The UNH class of 2024's college journey is ending, but their next adventure is just beginning!How does college help prepare you for future success? Find out in this blog post.
We’re celebrating the UNH class of 2024 by sharing four members'plans for after college graduation!We asked them fivequestions about their plans for after graduation. Hear what Skylar Samanica, Lucy Cook, Steven Wilson and Amelia Burley have to say about how UNH prepared them for future success.
UNH graduates at the Wildcat statue
Q: What are your major(s)/ minor(s)?
Skylar:
I am a social work major with a minor in psychology.
Lucy:
Steven:
Mechanical engineering major and business administration minor.
Amelia:
I am a chemical engineering major.
Amelia with the UNH Wildcat statue
Q: What are your plans for after UNH?
Skylar:
After I graduate in May, I’ll be going right back to hitting the books! With my enrollment in the social work Accelerated Master’s Program, I plan to stay at the university for one more full year and graduate in May of 2025 with my Master's in Social Work! After that, I look forward to specializing in first responder mental health and wellness by either being directly embedded within a first responder agency or working as a specialty clinician within a partnering agency.
Lucy:
I will be going to UNH for the Accelerated Master's in Business Program in the fall of 2024.My long-term vision revolves around fulfilling my passion for wildlife rehabilitation. I plan to use this unique combination of disciplines (zoology and business) to bridge the gap between the scientific and business worlds in order to create sustainable solutions for wildlife preservation.
Steven:
After graduation, I will work full-time as a hardware engineering at BAE Systems. I willstart in the Engineering and Operations Partnership Program, where Iwill work with the continuous improvement group to design, build and deploy quick-turnaround prototype designs to support factory efficiency.During my full-time work,I will also start my Master's in Mechanical Engineeringat the University of Massachusetts Lowell.
Amelia:
After graduation I will be joining an asset management company as an environmental specialist. I will focus specifically on air environmental compliance for their various facilities. I am very excited to be joining them on a permanentbasis after a successful internship last summer with the same team!
Steven at the Undergraduate Research Conference
Q: In what ways did UNH help prepare you for your future?
Skylar:
UNH has most definitely prepared me to achieve my goals, and that has become especially apparent throughout my senior year. My professors and their courses during my initial three years provided me with ample amounts of knowledge and new perspectives, which truly made me feel ready to tackle real-world endeavors in my senior fieldwork placement and beyond. I also feel that the faculty and staff I have crossed paths with have helped me to understand my purpose in this work and why I am passionate about what I do. In these ways, I have come to fully recognize that first responder social work is for me and that I am prepared and ready to take on the work that will bring about progress in this area!
Lucy:
UNH helped me prepare for grad school through the advice and people I met along the way. Working as an advising intern at Career and Professional Success (CaPS) under the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture's (COLSA’s)St. Martin Career Exploration Officehelped me navigate my future career options,and I was even able to speak with a current student in the Accelerated Master's in Business Administration (MBA) Program.
Steven:
I feel the biggest thing I learned at UNH to prepare me for post-graduation was time management. It was importantto learn time management to be able to balance class work, clubs, looking for internships, working, making new friends and professional connections, and maintaining relationships with familyand friends at home. Junior year especially taught me to manage my time so that I could still have a good work-lifebalance, with time for friends, activities and exercise outside of schoolwork.
Amelia:
UNH helped me prepare for my future plans by educating me on important background knowledge, as well as helping me get this job in the firstplace. UNH faculty and staff were very helpful through the processes of updating my resume, preparing for the Career and Internship Fair and giving advice and encouragement through the interviewing and decision-making process.
Skylar at the Manchester Police Department working alongside comfort dog, Patch.
Q: What people andopportunities at UNH had the biggest impact on your post-grad plans?
Skylar:
I would love to give a shoutout to all of my social work professors, especially Kelsey Boucher, for always providing me with the utmost knowledge and support. Never a day went by that I did not feel seen and heard by them, and they always helped me to remember that I am an adult on my way to a future life and career, not just a student. Thank you for providing me with all of the knowledge to succeed in my field of interest and the skills to succeed in life! Stemming from that, I’d also like to thank anyone who helped me in the process of receiving my senior fieldwork placement and everyone I have met there thus far. Working with the Manchester Police Department’s Mental Health and Wellness Unit has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had, and I am living out a dream that I never thought would be possible just a few short years back.
