{"id":1965,"date":"2026-05-07T14:17:17","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T19:17:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/after-macalester\/?page_id=1965"},"modified":"2026-05-07T21:09:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T02:09:21","slug":"alumni-pathways","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/after-macalester\/alumni-pathways\/","title":{"rendered":"Alumni Pathways"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
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\n
\n
\n \"Students\n <\/div>\n
\n \"Students\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n
\u201cTell me, what it is you plan to do
\r\nwith your one wild and precious life?\u201d<\/blockquote>\n Mary Oliver*<\/cite>\n \"\"\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

We interviewed dozens of alums to bring you their stories. At the heart of what they all said was this: a Macalester education prepares you not just for the goals you have, but also for the pathways you never knew existed until you found yourself upon them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The places Mac graduates land are impressive: on U.S. senator\u2019s staffs and the boards of international aid organizations; as art therapists, entrepreneurial CEOs, head coaches, and cancer researchers. They safeguard human rights and sustainable farming, write popular music and television shows, work in public health, finance, museum education, and legal aid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their journeys are full of opportunities made and seized, of curveballs and moments of self-discovery. Their stories make clear that Macalester cultivates well-roundedness. And that a liberal arts education at Mac doesn\u2019t stop at the classroom door, but teaches students how to use their knowledge, skills, talents, and passions as the foundation for a life well-lived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The stories below are organized in chronological order, starting with the most recent graduates, to create a browsable timeline that moves from first jobs through promotions and career changes. Each story is a snapshot of how pivotal college experiences shaped a student\u2019s future, sometimes in surprising ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our alums say that one of the best things at Macalester is the people\u2014dedicated professors, supportive community, and lifelong friends. As you read their stories, we hope you\u2019ll be inspired to imagine how your own pathway might start here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alumni Profiles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
Class of 2020-2025<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Class of 2010-2019<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Class of 2000-2009<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Class of 2020-2025<\/h2>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n
\n \n \"Macalester\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Chlo\u00eb Moore \u201924\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

First Job, Public Policy, Storytelling, Government<\/i>

\r\n\u201cIf you want to do the higher-level stuff, you have to do the entry-level stuff; if you want to make decisions about people lives, you have to talk to people first.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Chlo\u00eb’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"A\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Angela Nguyen \u201922\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

First Job, Public Policy, International Org, QuestBridge<\/i>

\r\n\u201cMac allows so much freedom to explore so many different avenues; you should not silo yourself off but instead take every incredible opportunity to learn from different departments.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Angela’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Julia\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Julia Ricks \u201922\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

First Job, Teaching, Museums, Science Education, FYC<\/i>

\r\n“My First-Year Course (Dynamic Earth and Global Change) was pivotal. I had no idea that this could even be a job. Then fieldwork turned out to be my favorite part of science, and I kept registering for classes that got me here.”<\/p>\n \n

\n Julia’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Abby\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Abby (Gore) Farber \u201921\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

First Job, Faith-Based Career, Community, Work-Study<\/i>

\r\n“It\u2019s important to know that student employment can be meaningful work: a lot of interesting things happen on campus that you wouldn\u2019t necessarily know about, but that you can become involved in.”<\/p>\n \n

\n Abby’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Jennings\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Jennings Mergenthal \u201921\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

First Job, Museums, Activism, Science Education<\/i>

\r\n“Being at Mac and doing student activism prepared me to see how institutions work, how to manage projects independently, and how to synthesize the results in a way that an institution could hear.”<\/p>\n \n

\n Jennings’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Jennifer\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Jennifer Arnold \u201920\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Women in Tech, Humanities & STEM, Internships, First-Gen<\/i>

\r\n\u201cAt Mac, your field of interest doesn\u2019t have to be the core thing that connects you to people. I had friends in departments all over campus because our background, values, and love for social justice and giving back to the community brought us together\u2014and we are still connected five years later.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Jennifer’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Franki\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Franki Gillis \u201920\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

First Job, Humanities & STEM, Research, Study Away<\/i>

\r\n\u201cArchaeology is very much a mix between the humanities and sciences, which I think is really nice. The variety of classes at Mac made so many things possible for me.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Franki’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Class of 2010-2019<\/h2>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n
\n \n \"Miriam\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Miriam Moore-Keish \u201919\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Writing, Publishing, Networking<\/i>

