be the change
‘I Wanted to Do Something More’ While many of the Scranton contingent at DePaul have always been called to education, others have taken a more scenic route, including Steve Fromhold ’06. A business major at Scranton, Fromhold was 18 months on the job as an accountant when he conducted what he calls a “little self-evaluation.” “I was just out of college, and not much was asked of me back then,” he recalls. “I was working until 5 p.m. and doing all types of activities with friends. I even had Flyers season tickets. The pay was good and the lifestyle that goes with that paycheck was nice.” Considering this career trajectory however, Fromhold was left feeling unfulfilled. “I always got a little bit of an empty sense that my job didn’t really mean anything,” he says. “What is the big deal with these financial statements and what the numbers are? I wanted to do something more.” Adds Steve Clark ’06, “He wasn’t finding meaning in being an accountant. He wanted to do something where he was connecting with people – helping people and using his gifts to help others.” So Fromhold quit, taking a volunteer position at Camp Overbook, a day camp for inner city kids. He enjoyed the experience so much he – on the advice of Clark – sought an open position at DePaul, and he landed the job. “I accidentally fell into a great situation,” says Fromhold, who taught religion to sixth- and seventhgraders. “It wasn’t exactly baptism by fire, but I quit accounting in May, and by September I had my own classroom. It was amazing how my life changed so fast.” Looking back, Fromhold says the risk he took paid off. Four years later, he teaches science to middle schoolers, which wasn’t on his previous career path, but definitely worth the detour. “I make about half as much now as I did when I was accountant,” he estimates. “But my parents and everyone have been really understanding about it. They respect the choice that I’ve made, and they can see that my heart is in it.”
After trying his hand at accounting, Steve Fromhold ’06 realized his career path wasn’t leading him where he wanted to go. Today, Fromhold is one of a dozen Scranton graduates who found “more than a job” at DePaul Catholic School.
“...my heart is in it.” FA LL 2012
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