Ahead of Laurentian Weekend 2024, The Hill News sent out a survey to St. Lawrence University alumni. We wanted to learn about their worries, their thoughts on the economy, how often they think about their financial future and what they are up to. We also collected short testimonials, some of which can be read below.
There were 30 alumni responses, of which 76.6 percent came from alumni who graduated after 2020. 86.7 percent of alumni at least somewhat agreed that SLU adequately prepared them for their job search. This is reflected by the 70 percent of alumni who said they are employed with 23.3 percent enrolled in graduate school.
When asked about the economy, 66.7 percent of alumni were not confident in its current direction. 63.4 percent of alumni agreed that they felt financially stable. But 26.6 percent of them at least slightly agreed with the statement, “I struggle to make ends meet on a weekly basis.”
Despite mixed reviews, the alumni’s perspective on college and their career path was generally positive with 83.3 percent saying their faith in higher education is strong. This is despite the fact that 66.7 percent of alumni are still paying student loans.
Connor St. Peter ’24
The career center was no help given my niche STEM interests, but my professors were of great positive influence and direction. I’m in a PhD program now, which is probably best as the job market is as competitive as ever and of course I could use the financial comfortability. SLU gave me an affordable cost of attendance through merit (sesquicentennial baby) and need-based aid, so my family and I luckily did not accrue any debt. For this, I am grateful as not many people receive the same opportunities, especially given the ever-increasing tuition figure. While I am now getting paid to go to school, it’s certainly not a lot and GOD do I miss Dana. I’m not too worried about finances post-SLU, but the biweekly free-food pantry is for sure my new best friend (sorry Dana John, long distance is too difficult).
Matt Coleman ’24
Joined the military. Signed a contract, got a degree, gonna start flying some fast jets in a few weeks.
R.C. Di Mezzo ’18
St. Lawrence helped prepare me — in and outside of the classroom — to be the author of my own future. With its heavy focus on communicating, writing and advocating, SLU helped prepare me and my peers to go in nearly any professional direction with confidence.
Sarah Morosko ’18
Right after college, being a Biology major, I immediately worked to find some sort of lab job which was pretty easy with a bio background. However, I knew I did not want to do this long term, so I ended up trying to get into the tech space. This did require a lot of work and working my way up the system, but I chose to start in Project Management, then transition to Client Services/Account Management, and then ultimately found my way into Customer Success. It’s a pretty lucrative career, but the job market is tough and has only gotten tougher. I would say that the more experience you have and the more you are able to work your way up, the easier it is to find a job.
Shannon Tacy ’24
It has been an incredible struggle to find a job post-grad. I feel thrown into the real world and I hate it. SLU should’ve done a better job preparing us for post-grad life.
Nick Mitch ’23
After graduation, I was selected for the SLU PIC program and helped out as an intern at Higley Flow State Park in Colton, NY. When I finished, I returned home to work as a paraprofessional at Mast Landing School, which my neighbor recommended I apply to. After a year’s work, I have moved to Medford, MA, where I am continuing my paraprofessional work at Roberts Elementary. Employment overall wasn’t hard for me to find. I’ve used my professional experience from SLU to establish a foothold in consistent employment, for which athletics and academics helped greatly. I’m also confident in my future endeavors, whether in education, elsewhere, or in further schooling.
Artūrs Zaķis ’10
Back in 2010, SLU was only relatively helpful with assisting international students with the job search. Lots of data bases didn’t have much to offer because there were also legal constraints (immigration status) with being able to get and keep a job after graduating. But also students had to keep in mind that they were in the United States primarily for education and not for employment and eventual immigration. I hope that times have changed for international students in terms of assistance with internships and first jobs after college search. I worked hard and got an internship after my junior year and in my senior year. SLU assisted me financially both times for which I am forever grateful.
Hannah Finley ’22
In my experience, finding employment in upstate New York has not been difficult. I found that my involvement with SLU academics and clubs helped me develop strong skillsets that can be applied to a variety of roles. I have been able to take advantage of our extensive SLU network to connect with people about their job experiences and explore different career paths. The Center for Career Excellence has been a great resource as well. The only challenge I have experienced is that often job openings are different from what I imagined myself doing after graduating. However, I am grateful for this shift in my career path. Thankfully I have been able to support myself financially, and I realize this is not always the case for recent college graduates. I currently work as a prevention counselor and educator. I primarily focus on cultivating wellness and preventing high-risk use of alcohol and substances in older adults. Although I did not attend SLU to study this career field, my employer has been able to provide me with the necessary trainings to excel in this position.
