Applying collegiate lessons to careers

I’ll never forget the first time during orientation at CSB+SJU that we introduced ourselves and shared what we were planning to study. Going around the circle, everyone confidently stated their intended major, and it seemed like every other person was pre-med. I was nervous to admit that I was undecided. I ended up taking a communication class second semester and discovered that the communication major offered a wide variety of classes that applied to many different areas I was interested in. Plus, because of the smaller number of required credits, I was able to add an English minor and take lots of other interesting classes while easily completing my communication major in four years. While it may seem like the most important decision now, the beauty of the liberal arts is that you will be prepared for any career no matter what major you declare.

But by the time senior year rolled around, I was beginning to be wary about the benefits of such a broad major. It felt like every day I was hearing of another friend who was an accounting or nursing or education major landing their post-grad job. That soon changed when I decided to participate in an AmeriCorps service program following graduation and ended up teaching elementary school in Chicago while getting my Masters of Education from Loyola University Chicago. I never would have had the confidence to move to a new city and try something so outside of my comfort zone without my experience at St. Ben’s. After four years of teaching, I was ready for a new opportunity and returned to CSB to work in the Institutional Advancement office (the department responsible for raising money for student scholarships) where I still work today.

In the last year, I attended a virtual professional development session, during which another Bennie alumna said something that really resonated with me regarding my career path. She commented that instead of moving up a career “ladder,” it is more and more important for people to focus on creating a career “jungle gym.” It is OK, and even beneficial, to make shifts in your career path and take a leap to try something different.

I am so grateful that my liberal arts education and co-curricular experiences set me up for success no matter what career I was pursuing. While it sometimes feels like I am “behind” some of my peers career-wise because I haven’t taken a traditional career path, I have no regrets for trying new things and gaining transferable skills that are vital to any profession. I can absolutely say I use what I learned at CSB+SJU every day in my career. And not only what I learned in classes–I gained invaluable skills through campus leadership experiences, student employment, study abroad, volunteer opportunities and more. Finally, when decisions about classes, careers and the future in general are overwhelming, don’t forget to take advantage of campus resources to help you navigate. And always remember there are thousands of Bennie alumnae out here cheering you on.