Recent Graduate Outcomes:

A TEAM THAT BECAME A SUPPORT SYSTEM

The Hartwick women’s tennis team never felt like just a sports team to me. It brought women from different places together, allowing us to form friendships and lean on each other when times were hard. Being able to learn and grow alongside my teammates helped me broaden my horizons and become the person I am today.

Our coach, Samantha Butcher, was also an essential part of my support system, especially because my hometown is more than three hours from campus. She was not only my coach but also like a best friend. She listened without judgment, supported me when I was down and pushed me to be the best person I could be. She always made it a point to tell us that she didn’t just want us to be great athletes, but great people, too. Having her there through all of life’s ups and downs during my four years at Hartwick allowed me to put my best effort into my classes, practices and activities across campus.

PERSISTENCE THROUGH THE UNEXPECTED
Life threw me a lot of curveballs during my four years at Hartwick, including family emergencies, injuries and changing majors. Through it all, with the help of my support system, I refused to give up. I knew I wanted to become a medical technologist, and I was not going to let anything hold me back because I knew I was willing to work hard to get there.

Staff and faculty at Hartwick knew how hard I worked and advocated for me every step of the way. Because of that support, I can proudly say that I am a medical technologist and a good one at that.

PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER HARTWICK

Taking advantage of resume workshops, practice interviews and professional headshots can set you up for success more than you realize. These opportunities gave me practice with the job interview process and helped give my applications an edge. Many college students don’t realize these opportunities are available or don’t take full advantage of them.

FINDING A PATH FORWARD

A life lesson I learned not only from Hartwick but also during my yearlong internship after graduation is that the road might not always be pretty or straightforward, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a path. If something doesn’t go as planned, it doesn’t mean you aren’t cut out for your field. It means you have to get creative and think about another way to get there.

How hard you are willing to work for your dream will teach you more about yourself than you ever realized. My advice to current students is to always work for your dream. No matter what life throws your way, if you want something, the only thing holding you back is you.

MAKING THE MOST OF HARTWICK

Hartwick is full of opportunities, both professionally and for fun. I had the privilege of going on a J Term trip my junior year and I have not heard of another college that provides this opportunity to its students. As classes get harder each semester and seem to take up all of your time, these month-long study abroad trips are a great option for students who want to study abroad but feel that their workload makes a semester abroad difficult to manage.