As a Senior Career Coach managing both the College of Business and Arts and Communications Communities at Stony Brook University, I have the pleasure of engaging with students and faculty throughout the academic year. It is one of the best parts of my job, especially the students. One of the best rewards for my job is building meaningful relationships. As a Career Coach, I play a key role in a student’s career development. Nothing better than receiving an email from a student informing me that they ‘GOT THE JOB!’
Helping a student recognize their potential and managing the transition from student to adult is a powerful seed to plant. Helping students identify their path and move forward with purpose means a great deal to me. With rare exception, they arrive with eyes wide open, intimidated by a large campus, a new life to manage, and an abstract feeling about FREEDOM and INDEPENDENCE. It can be liberating as well as overwhelming. For some students, this transition initially feels staggering and even paralyzing. Yet in time, they discover a new rhythm, create new connections, find comfort in the unfamiliar, and begin building what comes next.
Four years pass quickly. Students are confronted with one of the most significant changes in their young lives. They need to secure a job. Helping students accomplish this is something I take seriously, and not for one moment do I minimize that.
So, to all my students who are about to wear caps and gowns, walk up on that big stage, and receive what you have worked so hard to get, your diploma, all I can say is, WELL DONE, and congratulations. You have earned it. It is your fuel to launch your career. Leverage what you have learned. Consider your skills and amplify your knowledge and confidence. You have everything in front of you. Buckle up, take charge, and enjoy the ride!!
