What's Next, Class of 2021.5 and 2022?
Learn where our recent grads have gone and how the CCI helped get them there.
Porter Bowman ‘21.5
He/Him
Major(s): International Politics and Economics (IP&E)
Your post-grad plan: I will be working as a Strategy and Consulting Analyst at Accenture Federal Services (AFS). I will be working on projects with different federal agencies in the Washington D.C. area. I’ve always been passionate about government reform and making government work better for more people, and I look forward to continuing that mission with the capacity for impact AFS brings to its work with the federal government.
Influence of your major on professional development: My coursework in the IP&E major, the History minor, and elective classes in American politics taught me both the importance of strong communication skills and furthered my passion for government’s important role in a strong democracy. At Middlebury, I was put into rooms with professors and classmates who shared values and passions for this work and inspired me to pursue roles in this field.
Tell us about the role CCI played, if any, in your post-grad planning. The CCI was always present as a resource as I navigated turning my passions into career opportunities. I worked with the CCI, especially Tim Mosehauer and Fariha Haque (Middlebury in DC), to find both career mentors and potential opportunities in everything from public policy to consulting to journalism. My job at AFS came about after I attended two CCI-organized information sessions with AFS CEO John Goodman ‘79 during my time at Middlebury and connected with alumni resources at the company who encouraged me to apply for the position. I will continue to utilize the CCI network as I begin my career.
Daniel Brey ‘22
He/Him
Major(s): Mathematics and Computer Science
Your post-grad plan: I will be a Software Development Engineer at Mastercard, working on the Test & Learn team after graduation, which is an analytical tool to help companies make decisions about different programs they are preparing to implement. I will also be a part of the Mastercard Launch program, which helps new graduates progress into the business world while learning more about the company and its culture.
Influence of your major on professional development: I wanted to find a career path that allowed me to apply both of my majors, math, and computer science. I became interested in machine learning/AI because it was a field that included both software development from computer science while also using logic, calculations, and critical thinking skills that I have learned in the math department. Both of these majors challenged me with intense problem-solving tasks time and time again, which will be helpful in the machine learning/AI field.
Tell us about the role CCI played, if any, in your post-grad planning. I was fortunate enough to talk through every step of the application process with Jeff Sawyer at the CCI. He helped me through tasks such as networking, interview prep, and career decisions. One of the big questions we discussed was the decision between going to graduate school for Computer Science or starting my career in software development. After considering many factors including career progress, student loans, and future opportunities, I decided I would prefer to start working now and go to graduate school in a few years.
Cindy Cardona ‘22
She/Her
Major(s): Biology with a minor in Sociology
Your post-grad plan: I will be a student at Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine where I will be pursuing my Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree.
Influence of your major on professional development: My laboratory experience has been essential in making me into an independent, problem-solving individual. The biology classes revolving around animals and their surrounding have made me understand the problems they face and how we can help them.
Tell us about the role CCI played, if any, in your post-grad planning. The Pre-Health advisors have been immensely helpful in informing me of internship opportunities as well as guidance throughout the application process for veterinary school.
Grace Carroll ‘22
She/Her
Major(s): International and Global Studies (IGS) Global Security
Your post-grad plan: I will be a Financial Crime Prevention Analyst at UBS. I will analyze clients’ accounts and monitor suspicious activity in order to prevent money laundering crimes such as terrorism financing, illicit drugs, or human trafficking.
Influence of your major on professional development: I took a class called “Global Financial Crime & Prevention” with Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS) professor Moyara Ruehsen, and she was instrumental in helping me break into the industry.
Tell us about the role CCI played, if any, in your post-grad planning. Pre-pandemic, I used to attend all of the alumni Field Guide dinners at Atwater, and I credit those experiences with my ability to network professionally with folks who might seem unapproachable. I learned that most people genuinely want to help students and young professionals in their career journey.
Zoey Ellis ‘22
She/Her
Major(s): International and Global Studies (IGS) with a focus in Global Security Studies and Spanish
Your post-grad plan: I will be working at JPMorgan Chase and Co. I am joining the Corporate Analyst Development Program. During my two-year program, I will be participating in several rotations to strengthen my technical and business skills, including project management, process improvement, and data analytics.
