Louisville sophomore Kathy Smallwood didn’t consider a career in real estate until her father, a real estate broker, needed her help.

Smallwood’s father, Brian Smallwood, couldn’t understand one of his Spanish-speaking clients on his voicemail.

Kathy Smallwood was able to speak to her father’s clients because she majors in Spanish and can communicate with clients who have difficulty speaking English.

Now she is the youngest real estate agent at her father’s company.

Smallwood is one of many students at Western who don’t work the “typical” college job.

Some college students work part-time or full-time jobs that may conflict with classes and social events. But students like Smallwood get to make their own schedules at flexible jobs that prepare them for future careers.

Carol White, associate director of Career Services, said the idea of students moving away from the more popular jobs is great.

“All of it is excellent,” White said. “We feel that students gain a lot of exposure from jobs.”

Smallwood said she decided to become a real estate agent because she saw how much fun her father was having. She was also able to make her own schedule.

Smallwood attended real estate classes for eight hours a day, six times a week for two weeks before she was able to take the real estate license exam. She said she was the youngest person in all of her classes.

Smallwood majors in religious studies and minors in international business. She said selling real estate will help her in her future career as a coordinator for mission work abroad.

Louisville senior Danielle Sarson, an elementary education major, also likes making her own schedule. Sarson, a Mary-Kay, Inc. consultant, said there aren’t many jobs where you can arrange your schedule according to classes.

Sarson wanted to be a Mary-Kay consultant because she liked the idea of choosing who she interacted with and what places she visited.

“It showed me that I could have freedom,” Sarson said. “I can be my own boss.”

Sarson said she enjoys her job because it motivates her.

“What I like about Mary-Kay is the energy and the prayers that I get from people I don’t even know,” Sarson said. “I love it. It’s great.”

Both Sarson and Smallwood said their families were very supportive of their job choices. Smallwood, however, said that potential clients are cautious because of her age.

“I’m at a disadvantage because I’m 19,” Smallwood said. “I have to be overly professional.”

She said that she enjoys being a real estate agent because she gets to learn a lot about the business. She said she will continue to work as an agent throughout the school year and the summer.

“There’s something about the risk that is exciting to me,” Smallwood said.

Reach Leah M. Caudle at news@wkuherald.com.