Today: Mar 29, 2024

Alumni return to offer advice for after graduation

Jackson VolenecReporter

Two English graduates spoke at Engleman Hall on Wednesday, Feb. 19 to discuss their personal experiences with the transition between college graduation and beginning their professional careers.

Jerica Olsen, a graduate class of 2019, was awarded for delivering her thesis at the National Council of Teachers of English, where she discussed her inspirations to become a secondary education English teacher.

After Olsen was given her award, she then spoke with the audience about her experience when presenting her thesis at the convention.

She went into detail about the preparations she had to make in order to be ready for her speech, as well as what her presentation consisted of.

“For my autobiography, I studied emotional, psychological, and intellectual safety for students,” said Olsen. “What I primarily wrote about in my journals was when I felt those things and when I did not.”

Olsen said she made adjustments in her transition to becoming an actual teacher. She now teaches seventh grade English at Ansonia Middle School.

“I went through five years of being an undergrad; I always viewed myself as a student,” said Olsen. “But now that I’m actually in the profession, I have to pinch myself and remind myself that this is real.”

Danae Sawchyn, a graduate of class 2019, had also spoke to the students attending the event about her experiences with her internship at the International Festival of Arts and Ideas, as well as her experience with employment after graduating.

She said her experiences with being unsure of what career path she had wanted to go into while in school, knowing she was passionate about things such as graphic design and writing.

“For me specifically, I went through all five years of college having no idea what I really wanted to do,” said Sawchyn. “But the past couple of years, I’ve come to terms with the fact that I have multiple skillsets and hobbies that I just love doing.”

Sawchyn graduated with a major in English and minors in music and graphic design, but said she was still not sure what she wanted to do with them yet.

“Fast forward to now, I’m working at a marketing agency, and I am mainly doing graphics and a little bit of writing,” said Sawchyn. “It’s been really interesting.”

Although Danae said she is happy with her current line of work, she is not planning on staying there forever. She said she plans on moving around to try new things eventually.

“After that, I’m going to try and do something different, I’m not sure what that’s going to look like,” said Sawchyn. “I just really want to be doing different things throughout my life.”

 

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