This week marks my first week of summer break! Yay! I officially finished my first year and I am excited to finish my last year in my graduate program. Some of you who are entering your last year in your program are probably thinking about what you will be doing next. I know the feeling because I was a bit lost during my last year in undergrad. I often wondered what career would suit me and if were to apply to graduate school, which program would I apply to? Although I am uncertain about which career path I should follow, I use my love of learning and exploring the different possibilities in my career field (education). I am glad that I applied to graduate school because I believe it is the perfect opportunity to explore what I truly enjoy and passionate about, which could help me identify my potential careers. Through my previous and current graduate programs, I have learned that I want to get involved in research in the field of education. I believe that using research can help influence policy making for minority students and help open more doors to endless possibilities in higher education. As a first generation college student, I could understand the struggle in navigating college (i.e. financial aid, academic success, and career exploration). I have always been passionate about helping others, hence, why I want to help students, like myself, to succeed in higher education. I also want to become a role model and want to see more representation that is diverse in higher education to encourage young students to be in the field of education.
Below are some questions that I often use to help me figure out my next steps. (FYI – I use these every day to help remind me of my goals and my next steps in my career field).
- What is am I passionate about?
- What do I eventually what to do? / What are my career aspirations?
- What can I do to gain more knowledge about what I want to do in my career?
- What cause is important to me?
- What are my life goals and how can my education help achieve my life goals?
- How can I improve my skills to make me more marketable?
- How can I become a better leader and role model to others?
Ashlynn Battle
Aisha Sowe
Chelsea L
Kaitlyn Davis
kodonne4
melanyclaros
mnur2
rachelfadaka
shriyakoneru
ssarahowusu
USG
The Universities at Shady Grove (USG) 
Hi Kim! Thank you so much for writing about this topic. The questions you came up with are great for reflecting. Since I’m in my senior year of the social work program, I am currently going through the process of deciding which master’s programs to apply for and finding it to be a bit challenging. I’ll be sure to go through those questions often to help me make my decision!
That’s great! If you have any questions, let me know š