About this episode

Mason Pashia discusses with Joana Ponce and Catherine Alves about finding passion and navigating career exploration through Roadtrip Nation.

In this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast, Mason Pashia sits down with Joana Ponce and Catherine Alves, featured in Roadtrip Nation's Explore Your Interests , for a thoughtful conversation about passion, purpose, and the messy reality of career exploration. Together, they reflect on how exposure to new people and possibilities helped them rethink the idea of a single "right" path, and why learning to navigate uncertainty may be one of the most important skills young people can build. From journalism and activism to climate work and community-based learning, this episode is a powerful reminder that fulfilling futures are rarely linear—and that sometimes the most important step is simply staying open to what comes next. Outline (0:00) Introduction & Poetry (2:10) Non-Linear Career Paths (5:14) What Is Roadtrip Nation? (22:09) Passion, Purpose & Career Advice (29:11) What's Next Links Watch the full video here Read the full blog here Roadtrippers' Journeys Roadtrip Nation

People in this episode

Host: Mason Pashia

Guests: Joana Ponce, Catherine Alves

Topics covered

• career exploration
• passion
• purpose
• non-linear paths
• youth development

Keywords

• career paths
• Roadtrip Nation
• youth skills
• uncertainty
• community learning

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Roadtrip Nation

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