Disclaimer: The views expressed by our interviewees are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of GradSimple. We only edit these responses for clarity. All opinions remain those of the interviewee.
- Year Of Graduation: 2023
- College/University: Kentucky Wesleyan College
- Major: Zoology (minor in Psychology)
What do you do for a living? Can you share what a typical day at work looks like? Do you enjoy what you do?
I am currently a scholar in the NIH-funded University of Louisville Biomedical Integrative Opportunity for Mentored Experience Development Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program (UL-BIOMED-PREP). My typical day varies from week to week, as I am involved in research, graduate-level courses, meetings, etc. The bulk of my work is definitely research, as a major goal of NIH PREP programs is to help future Ph.D. students gain research experience. I have developed my own research project to test the consequences of artificial light at night on biological rhythms and fitness in Rhagoletis juglandis flies. I am currently finishing up lab work, analyzing data, working on a poster to present at the end of this month, and working on a manuscript that I hope to publish someday. I enjoy what I do, especially the research itself and the fact that I get to make my own schedule.
Can you tell me about your experience finding a job after graduation? Are you happy with where your journey has led you thus far?
I graduated in May 2023 and was completely unsure about my next steps. I have worked four very different jobs since then (including the role I am currently in). Two of them were short-term, circumstantial jobs that had nothing to do with my degree. However, even those roles taught me a lot about my values in a career. I loved both of those jobs because I loved my working environment/coworkers. My first “relevant” job after graduation was as a Seasonal Program Aide at Jefferson Memorial Forest. This role was in the field of environmental education, which I really enjoyed. However, I missed the intellectually stimulating environment of school and research, hence my return to a University setting. My journey has certainly been stressful at times, but I can now honestly say that it has been rich with opportunities to inform my future decisions regarding my education/career.
Why did you choose your undergrad major? Do you feel your time spent in college was valuable? Why or why not?
I chose my undergrad major simply because I have always loved animals. I think it was a great choice, because I genuinely enjoyed the majority of my classes and learned a lot. More importantly, I consider my college years crucial to my growth as a person. I was involved in many extracurriculars (track & field, campus ministries, etc.) and met a lot of incredible people. Therefore, even though sometimes it feels unfortunate that my degree hasn’t provided me with a clear path into a career, I still think that obtaining it was incredibly valuable.
If I asked you three years ago, what goals would you hope you’ve achieved, in life or career?
Three years ago puts me in the spring semester of my junior year of undergrad. At that time, I was applying for Marine Biology NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) and other internships around the country for the summer of 2022. I was accepted into an Education Internship with the Maria Mitchell Association in Nantucket, MA. At first, I was a little disappointed to not get an opportunity to gain research skills, because that is what I felt most drawn to at the time. However, my summer on Nantucket was incredible. Living on a tiny, beautiful island 30 miles out to sea felt like something from a movie! Further, this was the job that made me fall in love with environmental education – I absolutely loved exploring with kids and teaching them about science.
With all of that said, three years ago, prior to my time on Nantucket, I would have hoped I had been accepted into an REU that summer, loved it, and soon after began looking at Ph.D. programs. I would have hoped to be well into pursuit of a Ph.D. by now, probably in Marine Biology.
How important is it to have a purpose-driven life? Why or why not? Do you think you’re on a path to do that? If not, what needs to change?
It is very important for me to have a purpose-driven life. As a follower of Christ, I believe that my life’s purpose lines up with God’s will. Therefore, by working on my relationship with God, I believe that I can better discern His will, and this puts me on the right path. Still, I could always spend more time in reflection. I try to think a lot about my values, and how those point to not only a specific career, but also to a lifestyle beyond my career (family, volunteering, hobbies, etc.) that contributes towards fulfilling my purpose in life.
What’s your biggest struggle right now? What led to it? How are you moving forward?
My biggest struggle right now is feeling pulled in many directions by many different priorities/interests. I feel this in both my career aspirations and personal aspirations, and their overlap. I have felt like this for several years now, and I have never quite figured out how to handle it. I don’t necessarily think it’s a bad thing, but it can be hard to navigate.
For example, I don’t want to move away from home because of my family, partner, and pets. However, another part of me wishes I could move to the East Coast for a year or two. Another example is that I want to pursue my Ph.D. because I have received a great offer from my current institution, which would essentially allow me to move my postbaccalaureate project forward into my dissertation project. However, another part of me feels like there is something else that I could do for the next ~4 years of my life that would be more fulfilling. Additionally, I still feel very uncertain about career opportunities that are a good fit for me, with or without a Ph.D.
I am trying to remind myself that nothing is permanent, it’s okay to explore/focus on different things at different times of life, and I am exactly where I am supposed to be.
What interests/hobbies bring you the most happiness?
Currently, I am most happy when spending time with my family/pets, running, hiking, and traveling. Historically, I have been very happy when riding horses; I grew up competing in barrel racing, and I want to prioritize getting back into that as soon as possible. The horse that I competed on in my late teens/early twenties is actually, as I type this, in stage one labor! So, when that baby is old enough, I fully intend to train and compete with them, and possibly pursue the sport professionally (which is yet another thing, pulling me in yet another direction). Lastly, I am very happy when I am near the ocean–lying on the beach, swimming, surfing, snorkeling, etc.
What do you want to spend more time working on? What is stopping you?
I’m not sure there is anything I want to spend more time working on, per se, but there are things I would like to spend more time doing. A big priority in my life is helping people, so if I won’t be directly helping people in need while pursuing my Ph.D., I would like to spend more time volunteering in my community. Also, I would like to spend more time hiking and traveling. If I am going to continue living near home for the foreseeable future, I want to prioritize exploration! I feel “stopped” right now from doing these things because I feel very busy with work, training for a half marathon, caring for my dogs, never-ending household tasks, spending time with people I love, and resting. However, I think there is always room to rearrange priorities and manage time differently, and I intend to work on it in the coming months.
If we traveled three years into the future of your life, what do you want to achieve? What would you hope has changed?
In three years, I imagine that I will be approaching completion of my Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Louisville. I hope that I will feel more content and confident than I do right now. I struggle to envision this completely, but a few things that come to mind are: a strong relationship with God, healthy relationships with people (both professional and personal), academic success, high-quality research, funding for research, plentiful time spent doing things that bring me happiness, and a clearer idea of a suitable career path.
What’s the biggest lesson or piece of advice you wish you’d known earlier?
SLOW DOWN. You do not have to have everything figured out immediately following graduation. If you’re full of uncertainty and indecision, you’re not alone! Lean on other people, take your time, explore opportunities, and do what feels right for you. Also, nothing is permanent! You can literally get a terminal degree that takes 5+ years to earn, and you may end up working in a completely different field! That’s fine, and those five years are bursting at the seams with value that goes far beyond the degree Itself. Perhaps I need to take my own advice!
Connect With Jenna:
- LinkedIn: @JennaBurns
- Instagram: @Jennalburns
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