One of the most dreaded questions college students receive is the classic “So what are you doing after graduation?” Whether this question comes from professors, relatives during the holidays or from a family friend at the grocery store, it is not always easy to answer.
Although many current seniors are unsure of where they’ll be after graduation, there are some who have a pretty good idea. One of these students, Amanda Mullaney ’15, will be attending Suffolk University Law School. Mullaney, who has wanted to be a lawyer since she was a teenager, believes that Wheaton was “the perfect place to prepare for law school.”
A double major in English and Philosophy who also dabbles in theatre, Mullaney feels like a much stronger writer and presenter now, both of which are crucial to being a strong lawyer. In addition to her experience performing in Wheaton main stage productions, Mullaney considers her professors and advisors to be some of the best parts of her Wheaton experience. “The professors who push you the hardest are the ones with the kindest words of support,” she said.
Also heading to northern Massachusetts is Alicia Alvarez ’15, who will be attending Harvard University Graduate School of Education for a Master’s in Human Development and Psychology. Alvarez, who aspires to be a mental health counselor, took Adolescent Development and Multicultural Psychology during her sophomore year, both of which have inspired her. The instructor of these classes, Professor Fhagen, is now Alvarez’s academic and thesis advisor. Alvarez said, “She has been a great support system for me and I couldn’t have done it without her help.”
Alvarez considers one of the highlights of her Wheaton experience to be her involvement on campus. She is a research assistant in the Psychology Department, the SGA Vice President, a Resident Advisor, and a club leader. Alvarez noted, “I’m nervous to start again in a completely different place without the people that have become my support system. However, I am confident that the skills I’ve developed here at Wheaton have prepared me.”
Erin Wolf ’15 is currently deciding between job offers at Google and Van Wyck. Wolf, the president of Emerson House, stated, “Getting to be surrounded by inspiring women every day taught me how to be a really good leader.” She feels very prepared for her post-grad career, crediting her involvement in extracurricular activities and campus life.
“I understand what it’s like to have a good work balance and I don’t think that would be possible if I stayed in my room all day,” she said. Wolf stresses the importance of networking and making connections and is excited to extend her network across the globe.
Also mentioning the importance of connections is Dimitri Rodrigo ’15, who has been offered an internship at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) with a Wheaton alum. If Rodrigo chooses to accept the internship, it will eventually turn into a job with the company. However, Rodrigo is also in the final round of interviews at Ernst & Young in Singapore. Eventually, he plans on pursuing his MBA and working for a strategy company.
Rodrigo has made the most of his time spent at Wheaton through internships and study abroad. He has spent his junior year at the London School of Economics and held internships in New York, Sri Lanka and London. While abroad, he became more independent, although he is still slightly resistant to the “new level of self-sufficiency.” Rodrigo stated that, “in any scenario I’m very resistant to change; once I get past the readjustment it’ll be smooth sailing.”
One of the highlights of his Wheaton experience is playing rugby since freshman year. “It’s great both on and off the field. It’s a very diverse group of people from a range of backgrounds,” said Rodrigo.
One of his fellow rugby players, George Managadze ’15, will be going to graduate school in the fall. An economics major, he has been accepted to Case Western Reserve University’s School of Management. However, Managadze has also completed the pre-medical track while at Wheaton and applied to various schools hoping for a Master’s in biomedical science or physiology. If he chooses this path, he will eventually go on to medical school, aspiring to be a cardiothoracic surgeon.
Although many pre-medical students major in a natural science, Managadze didn’t want to be closed off to his other areas of interest like finance and healthcare administration. During his time at Wheaton, he has interned at Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic and Bellevue Hospital. He said, “All these internships helped me see that medicine is really what I wanted to do.” Managadze has also enjoyed being a preceptor and Dean’s Intern. “I really like trying to help people and giving back. I think trying to balance pre-med and econ helped me help others,” he said.
Although all these seniors have different plans for the future, they all have one thing in common: their experiences being involved at Wheaton have prepared them for what’s ahead.