The Psychology department and Career Services hosted an alumni panel in Spring 2023. Three alums shared their experiences in college and after graduation. Their insight on their paths thus far was very informative to the current students who were in the room. Here are a few key points the alums made.
EXPLORE DURING YOUR COLLEGE YEARS
- An intern position with Cat Norris gave Emily the awareness of computer science because she worked on a multitude of coding projects for the lab and discovered she had a real affinity for it
- Take courses that interest you – even in departments other than your major
- One of the panelists mentioned how they forced themselves to take a course or two in a different department every semester
- Talk to professors in office hours about the coursework or anything else
- Take advantage of out of classroom activities (work on campus, clubs, etc.)
- Step outside your comfort zone ~ A fear of failure shouldn’t prevent you from trying something new
- Don’t let your major pigeonhole your career options
- Don’t hesitate to take time off for your mental health
TIPS FOR APPLYING TO OPPORTUNITIES
- During the interview process, try to identify at the organization tangible signs of inclusivity and diversity to be sure the organization has values that fit with your values
- Make use of Career Services
- Have someone keep you accountable when submitting job applications
- There are many opportunities for recent grads in research; staying more than 2 years is a great option
- When interviewing for jobs, after you receive a job offer, you may ask about the company’s policies when it comes to accommodations for people with disabilities, and other aspects of their human resources policies
These alumni panelists encouraged students to reach out to them on Linkedin or obtain their emails from Eliza Meketon emeketo1@swarthmore.edu in the Psychology department office.
-Ally Paul ’17; Lab Manager and Senior Research Coordinator for the Communication Neuroscience Lab, The University of Pennsylvania
-Ariel Kobylak ’02; Clinical Project Manager, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center
-Emily Wu ’17; Software Engineer at TrialSpark
