Alezandra Guillen ’16
Where are you currently living? Currently, I am living in the Bronx. I am originally from Syracuse and decided to move to NYC my senior year based on advice from people in my network, experiences gained from the Immersion Week, an internship with the New York State Assembly, and because I made some great friends while attending SU that were from the NYC area.
What are you currently doing with your degree? I graduated with a double major in International Relations and Political Science. Currently, I work at the Bronx County District Attorney's Office as a Trial Preparation Assistant. In addition to working full time, I decided to go back to school. Last fall, I began the International Crime and Justice M.A. program at John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY). This program pairs well with my undergraduate degree and my career goal of working for the federal government, in an intelligence or investigative capacity (DEA Intelligence Research Specialist is the dream job).
How did participating in Immersion Week impact your career path? Participating in Immersion Week was very enlightening. It was amazing to see how the alumni ended up where they were and to learn about their journeys. One thing that I found most interesting is how marketable a degree from Syracuse University truly is, and how my areas of study could be applied in all sectors -- public, private, and non-profit. My first job out of college was with CBS, as a Sales Coordinator. Had I not learned how transferrable my skills and academic background could be, I would have never thought to apply to jobs within the private sector, especially not with such a big company. Most alumni mentioned how they ended up in places they never expected, and I can agree with that.
Any advice for potential Immersion Week participants/future SU graduates? We all have plans, but sometimes the path from point A to point B is not the first, second, or even third choice, and that is perfectly okay. Ask a million questions, about yourself and about others. I always tell people that I learn the most about myself by learning about others. I examine the experiences of others and try to imagine myself going through those experiences in order to understand whether I would be willing to do it. For example, many people want to be something like a doctor, lawyer, or a cop. Many of them don't realize that after a doctor is done being a doctor, they must do paperwork. Not too many people enjoy doing paperwork, but whether the rest of your job duties are important to you will determine on if all that paperwork is worth it to you. For some, they might decide to change professions so that they don't have to do as much paperwork. With all of that being said, take this opportunity as a learning experience at the professional and personal level.