\r\n\u201cPublishing is a lot of math. The research methods classes I took were critical for the everyday work I do, looking at sales data and conducting cost-benefit analysis.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Miriam’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Zeena\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Zeena Fuleihan \u201918\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Publishing, Teaching, Higher Ed, Internships<\/i>

\r\n\u201cSo much of my experience at Mac was student-driven: we are lucky here that undergraduates have the responsibility and freedom to take leadership roles in ways that are just not possible at big schools.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Zeena’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Mara\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Mara Steinitz \u201918\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Writing, Marketing, Networking, Curiosity<\/i>

\r\n\u201cIf you only exist in a bubble, you miss opportunities to learn things. I panicked that I was selling out, as it were, when I first took this [corporate] job. But Mac taught me to look at multiple sides of an issue and question my assumptions, and it\u2019s been so worthwhile to be here filing new things away in my brain every single day.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Mara’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Maya\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Maya Benedict \u201917\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Government, Writing, Internships, Curiosity<\/i>

\r\n\u201cI can look back and see that all of my experiences and choices led to where I am\u2014and also that I could be in a different place a few years from now. What\u2019s important is that I learned how to think and how to learn at Mac, and that\u2019s serving me well as I take different paths.”<\/p>\n \n

\n Maya’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Ava\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Ava Bindas \u201917\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Writing, Humanities & STEM, Mentors, First-Gen<\/i>

\r\n\u201cI never felt like I was making \u2018right\u2019 decisions. I made the decisions I wanted to make, but they felt scary or precarious in some way. But now that I\u2019m surrounded by economists and people in STEM, I realize that nobody can predict what\u2019s next. And that\u2019s the beauty of it.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Ava’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Kate\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Kate D. Gallagher \u201916\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Higher Ed, Curiosity, Community, Work-Study<\/i>

\r\n\u201cI hope Mac can sustain learning for the sake of learning. A job is just a job, and it can be what provides for whatever the center of your life really is.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Kate’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Karintha\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Karintha Lowe \u201916\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Archives, Teaching, Study Away, Mellon Mays<\/i>

\r\n\u201cIt gave me so much confidence to be at a place where asking questions, being curious, and going down unexpected routes was not just expected but celebrated.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Karintha’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Max\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Max Wang \u201915\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Higher Ed, Entrepreneur, Forensics, International Student<\/i>

\r\n \u201cThe most important things I learned at Mac aren\u2019t tied to a particular industry or occupation but are skillsets that work anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Max’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Samuel\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Samuel Dolce, \u201914\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Attorney, Entrepreneur, Community, Work-Study<\/i>

\r\n\u201cI think it\u2019s valuable to know, if you\u2019re a kid who might not feel the most neurotypical, that Mac really allowed me to be who I was as a learner. Law school tried to beat that out of me, and if I had taken that to heart, I don\u2019t think my company would exist. Mac gave me the quiet confidence that pushing boundaries was okay.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Samuel’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Madeline\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Madeline Stone Kutis \u201914\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Healthcare, Humanities & STEM, Community, Internships<\/i>

\r\n\u201cI am not a medical expert, but my English coursework taught me how to learn enough to know what questions to ask to get to the root of any problem\u2014even a technical, clinical one.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Madeline’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"A\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Danica Surman \u201914\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Teaching, Writing, Government, Mentors, FYC<\/i>

\r\n\u201cI really loved the flexible opportunities I got at Mac to make my course path my own.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Danica’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Tony\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Tony Armstrong \u201913\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Writing, Finance, Research, Internships<\/i>

\r\n\u201cSelf-awareness, curiosity, and being genuinely interested in figuring out which of your skills require development and practice are the most important things you bring to the table when you\u2019re looking for your first job.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Tony’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Ezequiel\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Ezequiel Jimenez Martinez ’13\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Human Rights, International Org, Internships, International Student<\/i>

