Staff Conversations: Patrick Zylka

Patrick Zylka recently joined the College Solutions team. You can read the announcement here, and get to know him in the blog below!

Why did you choose this career?

Like many, my career in college admissions and college counseling was not intentional – or at least not at first. After earning two degrees in music performance, I moved to Chicago to pursue a freelance career. Though I did a significant amount of performing and was successful at securing seats in orchestras right away, I knew I needed a predictable income and a job that came with benefits. Because I had just spent several years on college campuses, I applied to every administrative position I could find at colleges throughout the Chicagoland area. The first interview and job offer I received was from the Office of Undergraduate Admission at Northwestern University. And thus, my journey began!

It didn’t take me long to fall in love with college admissions work. I was a first-generation college student. And though I was assured that I could attend college if I wanted to, that’s where the guidance ended. Helping high school students realize their dreams, answering questions about the admissions process, and seeing the joy when acceptance letters were sent out – I knew this was my calling. Over the next few years, I stopped freelancing and began my ascent up the college admissions ladder.

This journey has given me the ability to encourage students to not only follow a path but also to be willing to follow it as it makes unexpected turns.

Where did you choose to go to college and why?

After all these years in college admissions and counseling, I find it hard to believe that I applied to only one (ONE!) university – the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Growing up in Wisconsin, the state’s flagship institution was where everyone told me I needed to go. I remember visiting a friend at UW during my junior year of high school and realizing what all the hype was about. I grew up in a midsize cookie-cutter suburb, and this eclectic city with a huge campus was calling my name. For me, it was the right place at the right time.

What was your favorite class in college? Tell us about it.

I started my undergraduate work as a music education major but switched to music performance in my senior year. After completing my practicum studies in a middle school music classroom during my junior year, conducting a band of 80 students, I realized my long-held goal of being a music teacher was not the right path for me!

Be that as it may, my favorite course as an undergraduate was Literature Across the Curriculum. It was a course for students majoring in specialized education fields (music education, physical education, etc.). We discussed and debated how different kinds of literature could be used in different classroom settings. We read non-traditional classroom material, much of which explored controversial topics. The course was small, not more than 15 students, and some very interesting (and sometimes heated) discussions were had. Ultimately the course taught me how to not only articulate my beliefs but also how to defend those beliefs and consider other points of view.

Tell us a little about your family and what you like to do in your free time.

In 2019, my husband and I became parents to a beautiful baby boy. Who knew years of jetlag from international admissions travel and fatigue from marathon training would come in handy? We love rediscovering the world through his eyes and watching him grow. He will be three in January, a fact he will happily tell anyone he passes!

When not working and not parenting, I train for marathons and ultramarathons. Not only is this a good physical challenge for me, but it gives me lots of time to think and plan. Though I do enjoy running on my own, I also run with others to raise money for a local charity. I’m a firm believer in leaving the world a better place, and being a charity runner is just one way that I can do this.

What was your favorite memory from your college experience?

I have numerous memories, both as an undergraduate student and as a graduate student, of giving performances of difficult repertoire. The excitement of walking out on stage, the intense concentration required to perform a 45-minute symphony, and the thunderous applause at the end - and perhaps most importantly the lifelong friendships I formed with other musicians. I’ll cherish these experiences for the rest of my life.  

Favorite quote that gives you inspiration?

“No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.”

Sometimes big tasks seem daunting, even impossible. I find it useful to remember, and to help students remember, that everyone brings skills and experiences to the table.