This article is the second in a two-part series that examines recent alumni and their experiences post-graduation.
Denise Ozpinar (LA '09)
Last spring, Denise Ozpinar ditched the Hill for the Big Apple. Today, she works for Macys.com as a planning analyst, which includes carrying out financial tasks as well as helping to decide how much money to allocate to different vendors and how much money goes towards shirts, pants, dresses and other items.
Despite the economy, Ozpinar found her job relatively easily. After finding a listing on Monster.com and sending her resume, she received an e-mail back. She explained that despite the tough market for graduates last year, a dedicated work ethic and a strong desire for a career work wonders.
"As long as you had a strong resume and were able to convey you really wanted to work for the place you were interviewing, it was much easier to find a job," she said. She affirmed that all of her friends who graduated last spring have jobs by now.
After four years at Tufts, Denise felt the same way she did as a senior in high school — ready for a change.
"Although I loved high school and I loved Tufts and love the respective lifestyles, at least for me, as a senior, I just felt like I needed a change … I had gotten as much as I could out of there," she said
Part of this desire to leave Tufts behind was fueled by an excitement to return to New York City. Having grown up in Long Island, Ozpinar knew the city well and wanted to return.
"I love New York City, and I was excited to come back," she said. "I basically wanted to live in New York City my entire life so it wasn't a hard transition." In addition to the excitement for the city itself, the large number of Tufts students who also moved there was a draw.
"So many people who graduated with me and in the past are here," she said. "I still hang out with almost all Tufts people."
Although Denise is not sure of her future plans, she hopes to eventually go to Istanbul and teach English for one or two years before pursuing an MBA or another graduate degree depending on what she feels is necessary.
Dena Greenblum (LA '09)
Many recent graduates may be stuck in a routine of a nine-to-five daily grind. But Dena Greenblum's post-college experiences have been anything but boring.
After donning her cap and gown, Greenblum stayed at Tufts for a little while to take a graduate class to learn GIS, a computer program.
"You can audit classes for free once you're an alum!" she said.
Following the class, she took a trip to Montreal with friends, and then Greenblum once again shifted gears.
"I went to Oregon to do Politicorps, a program which is political-organizing intensive with other young people from all over the country."
Greenblum is now working at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington, DC.
"I'm working with them on outreach for income tax credit, and I'm helping them monitor health care reform. I go to health panels and send notes to the staff about what happens with health care," she said.
Ending up in the nation's capital has been a positive move for Greenblum, who is politically inclined and expects to be involved with that field in some way in the future.
"I know that I really enjoy being part of the progressive movement. Whether that has to do with organizing or policy or electoral politics, I want to have experiences to figure out what my niche is or where I should be working," she said.
Greenblum is currently a paid intern and does not earn a full-time salary.
"The internship is going to end in September. I am still living with my parents right now, so I'm not 100 percent in the post-college adult world, but I'm working on it. Once I get a full-time salary, I hope to move out."
Although her current position isn't permanent, Greenblum isn't frustrated by the prospect of switching jobs.
"I like being able to try different things anyway," she said.
Her ability to be flexible and seize current opportunities has helped her be resourceful despite setbacks.
"I was very involved and committed in a lot of things my senior year," she said. "At the same time I was trying to do everything I hadn't done and wanted to do before senior year ended, so I didn't have time to leave and go on interviews. [The job search] is very time-consuming. It's like an extra class. The economy obviously wasn't my best friend this year. I didn't get any of the jobs I applied for while I was in school, so I had to make other plans after things were winding down and then figured it out."
Greenblum advised seniors to keep in mind that post-graduation plans don't have to be lined up before Thanksgiving.
"Don't stress about it too much. If you see opportunities or have ways to make opportunities, that's great, but at the same time the world isn't going to end if you find a job later. Don't worry so much about what expectations are. Just let yourself enjoy what you're doing and let yourself keep an eye out for the future," she said.
Uma Shanmugham (LA '09)
After graduating from Tufts, Uma Shanmugham went right back to school. Except this time, she was the teacher. Shanmugham works as a kindergarten teacher at the Advent School in Boston.
Shanmugham's first step to finding a job was to ask for help from Career Services in the face of an economy that was making her search difficult. Although she had identified her career interests as working with an NGO in a low-income community, the only jobs she had found were in PR or product development.
But meeting with Career Services allowed Shanmugham to get more creative with the search. She was able to highlight her experience with JumpStart and to recognize an interest in the education sector, despite having relatively little experience in the field. By using the Career Network to e-mail 10 Tufts Alumni in the education field, she found one that happened to be the director of the Advent School. After touring the school and meeting with the director, Shanmugham was offered a position there.
Enjoying her new schedule and job, Shanmugham hasn't found the transition from Tufts to be too difficult.
"I miss college, but to me [the transition] is a new chapter," she said. "I miss having the classes and that lifestyle, but I'm happy to have a routine schedule."
Shanmugham doesn't know where she'll be in the future. Although she does plan to stay in Boston for a few years, her next stop could lead her to pursue a master's in education or to explore a new field like child psychology, counseling or social work
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Robin Carol contributed reporting to this article.
