As graduating members of the class of 2010 grab their diplomas, toss their caps and finally take a prideful stroll underneath the clock tower in front of the Goergen Athletic Center, they should be prepared to answer the most recurring question for any undergraduate: What’s next? After four years of eating Danforth Dining Center delicacies and spending long nights in the stacks, it is time for the class of 2010 to dive into the world outside of UR.
For some students, the next step may be to pursue or prepare for graduate school. But UR has also been known to breed unique individuals. Ethan Green, Samantha Ruiz, Sam Fishman and Sara Dubois are only but a handful of graduating seniors who have something unique lined up for their post-graduation plans:
Sara Dubois is a graduating anthropology and Russian major. After a tedious Fulbright Scholarship application process that started last spring, Dubois will reap the benefits of her patience when she serves as an English Teacher Assistant at an assigned university in Russia.
Dubois’ Russian Professor Laura Givens encouraged her to apply for the position last year. Now Dubois will finally be able to utilize her four years of knowledge to teach English in Russia and create a research project.
‘I want to put all of my language skills and knowledge about Russian history, literature, culture and politics that I have built [over] the last four years at UR to the test,” Dubois said. ‘I’m also excited to have dialogue with Russians about the U.S. both inside and outside of the classroom. I think we can all learn a lot from each other.”
Samantha Ruiz is a graduating Kauffman Entrepreneurial Year Program participant and a chemical engineering major. In June, Ruiz will be set to endure a long flight to China, where she will be enrolling into a Mandarin course for six weeks. Ruiz, whose KEY project was to develop an environmental consulting firm, sees her trip to China as being interconnected with her KEY Program.
‘I feel like I’ve been called to start a business that will transform the world,” Ruiz said. ‘I’m not entirely sure what it will be but I know it will involve green engineering and the developing world. This desire has only gotten stronger through my KEY program.”
Sam Fishman is a graduating music major. After finishing four years of drumming with numerous bands and rocking out for a group of students and faculty with Disney tunes for his senior recital, Fishman will be doing the same thing outside of UR. Upon graduating, he will be teaching drumming lessons at his studio in New Jersey to drummers of all ages. He will also be trying out for the Scott DeCarlo Band.
‘Sure, [UR] has top notch programs, but that doesn’t mean shit if you don’t put your heart and soul into everything you work for,” Fishman said. ‘If I could do it all again, I would spend more time following my passion for music and chasing girls than sitting in the library studying for some silly exam.”
He plans on returning to school to pursue a master of arts in jazz performance at William Paterson University.
Ethan Green is a graduating religion and international relations major. Green will be making a drastic climate change when he leaves Rochester and flies down to the Pelican State as an AmeriCorps employee. From helping children in Malawi to serving the Rochester community, Louisiana shouldn’t be too much to handle for the overachieving Green.
But before Green, Fishman, Ruiz, Dubois or any other graduating senior can dive headfirst into the outside world, they will have to walk the line. From there, the sky is the limit.
Nathaniel is a member of the class of 2011.
