In the UW-Green Bay Union’s Alumni Room, a row of graduates faced an audience of current students. Representing diverse professional paths, from therapy and social work to finance, community health, business, and tech, this group probably wouldn’t find themselves working together in a professional setting. But, the journey of how they got to where they are followed similar ups and downs as they turned their UW-Green Bay education into careers.
The Career Exploration panel, arranged for Psych 225: Career Planning students, and open to all, gave recent alums a chance to share their journeys and advice. Over two sessions this October, they did just that. Panelists ranged from current students still testing options to alumni who’ve already switched lanes a few times. The through-line was a reassuring outlook that careers aren’t something you pick perfectly once; they’re something you build through experience, relationships, reflection, and a willingness to keep learning.
Here are 10 takeaways from the panels:
- You usually find your direction after you start walking. Calvin Berndt, a current UW–Green Bay computer science student who came back for a second bachelor’s after earning one in Biochemistry from UW-Steven’s Point and working several different jobs before pivoting into AI-focused tech work, framed college as the safest place to test-drive your future. He described his own path as a set of experiments that only made sense in hindsight. Rather than waiting for certainty, he encouraged students to explore broadly and trust that direction comes from doing. “I think that’s a really important thing about college, is trying different things, and that’s why the general education program is pretty important, because it really allows you to diversify,” he said, adding, “it’s never too late to change your mind.”
- Give yourself permission to have a non-linear career.
Chris Gromowski, a 2022 Human Biology grad who later co-founded an energy drink startup, Vyper Energy, and now works on an investments team for The Village Companies, explained that his career really opened up once he stopped expecting a straight line. “The path is not linear,” he said. He recommended following your passions, even when they diverge from the foundation of your degree. “Even if you get your degree [in one field], you might love something else as a passion and that might actually open a door for you.”
- Internships are resume-builders, but they’re also testing grounds for your future.
Kendra Lepper ‘22, a UW-Green Bay Communications alum and now a career advisor, laughed about doing “way too many” internships in college, but said that variety is what gave her career clarity. Those roles helped her discover things about herself; “it got me experience in knowing what I didn’t like to do, what I did like to do, different industries and kind of test trialing different roles.”
- Networking works best when it’s just honest curiosity.
Jose Villa ‘16, a Business Administration alum and a Vice President at Fox Communities Credit Union, said jobs often show up through people who remember you. His advice was simple and direct: “Network, get out there, talk to folks, let them know about yourself. Every job I’ve had, the opportunity came because spoke with somebody”
- Follow what gets you excited, not just what sounds impressive on paper.
Mallory Allen ‘23, a Communications alum who now works as a Digital News & Content Producer at Fox 11, urged students to prioritize energizing work over unfulfilling jobs that pay well. She framed it as a long-game question: if you’ll spend most days doing this work, does it actually excite you? “Figure out what sets your soul on fire and then do that,” she said.
- Train your “failure muscle” while the stakes are low.
Adham Elkassas ‘24, a Finance alum and CFO in the construction industry, compared college to a practice field for real-world setbacks. His point wasn’t to fear failure; it was to expect it and get good at recovering. “You’re going to have failures throughout your life, so train yourself to deal with them”
- Your mental health could be a career issue.
Haley Vickman ‘14, a Psychology alum who works for Big Brothers Big Sisters after earlier clinic work in neuropsych testing, said job fit matters because it shapes your whole life. If a role is wrecking you, leaving can be the healthiest “career move” you make. “Make sure you’re listening to yourself and your body, and if your mental health is not good because of a job that you hate, you don’t have to continue to work there and be unhappy.”
- Know the range of careers your field can take you to.
Chloe Anderson-Kemp ’18 ‘19, a licensed clinical social worker and Outpatient Clinical Supervisor, explained that students often underestimate how flexible degrees can be. Her social work degree could have put her a variety of environments, from government policy roles to one-on-one diagnosing and treatment. “I can work in a ton of different environments,” she said, but she got to pick the one that worked best for her.
- Don’t let anyone lowball your worth, financially or personally.
Rebecca Green Blanks ‘17, a UW-Green Bay Social Work MA alum and Youth Social Worker for the Oneida Nation’s behavioral health clinic, closed her remarks with practical advocacy: early-career workers are often under-offered. Her advice is: negotiate for the pay you deserve, protect yourself from predatory companies or agencies, and don’t shrink yourself down to fit where you don’t belong. “Know your worth…don’t let them negotiate you down…don’t let anybody ever sell you short.”
- Build a personal “board of directors” to build your confidence
Villa, reflecting on imposter syndrome, said confidence often comes from who you surround yourself with. “Just like any organization has their board of directors to help guide organizations strategy and how to meet their goals, we kind of have to have to do that for ourselves. Surround yourself around the right people that will help guide you.
Finding a career is less like an equation with a definite formula, and more like an experiment. You test, gather evidence, adjust your hypothesis, and lean on others for help when you’re not sure what to do next. You embrace the unknown, do things now that feel a little scary (internships, cold emails, new majors, new clubs). And when you graduate college and get your first job, that doesn’t mean you’ve figured it all out. It’s just another step on a path that can be winding but will get you somewhere great, eventually.