11 Sooners Who Are Killing the Post Grad Game

After graduation, Anna Marie is traveling abroad before starting her Ph. D. program in cellular & molecular pathology at UW-Madison. "I’m most excited about beginning my research at UW-Madison. One of my rotations is with a group studying Listeria Infection in first Trimester Pregnancy and how to prevent fetus fatality. It’s a very relevant and important study because the amount of lives that could potentially be saved is surprising.”

The fourth sibling to attend OU in a family of engineers, Jose Velazquez is on his way to a career in mechanical engineering. "OU has given me the confidence and tools necessary to reach my goals and even surpass my expectations."

Once Ali finishes up her finals, she is headed to straight to NYC for a business reporting internship at the Wall Street Journal. "I’ll work for the Journal’s real-time desk and cover breaking financial news, focusing on the stock market and different companies. I will work at WSJ for 10 weeks before starting a two-year fellowship with the Hearst Company. During the Hearst Fellowship, I will spend each year at a different top metro newspaper and work as a multimedia journalist, while receiving mentorship from accomplished reporters."

Once Maggie tosses her cap in the air, she'll have to choose which Law School to attend. She has offers from several Top 14 schools on the East Coast. "I would not be on this path without OU–so many of OU's faculty and staff have mentored and encouraged me as I worked towards law school. From critiquing my resumé to giving me sound advice, there are so many members of the OU community that have worked on my behalf. I will forever be grateful to have attended a University where I found not only friends, but also advocates that wanted to do whatever they could to help me accomplish my dreams.”

Christine's post-grad plans are out of this world. Literally. "I will be headed to Kennedy Space Center in Florida as an Astronaut Foundation Scholar to present a part of my collegiate research to professionals, astronauts, Astronaut Foundation board members, and other Astronaut Foundation Scholars. The remainder of my summer will be spent at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL continuing two separate research projects that I have been involved with over the last year. Starting in August, I will begin the Master's program in Aerospace Engineering at Texas A&M as a Diversity Fellowship recipient.

After Mirazul finishes school, he's going to take some time off to travel and then begin his career with Hilti Corporation in Tulsa. "Hilti specializes in manufacturing and selling the best industrial tools to larger construction companies, along with giving their employees the ability to grow and become successful. My time at OU has molded me into the person I am today and has prepared me well for post-graduate life, both academically and socially. Not only did I learn in the classroom but my experiences through organizations like CAC taught me more about myself and leadership than I could have ever imagined."

After graduation, Jordan will continue her education at OU, pursuing a master's in Adult and Higher Education with an emphasis on Student Affairs. She will also serve as a graduate assistant for University College. "I am most excited about being able to learn all about Student Affairs here at the University of Oklahoma through a different lens than when I was an undergrad. Ever since the end of my first year here at OU, I have said that I want to be a Student Affairs professional at this amazing university, and so to now be starting that long-awaited journey is so exciting. Graduating from the University of Oklahoma is a dream of mine. I could not have made this dream a reality by myself, and so I am forever grateful for my entire support system throughout this journey."

The end of Mary Kathryn's semester also marks the start of more exciting education, as she will begin taking classes for the Occupational Therapy program at OUHSC in Oklahoma City. "I have known I wanted to work in OT since I was very young, so this is the final step to achieving my lifelong goals. OU's program is very competitive and I'm honored to be a part of it. OU is filled with opportunity, but I think the most definitive thing about it is the people. I've met so many kind and genuine people who want to make OU a better place. Those people have directly and indirectly influenced me to be a better person."

After Emma graduates, she will be taking her talents to our nation's capital to attend George Washington University law school. "OU helped equip me for this path by challenging me in the classroom. I’ve had many professors that have helped me develop my writing skills. Moving to D.C. is probably the thing I’m most excited and also most scared about! The city offers so many opportunities for someone interested in government like me!"

Jonathan will only get busier once his finals end, as this summer he will be getting married, interning at advertising agency Saxum and preparing to start law school at OU. "While at OU I was given the opportunity to meet people who could help me to my career path. I served as a campus tour guide where I met prestigious alumni and worked closely with campus officials. My OU education also gave me the knowledge, speaking ability, and context to form my own opinions about the world and articulate my thoughts to these individuals."

Claire is going to attend medical school at OSU once she graduates, but before that, she is going to visit Italy with 15 members of her family and see the place where her grandmother grew up. "I would attribute almost all of the experiences and opportunities I have had here to equipping me for this next journey. From my job as a tour guide to the different campus involvement opportunities to some of the more challenging classes I have taken, I would say that all of these experiences which I thought were small added up into the big picture that has made up my time here at OU."