What can an internship reveal about the kind of work you want to do?

For Madison Vrba ’27, a summer with the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Johns Hopkins offered the chance to experience both sides of academic medicine. Madison spent her mornings observing clinical care and her afternoons contributing to a research project focused on maternal RSV vaccination, gaining a firsthand look at how research can shape patient care.

Madison received funding through the CCPD to help make the internship possible. Here’s Madison on how the experience strengthened her interest in women’s health and helped clarify the kind of physician she hopes to become:

“This summer, I had the opportunity to intern at Johns Hopkins, where I worked within the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine on a quality improvement project focused on maternal RSV vaccination. The experience provided me with the opportunity to see how research, clinical care, and patient education come together to improve outcomes for mothers and their babies. 

Throughout the internship, my mornings were dedicated to clinical work, where I observed ultrasounds, patient consultations, deliveries, and the nuanced decision‑making that defines high‑risk obstetrics. Being in the room as providers balanced science, empathy, and communication gave me a deeper understanding of what patient‑centered care truly looks like. In the afternoons, I shifted into the research component; analyzing patient characteristics, interpreting results, and contributing to a project with real implications for patient care. This dual structure allowed me to see how academic medicine functions as a continuous loop of questions arising from patient care, which fuels research, and research ultimately shapes better outcomes. 

One of my biggest takeaways from this experience was realizing how much I enjoy the intersection of research and patient care. I entered the summer interested in pursuing medicine, particularly women’s health, but my time at Johns Hopkins strengthened my interest in obstetrics and gynecology and maternal-fetal medicine. More importantly, I learned that I want a career where I can not only care for individual patients but also contribute to research and improvements that can benefit larger populations. 

Receiving a stipend through this opportunity was incredibly meaningful because it made it possible for me to fully participate in an internship away from home without the same financial barriers. I am grateful to the CCPD for supporting me throughout the internship process. My summer at Johns Hopkins challenged me, expanded my skills, and gave me a clearer vision for the physician I aspire to become.” Madison Vrba ’27

The Kalamazoo College Employer Connection Fair is coming up next week, with employers from across the Kalamazoo area and beyond coming to campus to meet K students. You don’t need to be actively looking for a job or internship to attend. The Fair is a chance to explore career paths, learn about organizations you may not know, ask professionals what their work actually looks like, and start making connections.

Students of every major and every class year are encouraged to attend.

This year’s employers represent a wide range of fields and career possibilities, including:

• Bronson Healthcare, Corewell Health, and Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine for students interested in health care, research, education, and academic medicine
• Eurofins, Kalsec, and Northern Bio for students interested in science, research, biotechnology, and related fields
• City of Kalamazoo for students curious about government, public service, communications, planning, community development, and other municipal careers
• City Year, Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo, and The Kalamazoo Promise for students interested in education, youth development, nonprofits, and community-based work
• OutFront Kalamazoo and Prevention Works for students interested in advocacy, public health, nonprofits, and community engagement
• Consumers Credit Union and Zhang Financial for students interested in finance, business, client services, and related careers
• Greenleaf Hospitality Group for opportunities spanning hospitality, events, marketing, operations, business, and guest experience
• Residential Opportunities Inc./The Great Lakes Center for Autism Treatment and Research for students interested in psychology, behavioral health, social services, and human services
• Depatie Fluid Power Company for students interested in business, engineering, operations, sales, and technical careers

Kalamazoo College Employer Connection Fair
Wednesday, September 30 (Week 3)
3 to 5 p.m.
Dewing Commons

If you want to feel more prepared before the Fair, stop by the Career Studio during drop in hours in Dewing 102 for personalized feedback on your resume, help preparing questions for employers, and support with anything related to career exploration.

Career Studio Drop In Hours
Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Wednesday and Thursday evenings, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The Career Studio is open again this fall! Drop by starting today with your “Life After K” questions, no appointment needed.

Students describe it as “such a nice, friendly place,” somewhere they’ve “gotten so much out of” and left with “all of their questions answered, plus questions they didn’t even know they had.” Need your resume looked over? Prepping for an interview? Not sure where to even start on an internship search? Come find a Career Advisor.

Dewing 102:

• Monday–Friday, 11 am–2 pm
• Wednesday and Thursday evenings, 5–7 pm

Open Weeks 2–10, closed on College holidays and breaks. Drop in as often as you like. Even ten minutes can leave you with a next step!

 
What happens when an internship teaches you something you weren’t expecting to learn?

For Alex Fleming ’27, a summer internship with ScholarRoam offered hands-on experience in marketing, design, outreach, and the day-to-day work of a growing startup. Along the way, Alex also learned something about the kind of work environment, leader, and entrepreneur he hopes to become.

Alex received funding through the CCPD to help make the internship possible. Here’s his take on what he learned from his summer with ScholarRoam:

“When I began my internship with ScholarRoam, I thought I knew what I wanted to learn. I expected to spend the summer developing my marketing skills, creating content, and seeing how a startup grows. I did all of those things, but looking back, the lessons that will stay with me most have much less to do with marketing. 

