IB graduate profile - Anya Kompare (née Henry)

Graduated from Lincoln Park High School, USA in 1991.

"It is so wonderful to read the stories of IB graduates from around the world. My career may have taken a different turn from what I had planned, but I still take every chance I get to advocate for the IB programs. My brother and I are both IB diploma graduates.

I graduated from the IB diploma program at Lincoln Park High School, Chicago, Illinois, in 1991 and attended Carleton College in Minnesota for my undergraduate work. After obtaining a bachelor's degree in Anthropology/Sociology in 1995, my former IB coordinator (Mary Enda Tookey) convinced me to head to Oxford to do master's work in international and comparative education. Having faith in the fact that she knows me quite well, I took the risk and had the greatest year meeting people from all over the world and immersing myself in the both academic and social experiences of Oxford. I wrote my master's thesis on CAS and Internationalism in the IB diploma program and got to spend a great weekend at Atlantic College in Wales staying in the room that Prince Charles stayed in when he visited! I also was honored to be invited by Jeff Thompson and Mary Hayden to present my findings at the University of Bath where I spent some very tense moments when I realized that most of the people in the room had years and years more IB experience than I did!

After obtaining my master's degree, I did a brief stint at an independent school in London teaching their Theory of Knowledge course and acting as the CAS supervisor for a fantastic bunch of students in their first year of the diploma program. I was also school librarian and taught history at the 7th and 8th grade levels. So, it was all a bit overwhelming! But I loved the students and living in London. 

After coming back from England, I worked for a while at a foundation in Chicago in their economic opportunity area. I loved being a part of giving away money to good causes!  But, then Ms. Tookey, once again, prodded me to follow my dreams and I moved to New York City to join the International Baccalaureate North America office. Just as visiting the Parthenon when I was in high school was the pinnacle of my teenage years, I thought that I had definitely reached another pinnacle when I snagged this job. The IB program was the best thing I had done (though I had many frustrated and difficult nights while I was doing the program) and now I had a chance to share my stories and my experience with others all across North America. I met the most amazing people -- teachers, principals, students, parents, university staff. I loved going out into the field and talking with these students and teachers who were making a difference. Time and time again, I was blown over by how incredible these people are.

Unfortunately, circumstances forced me to return to Chicago in 2000 and I had to give up my job with IBNA. I began working in grant-writing for the Chicago Public Schools' (CPS) Pupil Support Services department. Luckily, the IB programs in Chicago fell under this department and so I was able to keep up with what was happening in the IB world through the CPS staff. Mainly, I worked on securing government and foundation funding for social workers, nurses, psychologists, and mentors in the schools. Working for CPS was certainly an education in and of itself.

In November 2002, I married a self-professed computer geek, Tom, who works for Tribune Media Services (a division of the Chicago Tribune newspaper empire.) And I was lucky enough to have both my former IB coordinator, Ms. Tookey, and my former assistant principal, Ms. Wright in attendance. My life seems to always keep some kind of connection to the IB...

Now, I am working as a writer for the Alzheimer's Association national office. I do much of the solicitation and stewardship writing for the Development division. So, I seem to have found my niche in doing "behind-the-scenes" support for fundraisers. It has been a wonderful association to work for and I feel like I am continuing to make a difference, no matter how small. I knew from my CAS experience that this was important to me, I just never imagined that I would end up having to decipher scientific reports as part of my job! (Thank goodness for Mrs. Tosto, IB Biology, HL!) 

I still hope to eventually find my way to be active with the IB again. I think it does important work in educating students from such a variety of backgrounds."