Influence of your major on professional development: My IGS major and the opportunity to take various interdisciplinary classes has allowed me to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills, while also exploring a more comprehensive perspective of the world. I am excited to apply these skills when embracing new challenges at JPM!
Tell us about the role CCI played, if any, in your post-grad planning. I worked as a Peer Career Advisor at the CCI for two years and throughout this time, I gained essential leadership and communication skills while offering career help to hundreds of students. From this experience, I knew I wanted to work in a collaborative setting and continue uplifting those around me.
Clara Hatch ‘22
She/Her
Major(s): Psychology with a minor in Education Studies
Your post-grad plan: I will be working as a Clinical Research Coordinator at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. I will be involved in research on childhood cancer and patient-reported outcomes. My work will focus on improving how we communicate with cancer patients and their families and supporting informed decision-making.
Influence of your major on professional development: Through my psychology major, and in particular my senior seminar on Resilience, I have spent time learning about vulnerable populations, such as those affected by cancer. This has made me especially interested in quality-of-life research and social support. My psychology and education classes have also supported my observational skills, communication skills, and critical thinking skills which will be crucial in a patient-facing environment.
Tell us about the role CCI played, if any, in your post-grad planning. I have met with the CCI several times throughout my time at Middlebury, as well as attended the J-term career planning workshop for seniors. While many of my peers had already secured jobs after graduation, the workshop helped me recognize that I was not alone in feeling ‘stuck’ and struggling to identify a path after graduation, and allowed me to come up with achievable action steps.
Culton Koster ‘21.5
He/Him
Major(s): Computer Science and Psychology
Your post-grad plan: I am working as a data scientist at NWO.ai, a NYC-based startup using alternative data to provide consumer insights and trend forecasting to Fortune 500 brands. My job involves prototyping and implementing new features for our insights platform. I am designing a topic clustering feature using text data from social media. This will help our customers research and understand groupings of novel events and breakout stories in their fields of interest.
Influence of your major on professional development: In my junior year at Middlebury, I took a machine learning course as part of my Computer Science major, and submitted my final project to a NIST conference. I fell in love with the work and pursued research in search and recommender systems that summer. This resulted in a substantial data science thesis project.
I feel that my Psychology and Computer Science courses nudged me into a problem-solving role in which technical, research, and communication skills are all important.
I use skills from both majors every day at work: I often demonstrate new products, discuss technical challenges, and present results of statistical analyses.
The research and presentation experience I’ve gained from Psychology has been invaluable in helping me communicate to audiences from varying technical backgrounds. Furthermore, my broad exposure to Computer Science at Middlebury has helped me to understand and contribute to enterprise applications, and quickly learn new tools.
Tell us about the role CCI played, if any, in your post-grad planning. I worked extensively with the CCI in the Fall semester and J-term prior to my graduation: Jeff Sawyer helped to connect me with the alumni network, who were critical resources for technical interview prep and career advice. This guidance was particularly important because there isn’t a clear track for undergraduates to get into data science, and I am grateful to have had alumni mentors to help me better understand the field.
Niki Kowsar ‘21.5
She/Her
Major(s): Neuroscience with a minor in Global Health
Your post-grad plan: I will be working as a in a rotational Financial Analyst in a financial analyst program at Partners Group where I will have the opportunity to experience year-long rotations within the firms asset classes of private equity, private real estate, private debt, and private infrastructure. As the program is catered toward individuals with limited to no finance experience, I will learn about the basics of financial processes and gain hands-on experience through investment opportunities.
Influence of your major on professional development: I will be able to apply my knowledge and interests in behavior learned through my neuroscience studies to better understand financial decision-making within the investment processes at the firm.
Tell us about the role CCI played, if any, in your post-grad planning. I was able to explore my interests and learn about job opportunities, got some valuable resume and cover letter advice, and was provided great resources for interview preparations.
