From Campus to Careers: Alumni Remember Their First Jobs 

More than a few alumni began their careers in newsrooms:

“I was a newspaper reporter. Made $18,000 a year. Lived in my Mom’s basement. Welcome to the Real World, kiddos!”
—Lorraine Urbanski Martinelle ’97

“I was a news reporter and feature writer for the Daily Hampshire Gazette in 1987 after graduating from the Journalism/English Dept...I had been working in Amherst newspapers since high school and was putting in 20 work hours a week while a full-time student. The beginning of 30 years of a wonderful, adventurous, unexpected, and fulfilling career.”
—Jonathan Perry ’87

Others entered the military:

“2nd LT US Army Military Police...I went to Busan, Korea first and have now lived all over. Great start at University of Massachusetts Army ROTC and still serving 29 years later.” —Brigadier General Sarah Albrycht ’95

“2nd LT United States Marine Corps. Graduated with a BS in Mathematics. Spent four years in the service...been in the software business for Wall St firms ever since.” —Eric Brian Peters ’82

With UMass Amherst’s renowned College of Education, many alumni became dedicated teachers:

“My first job after graduating from UMass was teaching 9th grade English in a public school…23 years later, I’m still teaching high school English in a Title I school.” —Luis Omar Garza ’01

“I graduated from UMass with an Early Childhood Education Degree. My first job was teaching Kindergarten at a private pre-school while going to Hofstra University to get my Masters in Reading. I got my first public school job in 1992, and I was in that same school teaching Pre-K, Kindergarten, and first grade for 30 years! I retired last year after a wonderful teaching career! —Laurie Manko Satcowitz ’90

Several alumni helped move research forward in life sciences laboratories:

“I was taking care of iguanas and lizards and running scientific studies on them at Northeastern University. It felt like I was working in Dr Frankenstein’s lab.” —Gareth White ’89

“I worked as a clinical research coordinator in gastroenterology for two years at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Then I went to medical school at the University of Rochester and graduated with my MD this past May. Now, I’m headed off to psychiatry residency at the University of Rochester/Strong Memorial Hospital!” —Dr. Tessa Oliver ’18

UMass alumni have taken a wide range of pathways to professional success.

Some offered their perspective on work while thinking back to their first job:

“I graduated in '91 in the middle of a recession. I temped at several places; the first one was at a methadone clinic at St. Anne's in Fall River. Majoring in the liberal arts gave me the skills to work in banking and finance, nonprofit arts administration and now, education. It's been a great journey.”
—Angela Paquin DeVivo ’91

“When I graduated from UMass, few opportunities were open for women. My first job was as a manuscript typist for a small, independent publisher of materials for students with dyslexia. I earned next to nothing, worked long hours with no extra pay—but that job opened the door to a long, rewarding career in educational publishing.” —Sandra Mangurian ’64

“I was corporate relations director at the American Heart Association. I managed several territories for the American Stroke Association Train to End Stroke (TTES) destination marathon fundraising program...TTES was what I studied for; it matched my work in BDIC (Bachelor's Degree with Individual Concentration) that combined marketing and sports management with hospitality and tourism. Pave your own way and dream in real life. Thank you BDIC.” —Kendra Porter ’00, ’05MS

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