The Magic of Second Careers by Nina Shengold Who hasn't dreamed of a chance to start over? For most, it's an enduring but impractical fantasy. But many Vassar alumnae/i have made radical career changes in midstream, flouting F. Scott Fitzgerald's assertion that "there are no second acts in American lives." Sometimes, it seems, the second act is the best part of the play. Though the circumstances that prompted these transitions differ, it takes courage, determination, and flexibility to leave a successful career path for parts unknown. Four of these career chameleons share their stories. 38 SPrINg 2018