Lucy:
Throughout my time at UNH, I have had amazing opportunities and various experiences in my field, such as a summer wildlife rehabilitation internship at the Millstone Wildlife Center, which I could not have done without the SOAR Fund. I also studied abroad in Tanzania through the School for Field Studies, learning about human-wildlife conflict and mitigation strategies with the help of the Study Abroad office here at UNH. Next summer, I will be doing an externship at the Stone Zoo New England because of the connections I made at the Career Fair held by COLSA’s CaPS UNH team. I could not have done any of these amazing experiences without the help of UNH COLSA’s CaPS team!
Steven:
I point to three things that helped me most in my time here at UNH. First, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) was a massive boost to the beginning of my professional career. My reason for coming to college was to get an education and get an engineering job with BAE Systems. This club put me directly in front of that company, and I quickly got an internship and a job. The club has companies come in to speak with students and recruit them in a low-stakes setting. Most of my friends in my major got their first jobs and/or internships through this club. For professional growth, ASME is so much more valuablethan passive LinkedIn applications and going to a career fair with hundreds of students there.
Next, the Career and Professional Success (CaPS) team was pivotal in speaking with employers and getting help with anything professional. The most valuable connections I made with staff at UNH were with Stephanie Whitney and Cayce Jones at the CaPS office. Finally, the John Olson Manufacturing Center is where I gained the only technical engineering experience I received at UNH. The hands-on experience I received at the Olson Center is the most valuable learning I have had as an engineering student. Being an intern at the Olson Center showed me my passion for engineering and gave me a glimpseof the industry that is impossible to get in a classroom.
Amelia:
There arecountless people who helped me at UNH. First, Stephanie Whitney (one of the CEPS Career and Professional Success (CaPS) staff) was immensely helpful with advice on elevator pitches, salary expectations and just life in general. Darcy Silver, a department of chemical engineering and bioengineering staff member, was a great listener and advice giver and always knew the right thing to say to cheer me up. Dr. Gupta and Dr. McLarnon were great mentors during my time at UNH and they helped me become the engineer I am today.
Steven at Thompson Hall at UNH
Photo credit: Allison Clarke Photography
Q: What excites you most about your future after UNH?
Skylar:
After UNH, I am most excited to get right out into the field and do what I love the most. Specializing in first responder mental health and wellness has been my ultimate goal for many years. I can finally do that in an amazing place with an amazing team,thanks to the people and opportunities that UNH has provided.
Lucy:
I am excited to find a career that I am passionate about!
Steven:
I look forward to continuing to challenge myself outside of UNH. I love to learn, so continuing on to a master's degree where I will dive even further into the technical details of engineering is very exciting. I am also looking forward to the stability of being out of college and having a regular schedule. College is chaotic and fun, but gets to be a lot after a few years (at least for me), so moving toward stability while looking to grow professionally and technically is an exciting step for me.
Amelia:
I am very excited to be able to see the difference that I make in the people around me by helping organizations protect the environment and follow environmental regulations. I am also very excited not to have homework and exams!
Steven:
For me, the hockey and soccer games were a must. The atmosphere is second-to-none, and they're a fun break from the everyday grind of being a college student.
Read more blog posts from members of the class of 2024:
5 Things I Learned Interning for Senator Maggie Hassan
Abigail learned how public speaking can get easier with practice and that the experiences you have as a college student can shape your future career trajectory. read more about abigail
Choosing a Major: Business Administration (Minor in English Writing)
Maggie '24 talks about finding the perfect hangout spot in Paul College and explains how joining differentstudent organizationsat UNH helped her decide on a major. read more about maggie
A Nutrition Major's Favorite Things to Do on Campus
Caroline '24 G '25, anutrition (dietetics)major from Danbury, CT, talks about the best places to spend time on campus, including the beautiful foliage of College Woods and the experience ofpreparing snacks for D1 athletes and coaches at theFueling Station. read more about caroline
