You Graduated, What’s Next? Q&A With UMSL Business Senior
By: Sabrina McGuire
“What are you going to do after graduation?” Is the question the majority of college students can’t honestly answer. After 4 years or more of midterms, finals, and stress we aren’t able to fully have a plan, and post-graduation depression is real. I recently had the honor to speak with UMSL Business Student Rachele Banks. Rachele has experienced her own trials and tribulations throughout her time here at UMSL. Despite having rocks thrown at her, she has managed to still succeed in school. She is a senior at the university and she will be a graduate in May 2019. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. We spoke about plans after graduation, having a support system, and many more!
What made you choose Business Administration as a major?
“Every organization, regardless of industry, relies on business principles to prosper. So why not get my degree in Business Administration. My minor is in Accounting so I will have the bookkeeping aspect as well. I just want to be able to be as diverse as possible. To me, I think that Business is the broadest major out there. I can apply for so many different jobs like management, HR or social media marketing. Some majors are so narrow and I don’t want to be placed in a box. Having knowledge in so many different fields (Finance, Management, Accounting & Supply Chain) gives me insight and the practical skills needed to excel in a variety of positions”.
What are your plans after graduation?
“Post-graduation I plan on working of course (I have to start a repayment plan for my student loans). I just accepted an offer at General Motors for an internship in my career field. I plan on working there until my internship ends and hopefully I get offered a full-time position there. I want to go into the workforce as soon I graduate to get a feel of how a real “career” job goes. From there I’ll see what’s the best time for me to go back to school for my MBA. General Motors offers tuition reimbursement so that is a plus”.
What have you learned in undergrad that you take with you throughout your career?
“In undergrad, I have learned so much about myself and I will take that with me for the rest of my life. I realized that I am a procrastinator and it is really, really, bad. So I know in my career I need to strategize and stay on the ball. I can do this by having a calendar on my desk and by prioritizing all my tasks. I can push things off that are less important, but I know if I have a presentation that I need to present to my boss I need to have that done in enough time to go back and perfect things. The last thing I would say I learned here at UMSL in undergrad would be to find a friend in everything you do. Some classes I would have not enjoyed or passed if it were not for me having a classmate’s number or meeting up with them at Panera. Networking is such a big deal”.
Where do you see yourself 1-year post-graduation?
“May 2020 I’ll be 23 years old and I see myself as a full-time employee at a Fortune 500 company. I see myself having some actual real-life experiences to tie in with the background I have learned from college. I plan on meshing the two together to get the best of both worlds. In my career, I plan on moving up in whatever company I am at”.
Did you have a support system, if so who?
“I have a large support system. You know what they say “It takes a village to raise a child”. Throughout my life, I have made friends from school, work, and extracurricular activities. Through my journey family and friends were there rooting me on along the way, helping in financial ways or just showing up to things that were important to me. My family has always been supportive of me in everything that I do and that is just a blessing in itself. Support is one area that I do not lack in. Everyone is just one phone call away”.
Just like Rachele we all have aspirations and goals to be successful in the field of our choice. There will be obstacles thrown at us but, that’s just life. Make a promise to yourself that no matter how many you get knocked down you’ll get back up. “Knock me down once but I get up 10!” I thought to have a more uplifting and encouraging post was well needed for those students who are going through a rough patch. Students like Rachele and many others here on campus is what makes UMSL different from others. Remember after the storm comes the sunlight. Thank you Rachele and to all the readers. If you enjoyed this motivational post comment, like, and even share some of your own personal struggles or battles you’ve been dealing with.