ScholarRoam is a startup focused on improving the study abroad experience for students. Throughout my internship, I worked on social media campaigns, branding and digital design, App Store launch materials, university outreach, and other projects aimed at helping the company grow. Working in a startup meant that my responsibilities often stretched beyond one role. I was trusted to make decisions, contribute ideas, collaborate with others, and figure things out without always having a step-by-step answer. 

That freedom taught me a lot about myself. I learned that I do my best work when I can be creative, but also that creativity needs organization and consistency to become something meaningful. I discovered how much I value collaboration and how working alongside people I genuinely connect with makes me better at what I do. 

Most importantly, ScholarRoam changed the way I think about success. I once associated entrepreneurship with constantly working more, moving faster, and sacrificing other areas of my life to build something. This summer showed me another way. I learned that meaningful progress can come from patience and consistency, and that taking time to genuinely connect with people is not separate from good leadership. It is part of it. 

I still hope to build a company of my own one day. Now, I have a clearer picture of the kind of company I would want to build: one that is ambitious without losing patience, creative without losing structure, and productive without losing sight of people. 

I came to ScholarRoam wanting to learn how to help build a company. I’m leaving with a better understanding of the kind of company, and leader, I someday hope to become.” – Alex Fleming ’27

The CCPD’s 2025–26 Impact Report is now available, highlighting a year of new programs, growing partnerships, and more ways for students to explore what might come after K. This was the first year of our three-year strategic plan, focused on building a career ecosystem at Kalamazoo College. That meant working with people across campus and beyond to make career development part of more of the places where students already learn and spend their time.

Over the past year, more than 300 first-year students participated in Crafting Your Why, more than 390 student-athletes took part in career programming, and 34 students explored careers through K in the Zoo job shadows. More than 180 alumni connected directly with students through classes, panels, networking events, career conversations, job shadows, and other programs.

A lot of that work happened because people said yes to partnering with us. Forty-two faculty and staff partners representing 19 academic departments and offices worked with the CCPD this year, alongside alumni, employers, community partners, and student leaders.

Take a look at the full 2025–26 CCPD Impact Report: Building the Ecosystem to see more of what happened this year and the people who helped make it possible.

What can a summer internship tell you about a career you’re considering?

For Asha Dawson ’27, a summer at the American Academy in Rome offered the chance to find out. Working with historic collections, Asha gained hands-on experience with digitization and cataloguing while exploring a possible future in museum or gallery work.

Asha recieved funding through the CCPD to help make the summer internship experience possible. Here’s Asha on what they did and learned at the American Academy in Rome:

“This summer, I participated in an internship at the American Academy in Rome’s Photographic Archive. I had been offered this position while on study abroad last fall, and I thought it would be a great way to become acquainted with the kinds of archiving and cataloging work involved in museums and galleries. The Photographic Archive holds many collections focused on archaeology, architecture, art, and gardens, alongside special collections that document the institution’s history. The American Academy in Rome was initially founded in 1894 as the American School of Classical Studies in Rome, and has become a leading American overseas center for independent studies and advanced research in the fine arts and humanities. I was supervised by the curator of the Photographic Archive.

During the internship, I worked on the Czarnowski Photo Collection, which consists primarily of photographs documenting ancient Greek and Roman theaters, odeons, amphitheaters, and stadiums, taken throughout Italy and the Mediterranean region between the 1950s and 1970s. I assisted in identifying the subjects depicted in his photographs, as well as organizing and reorganizing the items. I then carried out the digitization of photographic materials in a variety of formats, including prints, negatives, and slides, following the standards and technical procedures established by the institution.

My contributions will eventually help to make the collection accessible online in high resolution. I also worked on revising the catalogue for the Pinto Collection, documenting Renaissance and Baroque churches in Rome. Through this process, I became familiar with the Academy’s library’s cataloguing system and bibliographic format to review and improve the collection’s records. This internship gave me a renewed interest in archival work, and confirmed my interest in possibly working within a museum or gallery archive in the future. I also learned a multitude of new skills relating to digitizing and cataloguing materials.” – Asha Dawson ’27

Photograph in order from left: Emiliano (Archaeologist at the Photographic Archive), Eleanor (fellow intern), Lavinia Ciuffa (Curator of the Photographic Archive), Asha Dawson.  

Insights from the National Alumni Career Mobility Survey 

Understanding the Long-Term Value of a Kalamazoo College Education 

Every year, Kalamazoo College tracks the first destinations of its graduates: where they work, attend graduate school, or pursue other opportunities immediately after commencement. While these data are valuable, they tell only part of the story. 

To better understand the long-term impact of a K education, Kalamazoo College partnered with Lightcast to administer the National Alumni Career Mobility (NACM) Survey in Fall 2024. More than 2,170 alumni representing graduating classes from 1955–2024 participated, providing one of the most comprehensive pictures we’ve ever had of the lives and careers of Kalamazoo graduates.  

