In light of graduation season, we asked Badgers to share what their first post-graduation job was.
Editorial assistant in New York. After a few years, I changed direction and went to law school.
Bette Bardeen
Nutrition label testing
Pam Foy-Gilmore
Assistant professor
Toni Culjak
Physical therapist — loved my profession!
Mary Sweeney
Teaching second grade
Jacqueline Hirsch
Right after earning my master's degree from the ed psych department, I got my first job as a school psychologist in the Sauk Prairie School District.
Rene Hallen
OB nurse at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Milwaukee — first six months postpartum, then went to labor and delivery
Sue Voss Mours
Radio reporter/anchor, WIBA AM and FM
Karen Litscher Johnson
I served in AmeriCorps for the two years after I graduated from the UW, working in a literacy program at a high school outside of Portland, Oregon. And after going back for a year at another university for my MAT degree, my first real job after college (not "volunteer") was as a high school English teacher.
Megan Brown
RN at Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee
Gail Golembiewski Ryan
AmeriCorps after a BA in history, 2007
Amy Erickson
Internal Revenue Service
Kim Schmit
A registered nurse at Mayo Clinic in Rochester!
Emily Vore
Graduated with a botany bachelor's and then worked in an independent kitchen store. I’ve now owned my own independent kitchen store for 19 years! You never know how that degree will be used!
Bekah Stelling
Premanagement trainee at Oscar Mayer Foods Corporation
Pamela Filler
I worked as a quality control microbiologist at a company called Gibco. It was a great experience.
Ken Hagen
My degree from UW–Madison was in math education, and my first job was as a math teacher. Success!
Mary Catherine Durst Giffin
Nine days after commencement in May 1990, I started as a process chemist at the Upjohn Company in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Lori Hoffman
I was an RN at Highland Park Hospital in Illinois. After two years, I returned to Madison and worked as an RN at UW Hospital and Clinics for 36 years.
Sue Jaeger Benck
After getting my master's degree at UW–Madison, combined with completing the two-year pharmacy administrative residency program at University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, I took the position of assistant director of pharmacy services at University Hospitals of Cleveland, Ohio.
James Jim Rinehart
2nd Lt., U.S. Army Armor.
Bob Lawrence
Organic chemist — the start of my career as a food-and-drug regulatory attorney. It’s all about the means to your ultimate goal.
Mike Goodman
Quality assurance at Schoep's Ice Cream
Hannah Parkhurst
Americorps program in Baltimore at a job-training program for CNAs and pharm techs. I never even visited the city but packed up two boxes of clothes, shipped them out, and got on a plane to move on out!
Stephanie Hook
Zoology degree then off to Indianapolis Zoo to be a keeper in the forests and deserts biome.
Kirsten C Theisen
Working for Cheap Trick's manager in Madison — he drove a Ferrari and his office just off State Street had gold records on the walls. Classic. Leading the music and entertainment committee that booked all the bands in the Rathskeller and on the Terrace for my senior year was instrumental in getting that gig. Thanks WUD!
Alex Hofmann
I was a carpenter’s helper in Stoughton, Wisconsin, after graduating. Went on to be a press secretary for a member of congress in the U. S. House of Representatives. Finished my career in marketing communications.
James Reck
Script supervisor in the Israeli film industry. Actually started that quote way before graduation.
Esty Dinur
See more responses in the Facebook post here!
If you have a memory, milestone, career news, etc. please share with us here!