Ben Lahey ‘21.5
He/Him
Major(s): Economics and Mathematics
Your post-grad plan: I am working as a Senior Research Analyst at the New York Fed. I conduct research on labor markets, housing markets, and economic geography with economists in the departments of Urban and Regional Studies and Equitable Growth Studies.
Influence of your major on professional development: I use skills learned in the economics and math departments daily at work and was inspired and supported by faculty mentors to pursue economic research throughout my time at Middlebury.
Tell us about the role CCI played, if any, in your post-grad planning. I did not use the CCI but did make use of Middlebury’s professional network to find jobs.
Mary McCourt ‘21.5
She/Her
Major(s): Economics with minors in Political Science and American Studies
Your post-grad plan: I am working as an Investment Banking Analyst at Morgan Stanley. I provide strategic advice and raise capital for companies in the oil & gas, renewables, power, energy and infrastructure sectors.
Influence of your major on professional development: Econ introduced me to topics in macro economics like interest rates and Fed decisions regarding economic policy. It also provided a community of students with similar career interests. My class in space economics inspired me to start my own investment firm focused on the infrastructure development of outer space.
Tell us about the role CCI played, if any, in your post-grad planning. Ursula Olender at the CCI was a major influence in my career planning. The CCI played a very supportive role in helping me discover and find my internship as well as full time job.
Patrick McSally ‘22
He/His
Major(s): Economics with minors in Mathematics and Food Studies
Your post-grad plan: As the Assistant Corporate Merchant, Men’s Apparel at L.L. Bean, I assist the merchant team with being the “final editors” for the men’s apparel product line. My job is both quantitative and qualitative, with quantitative duties ranging from supporting sales forecasting, assortment productivity analytics, margin growth, and more. Qualitatively, I also do competitor and market research, manage product samples, and assist with crafting the product line strategy.
Influence of your major on professional development: Studying economics, especially environmental economics, gave me an appreciation for combining the science of analytics with the art of industry knowledge. I enjoyed how environmental economics balances economic and environmental costs/benefits. This translates to my current role, where we balance the science of driving product performance metrics with the art of brand strategy.
Tell us about the role CCI played, if any, in your post-grad planning. The CCI helped guide my networking efforts, which were helpful while seeking a career in a relatively niche industry like outdoor retail.
Yamit Netter-Sweet ‘21.5
She/Her
Major(s): International and Global Studies (IGS) Global Migration and Diaspora Studies, Middle East with a minor in Spanish
Your post-grad plan: I will be teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) and studying Arabic in Amman, Jordan. (Yamit received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Fellowship.)
Influence of your major on professional development: The interdisciplinary nature of the IGS major allowed me to explore a wide variety of themes and topics, including various languages, and ultimately prepared me for a career in an international environment. I am excited to expand my understanding of global migration issues, utilize my Arabic language skills, and further immerse myself in Jordanian culture while living in Amman!
Tell us about the role CCI played, if any, in your post-grad planning. CCI was not involved in my job search.
Erin Nicholas ‘22
She/Her
Major(s): Molecular Biology/Biochemistry (MBBC) with a minor in Psychology.
Your post-grad plan: I will be studying for the MCAT while working as a Clinical Research Associate for Dr. Moley at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in NYC. I will be the primary research assistant for a sports medicine physiatrist at HSS. I will manage all research studies by preparing protocols, data collection measures, patient consents, and manuscript write ups. My role is primarily a clinical one with some bench work to analyze blood products for regenerative procedures.
Influence of your major on professional development: My MBBC major helped me learn more about my specific interests in the scientific field and in medicine. It helped me learn about what I do and do not like about the many different stem classes I have had to take. It introduced me to things like genetics and specific topics in biology that I am extremely interested in but was previously unaware of. My major helped me explore the fields of biology and chemistry by offering and requiring classes that I otherwise would not have taken. The lab classes I have taken have provided me with some background knowledge in research as well as equipped me with some baseline skills that I will be able to take with me and improve upon throughout my next steps as a post-graduate researcher.
