Wolfe finds new challenge at ULV
Campus Times
November 9, 2001
Christy Wolfe, the new "Lambda" yearbook adviser, returns
to La Verne after attending as an undergraduate in the late 1980s. Wolfe
is now serving as the new yearbook adviser, commencement coordinator and
the administrative assistant dean of student affairs.
Never has the Commencement and yearbook office in the Student Resource
Center heard such a unique laughter.
Never has the office been adorned artwork straight from Venice Beach.
Never has the office housed a woman that, in 1995, was on the cutting
edge of groundbreaking Internet development programs.
The new yearbook adviser, commencement coordinator and the administrative
assistant to the associate dean of student affairs, Ruby Montaño-Cordova.
Christy Wolfe, brings not only experience to ULV, but a deep interest in
human beings along with an upbeat personality.
Wolfe took the job as a part-timer while she works on her Master's degree
in Leadership and Management at ULV's MSLN program.
Wolfe attended ULV as an undergraduate and was a journalism major.
She participated on the Campus Times staff.
"I wanted an emphasis in graphic design. I enjoyed journalism but
my passion was art so I transferred and finished my bachelor of arts degree
in design at Cal Poly Pomona," Wolfe said.
In the time between attaining a BA, and now heading back to school,
Wolfe's professional career has been quite a journey.
After college, Wolfe moved from La Verne to Santa Monica and worked
as a designer doing production work, and in 1995 she started to pursue advertising
in a small advertising "boutique" in Pasadena.
"The owner said 'you should be working with clients' so I then
became an account representative and handled client services and produced
CD-ROM projects.
This proved to me that that was in fact the place that I enjoyed,"
Wolfe said.
Soon after she learned the ropes of management, a contractor from Anamay
CD-ROM projects recruited Wolfe to be a part of the company's software development
project.
"It was like six guys in an apartment in Santa Monica doing Internet
development programs. At the time people thought the Internet was a fad.
I went to see a demo of Shockwave software, which is moving pictures and
sound on the Internet. In 1995 this was not a reality.
"When I saw it I knew it would change everything and that it was
not a fad but a thing that would affect all of us in a huge way. So I left
my cushy job and went and worked for them for the next three years,"
Wolfe said.
To pay for their attempts at building business applications on Java
platforms, Wolfe's team built websites for entertainment companies such
as Sony Pictures, Columbia Tri-Star and Orion Pictures.
"There was no money in it whatsoever, but it was a tremendous learning
opportunity. I had an opportunity to learn HTML, but also computer networking
the conceptual foundation of software engineering. It was a really special
learning time," Wolfe said.
In 1998 Wolfe joined another start-up team and worked with GOTO.com,
now called Overture.com, which is an agency that provides paid advertising
on the web.
"GOTO was an idea lab company, and I was employee number 20.
"By June 1999, there were over 300 employees. This was another
really amazing learning opportunity that ended up being financially lucrative
as well," Wolfe said.
She added that it was her experience at GOTO.com that really encouraged
her to focus on management theory as a career.
"It was an environment of 20 people with goals, then with over
300 people the organization was challenged. It was a love-hate relationship.
It was very stressful; we worked 12-hour days. It was human potential at
its absolute best," Wolfe said.
Wolfe says that she never felt that it was too much for her to handle,
she was just grateful to be able to be involved in such innovative projects.
"You ride off the high. The potential and innovation kept you going.
Yeah, it was physically draining, but you take a two-day break and then
go back; 18 hour days aren't sustainable as a lifestyle, but seeing human
potential at its best is really inspiring," Wolfe said.
After she left GOTO.com in January 2000, Wolfe did a variety of jobs
in the fields she had become accustomed to.
She worked for SoftAware.net, another Internet company, where she focused
on marketing communication. She also worked for a mortgage banking company
that used Internet technology.
Wolfe compares her initial ventures in college, which involved journalism,
to the paths the courses she has found her life taking.
"Journalism is a constant exploration and journey. Marketing is
a service, but you're the human component of management and developing each
person's skills. I want it to be more about humans and less about bottom
line stuff.
"I sort of perceive life as a life-long learning opportunity and
I'm pretty committed to that," Wolfe said.
Now that she is back at ULV and in charge of "Lambda," the
university yearbook, Wolfe says she is looking forward to bringing her experience
to the community.
"It's a building year," she said.
"From what I observe, the yearbook has been on a windy road the
last three-to-five years. I'm hoping to re-establish ties with the community,
try to expand the coverage and increase the overall quality of the book,"
said Wolfe who sent out flyers recently to to recruit student staff members.
Wolfe, who says she is glad to be back in the ULV community and around
all the memories of her time here, integrates foreign films into her life
along with Eastern philosophy and Buddhist practices.
"When I moved to L.A., I was 26. It was an age when you go, 'what
am I and what am I doing here? It's about committing yourself to being open,"
Wolfe said.
As for her future, Wolfe who is currently dating a senior editor for
the television series "Malcolm in the Middle", says she is not
thinking of marriage.
"We want to focus on our careers right now," said Wolfe.
"If you really take in the notion that life is a learning opportunity,
it is pretty amazing what the universe brings to your doorstep."
