SENIOR SPOTLIGHT

Name: Brittany Brendsel         
Double Major: Sociology with an Anthropology Concentration and International Development
Post Graduation Plan: Elementary school in South Dakota for Teach for America

1. How did you decide what your next step would be after graduation?
I really prayed about where God wanted me to go.  I tried to put my plans for the future aside and let Him guide me.  Applying for Teach for America was nowhere on my radar screen.  I had no intention of staying in the United States after graduation, but God had other plans.  

2. What experiences did you have to help prepare you for this decision?
I first would recommend seeking God's will.  I know this may sound abstract, but it is so important.  Second, I found it helpful to pursue a variety of options in order to keep my options.  I have also taken part of several internship opportunities within my field of interest which allowed me to gain exposure as well as experience.

3. What resources did you use to help you through this process?
I really used the internet as a tool. It was helpful for looking into graduate programs, in finding the email contacts of employers and following trends in the job market.  

I also received advice from Career Center staff in deciding whether or not to apply to graduate school.  

4. What advice do you have for other students preparing for their next step?
1) Keep your options open.  
2) Look into career fields that you never really considered before.
3) Remember that your first job won't likely be the same job you have for the rest of your life.
4) Trust in the Lord with all of your heart.

Name: Anne Elizabeth Burk
Major: Elementary Education
Post Graduation Plan: Primary-level classroom teacher at an American International School in Almaty, Kazakhstan

1. How did you decide what your next step would be after graduation?
My major, unlike many, trained me for a specific career. I have always felt called to teach, but the question since I stepped onto Messiah's campus has been "WHERE?" I casually thought, "Hmm...Maybe I'll teach abroad…"
As student teaching ended, I still had that inkling of desire, and pursued it. All the doors flew wide open. My family and I have peace. It is confirmed in every conversation, and--there is NO REASON not to go.

2. What experiences did you have to help prepare you for this decision?
Since I was a teenager, I have been interested in travel. In high school I was privileged to spend two summers abroad with my older brother and his family. One summer was in Germany, and I traveled to many neighboring countries. Another was on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. In addition to studying for the SAT on the beaches, I helped nanny for my nieces. While I missed my family, I couldn't get enough of adventure and excitement that comes with traveling to a new place.
I planned to study abroad at Messiah, but instead, the Lord provided an opportunity for me to teach English in China. So, the summer after my sophomore year, I went. By far, China was the most drastic cultural experience I had; it neither confirmed nor denied my desire to teach abroad. Upon my return that fall, I declared TESOL as my minor. Because of my desire to teach and travel, and my interest in languages, it seemed like a great fit, especially if I decided to teach abroad after all.

3. What resources did you use to help you through this process?
After student teaching, I still felt called to teach and no experience had changed my mind about teaching abroad. I decided to check out my possibilities, and I started by contacting the Career Center. I had attended a student teaching seminar where the International Educator and other job recruitment sites were introduced. Completely overwhelmed, I met with Dwayne who helped me devise a plan of action. While I felt clueless, I decided to apply first for every elementary positions abroad I could find, then for teaching English abroad organizations, and finally, for positions in the States. I used primarily The International Educator and eRecruiting, and after a professor's recommendation, checked out the US state department web page. The state department page led me to numerous international schools affiliated in any way with the US.

4. What advice do you have for other students preparing for their next step?
Get started! At first, I was so overwhelmed; I didn’t know what to do with myself, or how to tackle this huge task. So, I met with Dwayne at the career center. He took the time to listen, recommend resources, search for more, and walk through the entire process with me. I strongly encourage you to utilize every resource you have--professionals you know in your field, google, the US government or organizations you know of, job fairs, and of course the career center, which has lots of resources on its web site.

Name: Lucy Barnhouse
Major: Medieval and Renaissance Studies (independently designed) and German, double major
Post Graduation Plan: Pursue M.A./Ph.D. at Fordham University, NYC, on a Loyola Fellowship

1. How did you decide what your next step would be after graduation?
For me, graduate school seemed the natural choice.  I've always been impassioned by the pursuit of knowledge, and trying to share the excitement of what I'm learning with others.  Messiah's faculty have been great role models as scholars and teachers, and many have encouraged me personally to continue exploring the paths of academia.

2. What experiences did you have to help prepare you for this decision?
The semester I spent studying abroad at Oxford University was seminal in confirming my sense that graduate school would be a good choice for me.  The workload could be described as punitively intense, but I loved it, and more than that, felt truly nourished by it, simultaneously centered in who I was and what I was doing.  I've tried to maintain that level of scholarship, and find sources for that energizing passion, in my senior project.

3. What resources did you use to help you through this process?
At the beginning of the application process, I scheduled a Career Center appointment to look over the cv I was sending in with my applications.  I wanted to make sure that my formatting was professional and that the content represented the past four years of my life accurately and in an engaging manner.  I applied to several competitive programs, so I wanted to be sure I stood out!  My faculty adviser was tremendously helpful in talking me through the whole process... and I ended up going to the Career Center again after I had received my acceptances to talk about funding options.

4. What advice do you have for other students preparing for their next step?
Find what turns you on, what makes you really come alive.  If you can find a place where you feel that you are using all that you have and are, and are constantly becoming more... then that's where you need to be!  In working out the practical side of things, don't be afraid to think outside the box, and get other people to think about your options with you.  I tend to be shy about asking for help, but in all the stress of senior year, just having a good listener to talk things through with can be incredibly helpful!