Liberal Arts Majors “Highly Prized” in Today’s World

May, 2004—Assumption College seniors anticipate a turning point in their lives with the rapid approach of their May 15, 2004 Commencement. Whether it will bring full-time employment, graduate school, or travel plans, the future is undoubtedly a demanding, but exciting place.

“Liberal arts majors who do well as undergraduates are highly prized in businesses as future leaders and managers and they are greatly appreciated for their ability to adapt to new technology and changing business situations,” said David Kowalczyk , co-director of Career Services at Assumption College. Kowalczyk also determined that despite recent speculation, Massachusetts’ hiring is up in human services, education, and accounting, as well as the loan and investment industries.

In addition to Kowalczyk’s observations, a survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) found that employers expect to hire 12.7% more college graduates in 2003-2004 than they did in the previous year. Similarly, NACE found that “salaries for entry-level employment were up, especially in the fields of computer science, information sciences and systems, and management information systems” (Daily Trojan).

Assumption College’s Career Services lends a hand in the process by sponsoring on-campus recruiting, resume workshops, and career fairs to assist students in their job searches. According to Kowalczyk, “employers are looking for students who have a proven academic track record, high achievement, high grade point averages, and leadership skills demonstrated by participation in student government, community service, athletics, and internship activities.”

Many of Assumption’s students have their future plans well underway, either through job search activities or in pursuit of graduate school. A number of these students are already finding their own entryways to success. Scott Allen, a senior Accounting major with a German Studies minor, found such success in the fall of 2003 when he accepted a position with PriceWaterhouseCoopers in Boston. His minor will not go forgotten either, as he plans to continue his education in German at the Goethe Institut in Boston, which may lead him to PriceWaterhouseCoopers’ Germany office in the future. Allen recognized Assumption’s role in his accomplishments, saying, “I’ve been so fortunate to arrive where I am because of the tremendous help and mentoring I received from Assumption faculty and staff.”

Michelle Hart, a senior with a major in Marketing and a minor in Spanish, accepted a job with Pyramid Management Group, Inc., a position she found through Assumption’s career fair in November. “I took the job because it offered me a chance to work in a friendly atmosphere while making use of some of my skills and at the same time developing others,” she said.

Rob Surawski, a senior Biology major with Chemistry and Community Service Learning minors, anticipates a year of research in Washington, D.C. at the National Institute of Health before applying to medical school. He is considering a career in either pediatrics or primary care. “I like having that personal interaction and the ability to communicate more with the patient,” he said.

Marie Rawston, a senior Management major with a Spanish minor, recently began part-time work for National Development, a commercial development company that is now expanding into the residential business. National Development hired Rawston to lease apartments here in Worcester. “I took [the job] because they seemed like a very down-to-earth company with lots of advancement possible,” she said.

For those moving directly to graduate school, Kowalczyk believes they are making a wise choice. Sister Ellen Guerin, R.S.M., dean of studies at Assumption, has also noticed a substantial number of students making the decision to further their education, which she believes is “critical” to career advancement.

Katherine Szulborski, a Psychology major, is pursuing graduate school at Assumption. She will enroll this fall in its graduate school program in Counseling Psychology, concentrating in the areas of family and child psychology. “I decided to apply to graduate school because I want to eventually become a child psychologist and in order to do this, I have to have my master’s degree,” she said. Other students will be taking advantage of Assumption’s Six-in-Five program, which offers a BA/MA degree in Social Rehabilitation Counseling , a fifth-year option for a Master’s degree in Special Education, and a BA/MBA option for Accounting majors looking to satisfy the requirements for the Uniform CPA Examination.

Not all Assumption students are taking the traditional paths, however. Alison James, a senior English major with minors in Education and Psychology, will be leaving in November for Australia to work for four months through BUNAC, a program that aids students in finding work abroad. “I’m probably going to work at a restaurant or bar, and then for three months I am going to travel around to New Zealand and Thailand and around Australia,” James said. It will not be all leisure, however, as James plans to apply for graduate school while she is away, where she hopes to pursue teaching or counseling.

Clearly, Assumption students have a wide range of future plans and aspirations, making use of their valued liberal arts education. Although the future is unknown, Kowalczyk predicted, “Personally, I believe that we’re at the beginning of an upturn. This has been a longer, more difficult period but those students who get jobs in this job market will be the survivors and the leaders for the years to come.” It seems that Assumption will hold responsibility for many such leaders.