Tell us about the role CCI played, if any, in your post-grad planning. Dr. Hannah Benz helped me layout my timeline with how long I should work for and what role I should be working in before medical school. She helped me map out when to study for and take the MCAT. The CCI did not help me find my job but Dr. Benz did give me some direction for what type of job I should be looking for post-grad.
Yasmine Signey ‘22
She/Her
Major(s): International and Global Studies (IGS) with a focus in Global Security Studies and Spanish
Your post-grad plan: I will be working at Goldman Sachs (GS) in their human capital management division as an Experienced Hire Wealth Recruiter.
Influence of your major on professional development: I knew that I wanted to be able to work in an environment that would allow me the opportunity to meet people all over the world. My global learning experience at Middlebury has given me the drive to want to pursue opportunities that will allow me to meet many different people. At GS, I’ll be able to do that while interviewing and recruiting latter hires from all over the world.
Tell us about the role CCI played, if any, in your post-grad planning. I met many times with the CCI staff, and they helped me to understand what I’m passionate about and what my next steps should be.
Shridhar Singhania ‘22
He/Him
Major(s): Economics with minors in Chinese and History
Your post-grad plan: At Evercore, I’ll be working as an Investment Banking Analyst within their Energy Advisory. Energy is a vast industry, comprised of Oil & Gas, Power & Utilities, and Renewable Energy companies. These verticals have sub-verticals too — just think of how different companies that own oil reserves, drill for oil and gas in the ground, refine the oil to make it usable for consumers, and finally retail it to consumers must be from one another. Their businesses — and consequently the sources for their failures and successes — are different, and so must be the advice investment bankers provide.
Cutting through the jargon above, I’ll be part of a team that provides strategic and financial advice to companies in such industries depending on their unique circumstances. As an analyst, my job will range from industry and company research to building financial models (i.e., how much is this company / asset actually worth [and why]) to presenting such materials — all in order to give companies the best solutions for their needs.
Simply put, I’ll be problem-solving. Instead of taking on the math/science problems or social sciences challenges facing us in Middlebury classrooms, these solutions will look to help different companies in different situations.
Influence of your major on professional development: Middlebury’s economics major is well-diversified and this lends far in developing different skill-sets best suited for a range of jobs. My ECON major allowed me critical thinking and analytical skills, and quantitive (yes, Regression helps…) and qualitative skills alike. Outside of obviously relevant learning about the economy, business cycles, and how different central banks and firms react to such situations, it is the overall thinking and skillset that the ECON major that influenced my professional development most.
Quite frankly, most Middlebury majors hone useful ways of problem-solving and nimble skillsets. If anything, my diverse coursework at the College has taught me more than the ECON major alone ever could have; that finance jobs necessitate an economics major is nothing but a myth.
Tell us about the role CCI played, if any, in your post-grad planning. The CCI played an immense role in my professional development. It provided excellent avenues to both discover and achieve my professional goals. Meetings gave me ample structure to think of what I wanted to do and why, and advisors provided excellent information on what I should do — from classroom and extracurricular activities to obtaining internships and networking with alums — to chase my goals.
I’d be remiss to overlook the invaluable guidance, support and help that Ursula Olender gave me. She was with me in the process since Day 1, is a whiz on everything finance-related, and is an all-round gem of a person. Middlebury’s alumni network also proved helpful and is something I encourage all students to take advantage of.
Liz Srulevich ‘21.5
She/Her
Major(s): Sociology with a minor in Spanish
Your post-grad plan: I’ll be starting at Columbia Law School in New York City this fall.
Influence of your major on professional development: As a research/teaching assistant under Professor Rebecca Tiger in the Sociology Department, I studied how small-scale narratives in documentary film making reflect broader social issues and processes, an inquiry analogous to how individual legal cases can impact the justice system at large. Sociology also helped me refine the reading, writing, and critical analysis skills I’ll need as I begin my journey into the legal profession.
Tell us about the role CCI played, if any, in your post-grad planning. The CCI funded my Summer 2020 remote internship at PEN America, an experience that significantly shaped my post-grad planning.
