Drew Patriquin, Eleni-Nicole Ceven, Melissa Anne Mathews, Lauren Koffman, and JT Saunders III. (not pictured: Brent LaPointe)
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Good to go
A glimpse at members of the class of 2006, one month removed.
What defines a UMass Amherst education? The class that turns an academic interest into an intellectual passion? The summer internship that catapults into a career? The semester spent in a foreign country and nothing ever looks the same again– even once you get back home?
For six students who graduated in May and headed off ready for their next challenge, the definition of a UMass Amherst education is as unique as they are.
Lauren Koffman was always interested in clinical psychology, but it was a class in behavioral neuroscience that got her neurons working overtime. “The class offered me the chance to explore an aspect of psychology that I had never considered …and UMass Amherst offered me the ability to pursue the biological aspect of psychology by completing my thesis in the neuroendocrine studies department.”
Lauren spent a semester in Sydney, Australia interning with the Medical Training Educational Council of New South Wales. “The research project enabled me to learn how the government addressed issues of inequality of medical coverage for those living in rural areas … Every student that is able to study abroad should do so because of the educational experiences and personal growth that can happen when you travel outside of your comfort zone,” she says.
Lauren graduated with a major in psychology and pre-medicine and in the fall will pursue a masters in clinical investigation at Massachusetts General Hospital Institute for Health Professions, allowing her to continue her passion for clinical research while preparing for the next goal: medical school.
Looking back, Lauren remembers arriving at UMass Amherst as a transfer student. “I have accomplished more here than I could have imagined,” she says. “I have had a great amount of support from my professors, advisors and supervisors in all aspects of my education. I can’t imagine having a better college experience at any other institution.”
For Andrew (“Drew”) Patriquin, two very different paths helped define his UMass Amherst experience. While studying abroad at the University of Brisbane in Australia, Drew took Aboriginal Knowledge which he called “probably the most eye-opening and life changing class I have ever taken.”
Back in Amherst, taking honors introduction to accounting was instrumental to his college career. While Drew always enjoyed the details of business, this course gave context to his interests. “It showed me I could be happy doing something like accounting.”
Drew tested his career plans as a summer intern with PriceWaterhouseCoopers – and everything added up when the firm offered him a full time job starting this fall.
Eleni-Nicole Ceven said “au revoir” to UMass Amherst with a degree in French and Francophone studies. Eleni originally planned a career in either international business or working for the United Nations. Taking classes like “Metaphor and Creativity,” Eleni explored topics including post-modernism, the sublime, and whether or not “jazz” can be defined. As she watched her own critical thinking skills develop, Eleni realized she wanted to use her French skills to teach others. She interned with Teach for America (TFA), and found that their educational mission intersected with her passion for social justice. Eleni will attend Johns Hopkins, earning her Master of Arts, while teaching high school French in Baltimore through TFA.
Melissa Anne Mathews also found her career path taking a different turn. As a pre-med student, she began to wonder if medical school would provide her with the opportunities and experiences she wanted. Following the advice of a friend, she enrolled in Nursing 100. “When I discovered what nursing could do for me, and what I could do with nursing, I knew I had found my passion…nurses are skilled masters of both their clinical and academic domains.” In nursing, Melissa can change her focus throughout her career – meeting her need for limitless opportunities.
She heads off to Crouse Hospital in Syracuse, New York as a graduate float nurse, training on the Medical, Surgical, Oncology/GYN, Cardiac, and Orthopedic floors. She says that “the quality of the faculty and educational experiences… and a desire to achieve my personal best at all times has prepared me for life after UMass Amherst.”
Brent LaPointe has always been interested in politics and law, and at UMass Amherst, he discovered business and economics. “I realized how many of the decisions made – not just in business, but in politics as well – are governed by financial information and how we interpret it.”
Brent graduated with a double major in accounting and information systems, and political science, with a minor in economics. He is in Washington, D.C. working as an auditor/analyst at the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). GAO is an investigative arm of Congress – an independent and nonpartisan agency that monitors how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars.
“I got interested in GAO’s work while using some reports on Social Security and Medicare for a research paper,” explains Brent. He applied for a summer internship with GAO and was accepted. “I had a great summer living and working in Washington, D.C. When they offered me a permanent position, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.”
John T. (“JT”) Saunders III graduated with a degree in legal studies and sociology from Commonwealth College and is headed to New York University to pursue a master’s in Urban Planning at the Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service.
JT planned to attend law school after graduation, but after spending last summer in Washington D.C. interning at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the Office of Community Services, he found himself drawn to the issues of economic development affecting urban areas.
His career plans include becoming director of a housing authority, and working on housing and community economic development projects. Eventually, he hopes to work for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
While he has not ruled out law school in the future, for now, JT will follow both his head and his heart: “UMass Amherst definitely prepared me for my future...I had a lot of freedom, which allowed me to explore many different things. I learned how to be independent, but most importantly, I learned a lot about myself.”