with us today, what takeaways do you have from this interview? Has it sparked any motivation to take up new hobbies? Will you start listening to more podcasts or audiobooks in your spare time? This spotlight interview not only gave us a deeper look into Laura Goyette’s interests, but it also helped emphasize the importance of making responsible decisions when it comes to pursuing higher education. Thank you for following along, and do not forget to click the comment button on your right-hand side to share your opinions and critiques on this matter! To read more articles, scroll down and click ‘The Journey to Success’ tag in red! Tune in for more articles.

Get in Touch with Laura Goyette!

• • Email: [email protected]