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Alumni Career Spotlight: Vince Gill

Vince Gill, Class of 2017

Vince Gill
Bachelor of Science in Environment, Economy, Development, and Sustainability ‘17
Operations Manager at May Mobility

Vince earned graduated from SENR in 2017 after majoring in Environment, Economy, Development, and Sustainability. During his undergraduate career, he worked several different jobs and prioritized networking. Today, he is the Operations Manager at May Mobility, a self-driving car company.

Read the full interview with Vince:

A Glance at Vince’s Current Work

I currently work at May Mobility in Ann Arbor, Michigan. May Mobility is a self-driving car company with the vision to transform cities and solve the first mile/ last mile problem we face today. I am an Operations Manager there.

What does a typical day in your job look like? 
A typical day involves managing a site in Detroit where we operate a shuttle service for the company Bedrock. I manage the day-to-day items that include making sure we are capturing data and making sure people have the best experience in a self-driving car. I manage our Fleet Attendants (operators) as well as develop scalable policies in order to promote healthy growth in this new transportation space.  

What is the most rewarding part of your current job? 
The most rewarding part of the job is being able to make a positive impact on my employees’ lives by making sure they love what they are doing. It is also so great seeing the excitement people have when they take their first ride in a self-driving car. Educating the public on the future of transportation is also extremely fun!

Navigating Work and School

My major in college was originally Mathematics, until I realized my passion for sustainability and switched to EEDS.

During school my main jobs were lifeguarding and landscaping. As a commuter student who was also working while in college, I was unable to take part in clubs. My hobby was networking. I was able to meet with and learn from 50+ professionals in the sustainability, environmental and business spaces. This is what propelled me into my future, and I was able to make a lot of friends along the way.

I started working a new job the Monday after I finished my classes. I needed an internship to graduate in 2017, but I was able to land a job that gave me the internship credit but was also a full-time career, and I was there for 18 months.

For me, having the right mentors has always been the most valuable thing.

Job Searching

In my job search I was looking for two things. First, I looked for a company that valued its employees as well as had a positive mission I could stand behind.  I started in energy efficiency consulting, where we were helping people lower their energy impact. At May Mobility, it is all about having a great culture and building a future that benefits all people.

Second, I was really out to find a company that was willing to take a chance on me.  I have always been drawn to leadership but lacked some of the experience (knowing I would be great at it).  May Mobility hired me as a supervisor in Columbus in 2018, and since then I became a manager in Rhode Island launching the world’s first public transit autonomous service and then moved to Michigan to manage our Detroit site.  It was a chance they took that has really paid off.

Professional Development

What experience do you feel was most valuable in your professional development?  

For me, having the right mentors has always been the most valuable thing. I had mentors in college who helped me network to find my first job, and even now I have one in my company who is able to help guide me through new experiences so that I can be the best leader I can be.

Would you consider getting an advanced degree in the future, or are you happy with your current opportunities?

I do not have an advanced degree, and it has not limited me to what I want to do. Maybe someday I will pursue my MBA, but for now I am still learning so much while being at my job

What is your advice for current students?

My advice would be to network, but network in a way where each person you meet is a teacher to you and helps you meet others.  You should be constantly learning as you go through life, and other people’s wisdom is priceless yet free.