Whats On James Tarboxs Desk?
The executive director of Career Development and Services shares the stories behind the items in his workspace.
SDSU Career Services provides students and alumni with opportunities to realize their career potential through partnerships, education and programming.
This includes interacting with 500-600 active employers, hosting upwards of 300 workshops for students and alumni, helping more than 5,000 students with internship placement, partnering with SDSU’s regional councils and facilitating the Aztec Mentor Program, which will reach a milestone for matching 5,000 students this fall.
Leading the charge is James Tarbox, executive director for Career Development and Services. Tarbox said engaging employers and giving students the resources to succeed is more important than ever in a world evolving with new technology and jobs that did not previously exist.
“All the initiatives we work on are to make sure we are relevant to various student populations and to employers who represent their future” Tarbox said. “We help students continuously develop from choosing a major that works for them to finding an internship that helps advance their understanding of what they're studying, and finally to employment.”
A tour of Tarbox’s desk shows he has put his personal touch on almost every part of his workspace from decorations to the practical items he uses on a daily basis.
From the wall color to decorations, Tarbox has made the office his own, and it has remained unchanged for the better part of a decade.
“I set everything up intuitively, and that’s how I think about my world," Tarbox said. “I feel like the colors are good. I like change, so I’ll bring in new elements, but I think this works to welcome others and to encourage interaction.”
Here’s a look at some special items on his desk.
Calendar: “This calendar has a different quote every day.
It provides great reminders for living life to the fullest.”
Vases: “I got the vases because this was a very dead corner without any light. The vases are reflective and attract light, which I like. I notice people really gravitate to them when they are in here.”
Sphere on wall: “This sphere is the Chinese coin and represents the universe. The square represents the earth.
The reason why I’ve chosen the spheres and squares is humbling because it reminds me that there are broader things me and that there’s symmetry. I love symmetry. I love the color. I think the reflection is perfect. I think it’s easy in life to take yourself more seriously than you need to. When you have something like this, it kind of puts things into perspective."
Baqua box: “This baqua box is divided into nine parts and the center represents career. The spheres are purple and clear. Where I need help, I put the purple spheres and where I’m succeeding, I put the clear spheres. The other spheres include love and relationships and people who help you on your journey through life.”