Ed Forbes ’02
My senior spring, I focused my job search on publishing and journalism opportunities in and around New York City. One afternoon, while I was at my desk in the old Hill News offices in the Noble Center, the phone rang and it was Catherine Moore, publisher of the Adirondack Daily Enterprise. Cathy was wondering if I’d be interested in working at the paper as a reporter. I was, but she needed to hire someone right away — it was probably mid-April — and I needed to graduate. I ended up returning to New Jersey after Commencement to continue my job search. By mid-summer, there was another opening at the Enterprise. I interviewed for the job, was offered a chance to take and was living in Saranac Lake, covering local government and the Adirondack Park Agency, by Labor Day. I stayed there and became part of the Enterprise’s weekly sister, the Lake Placid News. I held that post until 2007, when I left to puruse a graduate degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. I’ve since been employed in a variety of roles by Gannett and the USA TODAY Network.
Brenda Winn ’17
Went straight into a PhD program. Zero guidance from SLU outside my professors in the chemistry department. They had no clue what to do with someone taking that path. My job, I credit to my PhD and my connections from that, not SLU.
Bryana Thieret ’24
I am in a paid PhD position that will set me up for my dream job!
Ari Zeitlin ’23
Getting a job is tough right now especially in New York City. Employers aren’t through the hundreds of applicants, so keep applying and hope for some luck!
Anna Elston ’20
The toughest, TOUGHEST part is finding your first job post-grad. Although I didn’t find my first job through SLU alumni, networking played a huge part in guiding me. Alumni were so willing to help me with interviews, industry questions, and more despite never meeting before. Once you get that first job, life gets a little easier financially and professionally. I’m grateful to be in a financially stable position in my life four years after graduating.
Bailey Eveleth ’22
After study abroad was canceled due to Covid-19 my junior year I took a semester off from SLU. I was able to walk with my class in the spring of 2022 at graduation but then to finish my credits I participated in the NYC off campus semester the following fall. From here I networked with SLU alumni to get an amazing internship at a large media agency in New York City. I had an incredible experience during this internship and at the end of the semester I got a full time offer from the company. I am still happily working with them over two years later!
Cailand Lainey ’17
Day one of freshman year, in telling us about on-campus jobs, our FYP orientation leaders told us that Calling All Saints was one of the highest paying jobs on campus. I knew that was the job I wanted. Fast forward to a couple of months later and I had a job as a student caller with Calling All Saints. Fast forward two years and I was a student supervisor. Fast forward one more year to the fall of my senior year, my supervisor said, “you know you can make a career out of fundraising, right?” I didn’t know that, and definitely didn’t enter SLU with that in mind. I started exploring what this career path might look like and applied for many entry level jobs in higher-education fundraising during the fall and winter of my senior year. February of my senior year, I received a job offer from the University of New Hampshire (UNH) to manage their Phonathon program. Now, over seven years later, I am still at UNH and have loved every minute of it. I credit so much of my success and my career path to SLU – without Calling All Saints, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
India Simpson ’21
Looking for a job in today’s economy can be tough, but don’t wait until after graduation to start your search. It might take a while to find the perfect job but don’t let rejection discourage you. All it takes is one “yes”! After I finished school, I did delivery jobs for a few months before landing a customer service role at a well-known company. I’ve made a good income for my age, and after six months, I started seeking new opportunities within the company. Remember, learning never stops, and knowledge is your greatest asset!
Tito Bowens ’24
It’s a very competitive environment with regards to employment. More and more people are going to school which leaves many people with bachelor degrees struggling to even get an interview, let alone a job. I applied to over 50 jobs before getting an interview. Also, if i didnt live at home it would be very hard to make ends meet as I don’t make a large amount of money after taxes.
Adam Heilbronner ’24
For me, finding employment follows the classic, “it came when I least expected it, and out of nowhere.” I was super frustrated trying to find any respectable, professional job throughout summer 2024, having come off of the spring of my senior year with no idea what I wanted to do. I had applied to a job in early April that would hold interviews in June of 2024, and would start in April. June rolled around, nothing. Then when I had nearly fully committed to moving to Bozeman to bump chairlifts and bum around for the year, I got a call from a random Utah number. One month later, I was in Salt Lake City working. Life is strange.
Karli Thompson ’24
I started a full time position working in public health a week after graduation. As commencement approached, I was panicking about my future. I scheduled 3 Career Center appointments, and I started applying to anything relevant to my experience and field of study. Geoff Falen helped me focus on my passions, from what I enjoy learning about to what population of individuals I would like to serve and what environment I work best in. The career center walked me through Handshake, Carney Sandoe, LinkedIn, Laurentian Connections, and various networking resources that I hadn’t practiced as a biomedical sciences major. I now work as a CAPP sexual health educator for North Country Prenatal Perinatal Council. Through my position, I also work with the St. Lawrence County Youth Advisory Board and Suicide Awareness Coalition. Thanks to the support from the Center for Career Excellence, my professors and my advisors, I get to work for an organization whose values and pursuits match my personal and professional goals.