Senior Post-Graduation Plans

By: Michael Nicholas

Staff Reporter

This time of the year holds special importance for undergraduate seniors or final trimester graduate students. For these students, it’s nearly the end of their college careers.

These students are gearing up for a major transition. It is a culmination in which each student needs to take everything learned over the last few years and assess how to use it to reach his or her next and greatest ambition. This time in a student’s life is a crossroads in this sense.

“Even though graduation is a bit scary, and getting everything in order beforehand is hectic, that’s true of any change of scenery,” said senior Patrick Mahoney. “All in all, I’m pretty excited for the next step in my life. I’m going to graduate with a biology degree on the pre-osteopathic track, so in the next year I’m going to be studying for the MCAT and applying to osteopathic schools.”

Some students are looking forward to the freedom and increase in free time after graduation.

“What I’m really looking forward to is all that can be done remotely,” said Mahoney. “So really, I’m going to be traveling while preparing for medical school for the next year, and so I’m pretty excited.”

Another student, recent alumnus Tyler Beauchesne-Headley, expressed a desire to stay close to Sacred Heart University.

“I’ve always been sure of illustrating and designing – I’ve been doing it since I was very young, and it’s what I studied here,” said Beauchesne-Headley. “So obviously, [those are] the kind of jobs I’m looking for.”

“While there’s plenty of opportunities in Boston near where I’m from and in New York City, I would prefer something that allows me to stay near the university for the time being,” said Beauchesne-Headley. “I also gave grad school some thought but I’m not going right away.”

There were also seniors who have quite a different outlook on their track now compared to four years ago, including senior Derik Beckett.

“From the beginning, I wanted to do graduate school, but I feel like I’m well equipped to enter the business world with my dual majors in finance and business economics,” said Beckett. “I have had some job offers, both of which I turned down in anticipation of a pending offer.”

Graduate students brought other insights into the discussion.

“Now that I’m done, I’m 100 percent focused on getting a position as a cybersecurity analyst, no further school,” said graduate student Ashwin Chelladurai. “I think all graduate students are probably that committed to getting some particular specialized job, unless they are looking to get a PhD.”

“Unlike for undergraduate students, I don’t see that I can continue to develop my knowledge without actually working anymore,” said Chelladurai. “I mean, that’s what undergraduate students go to grad school for, including me, and I’m about to finish.”

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