Eliza Van Voorhis ‘21.5
She/Her
Major(s): Political Science with a minor in History
Your post-grad plan: I am an Analyst at Sports Innovation Lab. Sports Innovation Lab is a sports market research firm focused on fan intelligence and driving transformational change in sports, media, and entertainment. I will support research efforts and strategy development for advisory clients such as the NFL, NBA, WNBA, and Google. In addition, I will help advise clients, execute and present research, and deliver on client deliverables and in-house analysis.
Influence of your major on professional development: I was a Political Science major at Middlebury, and although the two fields don’t seem directly linked, I have transferred many of the skills I learned at Midd to my day-to-day work. For example, I am incredibly grateful for my research experience with Political Science Professor Matthew Dickinson. This work taught me how to thoroughly research, build a compelling argument and articulate that case to new audiences. I saw how applicable these skills are while interning and working part-time at Sports Innovation Lab in 2020 - 2021.
Tell us about the role CCI played, if any, in your post-grad planning. I have been meeting with advisors at the CCI since my first year and benefited from their internship funding program for two of my three summers at Middlebury. However, I got my job at Sports Innovation Lab through the greater Middlebury community. A classmate of mine, Jack Langerman, had worked at the company for a few years, and I reached out. He graciously agreed to have lunch with me, told me all about SIL, and set me up with multiple contacts currently at the company. I was lucky enough to get an internship in the summer of 2020, thanks to the support of the CCI internship fund and Jack’s persistence. I continued to work at SIL the following year when I took time away from Middlebury during the pandemic. Tragically, Jack passed away in the winter of 2021. In his honor, Sports Innovation Lab has since set up an internship program in association with the Middlebury CCI. Each year SIL will hire an endowed intern from Middlebury who exemplifies the characteristics that Jack brought to work every day: curiosity, camaraderie, and positivity. I am so grateful to Jack for this opportunity at Sports Innovation Lab, and I am thrilled to continue working with this team that he knew and loved.
Suria Vanrajah ‘22
She/Her
Major(s): Political Science and Anthropology
Your post-grad plan: I’ll be joining the Alethea Group, a disinformation and social media manipulation analysis firm, as an associate analyst. As a part of the analysis team, I will help support clients in the private and public sectors in detecting, preventing, and mitigating disinformation and social media manipulation which threatens their interests.
Influence of your major on professional development: My coursework in issues related to political polarization and national security first brought me to the study of disinformation and extremism through several internships with the Center on Terrorism Extremism, and Counterterrorism out at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS) which piqued my interest in these issues. I continued to dive into these issues in various courses across departments (Political Communication, Anthropology of Development, etc.) and ultimately completed a senior thesis studying QAnon, one of the most virulent online extremist movements, and their disinformation campaigns.
Tell us about the role CCI played, if any, in your post-grad planning. CCI was not part of my job search.
Chloe Zinn ‘22
She/Her
Major(s): Dance and Neuroscience
Your post-grad plan: I will be working as an Assistant Planner, Multichannel Media at SSCG Media Group in midtown Manhattan. I will be marketing Pfizer’s products to pharmacists and oncologists.
Influence of your major on professional development: Dance taught me more than I can express. I learned how to carry myself and read a room. I learned how to express my truth and stand for what I believe in, and how to communicate that to others impactfully. I know these skills will transfer into my professional career for the rest of my life. Neuroscience taught me how to be a critical thinker and showed me that I too can influence the scientific advances of tomorrow which I hope to begin to do through marketing and communications.
Tell us about the role CCI played, if any, in your post-grad planning. When I received the CCI Summer Internship Funding in 2021, I attended the Deeply Rooted Dance Theater’s Pre-Professional/Professional Summer Dance Intensive in Chicago, Illinois for a whole month. It was a transformative experience and it showed me how resilient and adaptable I am in a setting outside of Middlebury. I also learned that I want to keep dance in my life long after my time at Middlebury because it will forever be a new challenge and growth opportunity for me and those around me. Thank you, CCI!