4-H alumna Julia Jumper used the leadership skills she learned in 4-H to kickstart her career as a pastry chef. Jumper notes that 4-H also helped her develop confidence and become more outgoing, skills that have helped her in her work.
No matter what they choose to do after leaving the program, 4-H alumni make a difference wherever they go. In our series of alumni highlights, Pennsylvania 4-H will explore the work and achievements of former Pennsylvania 4-H'ers around the state and throughout the country. This month, we are featuring alumna Julia Jumper, who was a 4-H member in Westmoreland County for ten years.
Jumper's 4-H journey began when she joined the New Alexandria Home Economics club at age eight. There, she participated in projects like cooking and sewing and quickly discovered a passion for baking. She recalls, "One of my favorite things was to enter baked goods in the county fair. For me, it was really cool to hear the judges' comments on the different baked good. Learning about all the different things you could make and how to improve upon them was always a passion for me."
Although Jumper continued to take on baking projects throughout her time in 4-H, she also participated in a wide range of other 4-H opportunities, such as archery, cake decorating, attending State Leadership Conference, becoming a member of State Council, and serving as a camp counselor. "Being on State Council was one of the most amazing experiences," Jumper notes, "Getting to promote 4-H and give back was great."
She particularly enjoyed participating in State Leadership Conference and planning it as a member of State Council. "It was so cool to meet different people from all across the state,” she adds, "and they have such great workshop presenters there."
After aging out of the 4-H program, Jumper attended Westmoreland County Community College, where she earned an associate degree in baking and pastry as well as degrees in culinary arts and restaurant management. She went on to launch her career in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, starting first as a cake decorator and then moving on to work as a pastry chef at a country club.
Jumper says that the skills she learned in 4-H have helped her to kickstart her career. "Interview practice was so important," she notes, "when we did the teen leadership retreat in the Northwest area, we did mock interviews. At first, it was intimidating, but the more you do it, the easier it gets. So, when it came time for me to interview for jobs, it was second nature because I had done so many different practice interviews. Applying for jobs is a hard thing, and the interview is the hardest part, so having that practice and knowing how to answer questions properly really helped me to get the jobs that have made me successful," she adds. Jumper notes that 4-H also helped her develop confidence and become more outgoing, skills that have helped her in her work.
Today, Jumper is a pastry chef working on board a cruise ship, where she is responsible for preparing all the pastries, bread, cookies, and desserts that are served to the passengers every day. "I'm the only pastry chef on board," she notes, "so it's really awesome to be able to express my creativity; I can make basically whatever I want every day, which is really fun. It’s my dream job! I love it."
Her career has also allowed Jumper to travel, one of her lifelong ambitions. Her work has taken her to exciting locales like Alaska and Baja Mexico, allowing her to explore nature and experience other cultures.
When asked what advice she has for current 4-H'ers as they try to achieve their own dreams, Jumper says, "Do the things that scare you…when I first joined 4-H, there were a lot of things I didn't do because I was scared, but I realized that doing the things that scare you the most seem to be the things that are most beneficial in the end." She recalls that the mock interviews she participated in made her nervous at the time, but ultimately helped her launch her career. "The more you put into 4-H," she adds, "the more you get out of it."
Jumper also advocates for exploring all the opportunities 4-H has to offer. "A lot of people stereotype 4-H as being all about animals," she notes. "The animal projects are a great thing, but there's so much else out there, and my experience is an example of that. No matter what your interest is, 4-H has something for you!"
