It’s barely been a year since the BA Graduates of 2015 put on their robes and threw of their hats to celebrate their debut into the real professional world. We reached out to four different graduates to see what they are doing today and how Antioch University has impacted their new and exciting careers.
With the tremendous cultural and international diversity found at Antioch University Santa Barbara, it is hard to stay updated and keep track of how all the innovative and new-thinking professionals are contributing to society after receiving their diploma.
The commencement ceremony takes place at the Fess Parker Doubletree Resort right next to East Beach.
During every June there are approximately 70 students graduating with a Bachelor’s degree from AUSB. We reached out to four different Antioch students from “the class of ’15” and asked them to share their experiences since they left school. This is their story:
Johan Lohman was a very ambitious and positive contribution to the Antioch community.
Johan Lohman is originally from Östersund, Sweden but currently based in Stockholm, Sweden after pursuing his bachelors degree in Business Management and Leadership. Johan works as a product manager within business-to-business financing operations for OPR Finance AB.
What do you do in your field of work? I am responsible for launching our B2B lending operations in Sweden. Besides taking care of daily operations such as credit analysis and customer contacts, I’m in charge of our product developing and managing its marketing, financing, and other administrative tasks in close cooperation with the group management.
How did you get this job? I applied through LinkedIn. I was first called to an interview in Stockholm, and then they flew me over to Helsinki, where our HQ is located, where I had another interview with our head of business financing, CFO, and CEO.
Now he shares his skill and knowledge at OPR Finance AB.
How has your Antioch experience impacted you in your field of work? It helped me in alot of ways. All the discussions with my peers opened my mind, and the instructors makes you question things in a different matter. All in all I developed a lot as person while attending Antioch University.
Is there anything Antioch could have done different better prepare your for your career? Given my current career within finance, I would like to been offered more finance classes at Antioch. It is no big deal though, since I’m learning everything on the job.
What is one piece advice of you would give to the graduates of 2016? I don’t really know what to say more than that you set the limits. If you want to pursue something, do it.
A very proud Rachel on the day of her graduation ceremony.
Rachel Stewart moved to Santa Barbara from Walnut Creek, CA in order to complete her BA degree in Liberal Arts. She has now started her professional career here as an orthodontic assistant. She continued her studies after AUSB in order to pursue her career dreams.
What do you do in your field of work? I assist the doctors with day to day orthodontic treatment. A typical day would consist of: exams, x-rays, taking molds of patients mouths, bonding braces, delivering and fixing retainers, and making changes to improve the impact of the braces to correct ones smile, bite, and teeth alignment.
Rachel putting a smile on her clients face!
How did you get this job? I interviewed after completing dental assisting school.
How has Antioch impacted you in your field of work? Antioch helped me develop holistically as an individual, but in regards to my career I attended another school to complete my accreditation that helped me get into my field.
Is there anything Antioch could have done different to better prepare your for your career? Yes, include a dental assisting major hahah just kidding, no Antioch was an amazing experience.
One piece advice of you would give to the graduates of 2016? Don’t stop pursuing what you truly want to do even if you finish with a degree that isn’t in the same field.
William to the right with his fellow graduates.
William Dolan got tired of the cold and arrived here after leaving his hometown of Litchfield, Minnesota and is still based in sunny Santa Barbara. Graduating with a degree in Business Management and Leadership, he currently works with software and Saas sales.
What do you do in your field of work? I call customers to identify pain points in their business and offer applicable solutions to these issues. Working with customers to build relationships and establish a connection based on trust is the groundwork for this. On any given day I call 60 to 100 customers in attempts to identify pain points in their business and offer applicable solutions to these issues.
How did you get this job? References, teachers, internships and preparation in regards to my resume and interview. I was totally prepared.
As you can see, William is a grown-up professional.
How has your Antioch experience impacted you in your field of work? Antioch got me here and there is no doubt about that. I would likely still be in the oil or restaurant industry without it. Also, in getting to know professors/teachers I have been able to gain insight as to my strengths and where they could be applied.
Is there anything Antioch could have done different better prepare your for your career? There is always something different and nothing is ever perfect. What I can suggest for Antioch’s future is continue to evolve. The world is changing so quickly nowadays that by not taking chances you will miss out on opportunities.
What is one piece advice of you would give to the graduates of 2016? Do what you want to do with your life, start today.
Josie receiving her diploma from AUSB.
Josie Stengård is from Visby, Sweden, and she graduated with a BA in Media Communications and Marketing. She is now in Stockholm, Sweden and works as a marketing coordinator for eMarketeer.
What do you do in your field of work? I am basically creating content for eMarketeer’s marketing purposes. It’s everything from writing newsletters and blog posts to social media and video making. eMarketeer is a marketing automation tool, so every project I do is about marketing. It’s a really fun job where I get to use both of my Antioch majors.
How did you get this job? A friend of mine was in contact with the company and connected us. It was a very quick process since I was about to sign for another job that I wasn’t too excited about. Two days after their phone call I went to eMarketeer for an interview, and an hour after our meeting they offered me the job.
How has your Antioch experience impacted you in your field of work? Creative and critical thinking is a must in my job today, so I’m glad I got that practice that at Antioch. Also, I got to build my portfolio. During my time at Antioch I got to experiment with making videos. The guys here at eMarketeer saw some of them and decided to use videos in their marketing. I feel like the position was pretty much tailored after my interests and skills, something that I got from Antioch.
Is there anything Antioch could have done different better prepare your for your career? Well, I think it’s hard to imagine your life after university until you’re actually living it, and I guess it’s different for everyone. Studying and practicing your major at Antioch gives you a good base, but the learning doesn’t stop after you graduate. I learn new stuff at my job everyday. So to answer your question, I don’t think so. It’s up to you to keep on practicing your skills, even after university.
Today we see Josie featured in tv commercials, go Josie!
What is one piece advice of you would give to the graduates of 2016? Firstly, start applying for jobs early. It takes a lot of time to get responses and interviews. Secondly, seize every opportunity. You never know which contact or what meeting will lead to a job. And even though a job isn’t exactly what you’re looking for, apply for it anyways! It could turn out to be your dream job. And don’t stress too much about finals, enjoy the time you have left at Antioch. Good luck!
We are looking forward to hearing more success stories from our Antioch members. If you for some reason missed out on the Antioch University Alumni Association, click the hyperlink and rejoin the global Antioch community today!