\r\n\u201cMac is not a place that\u2019s only for four years, it\u2019s for the rest of your life. Keep in touch, and alums will support your career\u2014and someday you will be excited to give back to new students coming behind you.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Ezequiel’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Kerry\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Kerry Alexander \u201912\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Rock Star, Entrepreneur, Writing, Radio Station<\/i>

\r\n\u201cThe community of Macalester is the thing I hold most dear from my time there.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Kerry’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Michael\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Michael Solemar ’12\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Medicine, Activism, Study Away, Student Athlete, FYC<\/i>

\r\n\u201cLife is not a straight line, and you have to be open to the winding road and serendipity. This was a theme of my time at Mac and has continued afterwards.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Michael’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Kate\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Kate Agnew \u201911\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Women in Tech, MBA, Government, Internships, First-Gen<\/i>

\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s so important for students to know that you can use internships to rule out career paths, not just rule them in.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Kate’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Kevin\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Kevin Finnegan \u201911\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Higher Ed, MBA, Student Athlete, AmeriCorps<\/i>

\r\n\u201cYou [Macalester students] have a really strong network that wants to support you: don\u2019t be afraid to reach out!\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Kevin’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Jaye\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Jaye Gardiner \u201911\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Medical Research, Art, Science Education, Storytelling<\/i>

\r\n\u201cI have resilience in science because mentors at Mac made sure I was exposed to the arts, that I knew how to think, and that I had the confidence to try new things.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Jaye’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Natalie\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Natalie Owens-Pike \u201911\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Faith-Based Career, Teaching, Mentors, Community<\/i>

\r\n\u201cI am so grateful for the interdisciplinary study I was able to do at Mac, which allowed me to see myself in my vocation and to bring that learning into my career.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Natalie’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Class of 2000-2009<\/h2>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n
\n \n \"Megan\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Megan Ritchie \u201909\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Writing, Film & TV, Curiosity, Resident Assistant (RA)<\/i>

\r\n\u201cA good writer is someone who is curious about a lot of aspects of life and who embraces imagining other people\u2019s perspectives. My Mac friends are an incredible resource for totally different perspectives than mine.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Megan’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Matthew\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Matthew Bergeron \u201908\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Attorney, Government, Health Care, Student Athlete<\/i>

\r\n\u201cYou cannot get the first job out of college wrong. One of the greatest assets of this time of your life is that you learn something from every experience, even the ones you come to understand you have to leave for a better fit.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Matthew’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Liam\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Liam Bowen \u201906\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Coaching, Communication, Student Athlete<\/i>

\r\n\u201cI love working in an environment of radical humility, where every day I\u2019m going to show up and add a piece of myself to this whole that is bigger than me.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Liam’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Demoya\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Demoya Gordon \u201906\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Attorney, Internships, International Student, FYC<\/i>

\r\n\u201cMacalester fosters the kinds of conversations that help you grow up into whoever you are going to be.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Demoya’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Cris\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Cris Ram\u00f3n \u201906\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Public Policy, Advocacy, Networking, Transfer Student<\/i>

\r\n\u201cStudents should know that the Career Development Office is fantastic even after you graduate.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Cris’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n
\n \n \"Marie\n <\/a>\n
\n

\n \n Marie Deschamps \u201904\n <\/a>\n \n <\/h3>\n

Art, Humanities & STEM, Curiosity, International Student<\/i>

\r\n\u201cMacalester taught me that life isn\u2019t linear, that joy leads to hard work, that you don\u2019t have to conform to a certain shape.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

\n Marie’s Story<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/article> \n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

* From \u201cThe Summer Day\u201d by Mary Oliver
Reprinted by the permission of The Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency as agent for the author. Copyright \u00a9 1990, 2006, 2008, 2017 by Mary Oliver with permission of Bill Reichblum.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We interviewed dozens of alums to bring you their stories. At the heart of what they all said was this: a Macalester education prepares you not just for the goals you have, but also for the pathways you never knew existed until you found yourself upon them. The places Mac graduates land are impressive: on […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":391,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1965","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/after-macalester\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1965","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/after-macalester\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/after-macalester\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/after-macalester\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/391"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/after-macalester\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1965"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/after-macalester\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1965\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2299,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/after-macalester\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1965\/revisions\/2299"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/after-macalester\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1965"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}