As graduation day approaches at Florida A&M University, seniors are getting ready to take on the next chapter in their lives. Students are going in many different directions, from starting new jobs and going to grad school to taking gap years and traveling.
Some students already have full-time jobs in the works. After years of classes, internships and campus involvement, students are well-prepared for the workforce. These students will work in business, media, healthcare, tech and other fields. Some students even found jobs through career fairs, networking events and professors who helped guide them along the way.
“I will be working at my part-time job and preparing for my next steps after college, like applying for jobs available in my field,” graduating senior Amaya Watkins said. She hopes to secure a full-time job in the near future and added, “To have secured a full-time job as a medical or dental assistant before I graduate this summer would be a huge accomplishment.”
Other seniors are planning to attend graduate school. Whether they are going into law, medicine, environmental studies or communications, they want to further their education here at FAMU or other institutions.
A few students have internships set up after graduation, and these positions will help them gain experience and figure out what they really want to do long term. Internships also give them a chance to make professional connections and possibly turn those roles into permanent jobs.
Some students are taking gap years. They might use the time to rest, save money, travel or figure out what their next move will be. For other students, they stated that they just wanted to focus on their mental health and personal goals.
Some seniors also plan to travel before settling into their careers, wanting to see the world and enjoy life before having to commit to the work life truly. No matter what path they take, graduating seniors have worked hard to get to this point. They have faced challenges and reached important goals.