A Closer Look at Recent Alumni 

While the NACM Survey includes responses from alumni who graduated between 1955 and 2024, this page highlights graduates from 2014–2019. These graduates are far enough beyond graduation to have established careers, completed graduate education, and reflected on the long-term value of their Kalamazoo experience, while still being close enough to today’s students that their experiences reflect the current K-Plan and today’s workforce.  

Alumni Build Meaningful Careers

Five to ten years after graduation, Kalamazoo alumni report strong career outcomes.  

• 86% say their work is meaningful.  

• 84% report using skills developed through their Kalamazoo education in their current positions.  

• 89% say their work continues to provide opportunities to learn and grow.  

• 85% report being satisfied with their careers.  

These findings suggest that a K education prepares graduates for careers that continue to evolve over time.

Liberal Arts Skills Continue to Matter 

The survey also asked alumni to reflect on the skills they developed while at Kalamazoo College. Among graduates from 2014–2019: 

• 97% say their education strengthened their critical thinking.  

• 94% report stronger communication skills.  

• 86% developed adaptability.  

• 83% strengthened teamwork skills.  

These findings closely mirror the skills employers consistently identify as essential for today’s workforce and reinforce the enduring value of a liberal arts education in preparing graduates with durable human skills for a rapidly changing world of work. 

Experiences Shape Careers 

The experiences students have while at Kalamazoo continue to shape their careers years after graduation. Among 2014–2019 graduates: 

• 90% participated in at least one high-impact educational experience, including internships, study abroad, undergraduate research, or service learning.  

• 70% studied abroad.  

• 68% completed an internship or related experience.  

• 43% earned an additional degree after graduating from Kalamazoo College.  

Faculty Matter 

One of the strongest themes emerging from the survey is the important role faculty play in students’ career development. Among alumni who graduated between 2014 and 2019: 

• 80% reported receiving career advice from a faculty member.  

• 87% said that advice was helpful.  

• 51% identified a faculty member as the institutional person who helped them most with their career. 

Learning from Our Alumni 

One of the goals of participating in the NACM Survey was to learn from our alumni. Their experiences help us better understand what prepares graduates for meaningful work, continued growth, and lifelong career development. Those insights continue to shape the CCPD’s work as we collaborate with faculty, staff, alumni, and employers to strengthen career-connected learning across the Kalamazoo experience. 

During winter term, Dr. Seong-Hee Kim welcomed four business alumni to her Personal Finance class for a panel discussion moderated by CCPD Assistant Director Richard Sylvester about early career experiences and life after graduation.  

Although their careers took different directions, each alum emphasized that early professional life is often shaped more by curiosity and adaptability than by a fixed plan. Clay Weissenborn ’15 described finding his way into financial due diligence, a role he likened to “a home inspection for a business,” while Colleen Leonard ’12 reflected on how pursuing an MBA and serving as a coach helped clarify her interests over time. Alex White ’18 underscored the importance of relationships in wealth advising, reminding students that “the world is relationships, not just analytical portfolios.” Dana Wagner ’10, now Director of Marketing and Communications at Discover Kalamazoo, shared how entering the workforce without a job lined up pushed her to build opportunities through initiative, networking and openness to learning. 

When the discussion turned to life immediately after graduation, the alumni acknowledged that the transition can feel both freeing and unsettling. Colleen spoke about learning to navigate new independence alongside uncertainty, while Clay encouraged students to think about motivation once grades are no longer part of daily life. Dana recalled the challenge of managing her own time and expectations, saying, “I had to learn to create my own deadlines.” Echoing these reflections, Alex emphasized the value of relationships and mentorship as anchors during the early stages of a career. 

The event highlighted the value of community, reflection and the kind of learning that continues long after graduation. The alumni closed by encouraging students to enjoy their time at K, take pressure off themselves and trust that their paths will take shape with experience. 

“Working at the Center for Career and Professional Development has been more than just a job, it’s been a meaningful journey of growth. When I first stepped into the role of a career advisor, I expected to help students polish resumes, prepare for interviews, and explore career paths. While those are certainly part of the job, what I didn’t anticipate was how deeply meaningful even the simplest conversations could be. Over time, I found a genuine passion for helping others make their dreams feel possible. Often, it doesn’t start with a perfectly structured plan or a clear end goal. Instead, it begins with small, honest conversations like talking through interests, reflecting on past experiences, and asking questions that spark curiosity. Watching someone connect the dots between what they enjoy and what they could pursue is incredibly rewarding and it’s in those moments that I realize the true impact of this work. At the same time, this experience has shaped me just as much as it has helped others. I’ve grown significantly in my own professionalism by learning how to adapt to different situations, listening with intention, and realizing what I value for my future. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: helping others find their path has a way of helping you find your own.” 

-Grace Westerhuis ’25 

Interested in doing this kind of work yourself? The Career Advisor role is a chance to grow your skills, have real conversations with peers, and be part of a supportive team. Applications are open now and due April 25.