An Interview with International Antioch University Santa Barbara Alumni Niklas Knoph
Born in Gothenburg, Sweden and growing up in different parts of europe, Niklas Knoph came to Santa Barbara in December 2011 in an effort to pursue his education and receive his degree in Media Communications and Marketing. It has been four months since he graduated from Antioch University Santa Barbara and I was able to meet up with him to see what he is up to nowadays.
What made you apply for Antioch University Santa Barbara?
I moved to Santa Barbara in for SBCC‘s spring 2012 semester in order to pursue my bachelor’s degree here in the US. During my time at SBCC I made friends who attended Antioch and I decided to look deeper into it. After spending my first two years at SBCC I was ready to transfer but not ready to leave Santa Barbara and so transferring to Antioch was my best option.
What is the process of getting employed as an international graduate?
As I completed my last and final quarter at Antioch I got my OPT approved which is a one-year working visa you can apply for when you receive your degree. When it came to applying for jobs I got all of my help through Antioch. Academic success advisor Tony Urban helped me shape up my resume, Career counselor Lee Yarborough helped me improve my LinkedIn profile, and Odyssey Online instructors James Murray and Christina Dominocielo introduced me to their contacts in the surrounding area.
Nick at graduation earlier this year.
How did you get your job?
After several weeks of job applications and my last quarter coming to an end I was bouncing back and forth between moving back home or giving out one last shot to stay and work. Eventually I got employed by Antioch instructor Christina at Show Up Web Design which she founded in 2012.
What do you do for work?
I currently work as content editor and marketing for Show Up Web Design which is Santa Barbara’s #1 Google ranked web design company. I help build websites and maintain the quality of our clients websites through graphic design, photography, videography, blogging and digital media design in general. We market our clients websites through frequently updated social media and blog posts using very strict and necessary SEO patterns.
What impact did Antioch have reaching your goals?
The social atmosphere at Antioch is something I have never experienced at any other school. I made very many personal and genuine friendships at Antioch with both students and instructors. There is a strong sense of collaboration and understanding for each others differences with the multi cultural “clash” found in every class. In my field of work I use WordPress on a daily basis which I learned while taking the Odyssey Online class here at Antioch.
Behind the camera for a recent project.
What are your hopes and dreams for the future?
Ultimately I would like to see myself staying in California for another 10 years. Sweden will always be my home but as of right now I’m very happy and established over here and I feel that I have a lot more to accomplish in California. Applying for a H-!B visa can be very challenging but not impossible. That would help me stay in the country for another 6 years which would increase my chances of getting a Green Card.
