As final exams approach, students are making summer plans. Some finding an internship or even their first full-time job.
Some Marquette University students are excited about new opportunities, while others feel growing pressure.
On March 16, Marquette reported an 87% career outcomes rate for students within six months of graduating. This measures the number of graduates that are employed, continuing education or part of post-grad opportunities.
As part of the annual Undergraduate First Destination Survey, the university reported 53% of recent graduates had full-time employment and 26% continued their education.
Nationally, post-graduation outcomes in 2024 displayed 69.9% out of 1.2 million people were employed within six months of graduating. 25.2% of these graduates were continuing their education.
What those numbers don’t reflect, some students say, is the stress behind that process.
“You need to find a well-paying job, especially in the economy we’re in right now, so the pressures have been really hitting hard,” Bella Flores, a senior in the College of Communication, said.
Flores is studying journalism and has a job in social media marketing lined up for after graduation. Her goals are to get a full-time position in Chicago and work in marketing for the beauty and fashion industry. For Flores, salary and location are important, but so is the company.
The process of applying and networking can feel awkward or difficult, Flores said, but she found platforms like Handshake and LinkedIn helpful.
“Take the opportunity; it doesn’t hurt to email somebody, it doesn’t hurt to reach out, go outside of your comfort zone,” Flores said.
While graduating seniors like Flores are preparing for full-time jobs, younger students are still working to get experience through internships.
Sarita Retana, a sophomore in the College of Nursing, wants to become a nurse practitioner and work in healthcare policy and administration. Her goal is to have a health policy internship and work in a clinic of her own one day.
Retana said internships play a big role in the success of students, but applying for them can be taxing.
“It’s a lot of time writing cover letters, trying to explain the more in-depth side of you and it can be very time-consuming,” Retana said.
Retana said her classes have prepared her well. She appreciates the opportunity she’s had to learn from diverse perspectives, which has added to her decision-making when looking for an internship. Retana cares more about the workplace’s environment and values than anything else.
For other students, the challenge goes beyond securing a position and is more about feeling prepared for future jobs.
Avery Cmiel, a senior in the College of Communication, is a public relations major who wants to do team operations in professional sports.
“I feel like I have good experience and knowledge, but I feel like I don’t necessarily have real practice of things I’d be doing,” Cmiel said.
Cmiel said her hands-on experience as an intern for Marquette’s women’s basketball team has been more beneficial than what she’s learned academically. While that opportunity has helped her, she said, she feels the most pressure from comparing herself to her peers — such as her roommate, who has interned at the place where she will be working post-graduation.
“She’s making $80,000 next year, and I’ll be lucky if I’m making anything,” she said.
While nearly every student with fears has a different set of struggles, most agree that the path to a career is a winding road.
“There is no one right path,” Cmiel said.
This story was written by Lillie Martin. She can be reached at [email protected].
