Many people want to change their lives. The hard part is knowing where to start. Seong Dobbins thinks the Garrison Intern Program is the perfect way to do it.
"I thought it was appropriate for me," she said. "It's for someone like me, who doesn't have a lot of experience at the job."
It's not the path she started down. The South Korean native has spent the bulk of her life as a military wife and mother. She was also a cosmetologist, but the chemicals involved were causing health problems.
"They made me sick," she said. "I had sinus infections over and over. I knew I needed to change jobs."
She decided to go back to school as a nontraditional student. In 2007, she emerged from the University of Alabama-Huntsville with degrees in finance and accounting.
"I enjoy math," she said laughing.
She entered the Garrison Intern Program in 2008; and she serves her current rotation as a program analyst in the Directorate of Logistics. She has also spent time in Human Resources and Resource Management. She has found something to love in each place.
"I like Resource Management, it's like my majors," she said. "I like working with the people in HR. I've liked (all the directorates) so far."
The program keeps her close to home. Dobbins has lived near Redstone since coming to this country with her Soldier husband about 25 years ago. Her daughter, Maria, has moved to California with her own husband. Dobbins quipped that the military has put a few hurdles in her family aspirations lately.
"She got married two years ago. Her husband is a Marine. They were trying to have a baby," she said. "But her husband went to Iraq. So, no grandchildren yet. She has two puppies."
Around the Garrison, Dobbins is known for her energy, friendliness and quick smile. She jokes that because of her accent, people give her comedy skills more credit than she truly warrants.
"People think I'm funny," she said. "I'm not funny. I have an accent, so I think I just sound funny."
She is a music lover, although today's hits are not for her. Dobbins prefers classical music. She loves it as much for the work behind it as she does for the execution.
"In those days they put a lot of effort into making a beautiful piece of music," she said. "Nowadays they don't put that effort into the quality."
While in college, she discovered a new interest. She took a ballroom dancing class and fell in love with it, particularly the Latin dances. While the steps can be challenging, Dobbins said there is more to it than just knowing where to put your feet.
"It's about how you hold yourself. It's in the attitude. It's in your posture," she said. "I'm still going to classes at UAH. The teacher does a great job of teaching more than just the techniques."
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