As Susquehanna University closes its 167th academic year, seniors are preparing for the next chapter of their lives.
Alanis Castro-Pacheco turns passion into dream career at TikTok
After Alanis Castro-Pacheco graduates from Susquehanna University, she will begin her career at TikTok where she will earn a six-figure salary while leveraging her background in fashion and media to thrive in a role that blends both of her passions.
Castro-Pacheco, who majored in luxury brand management & marketing and graphic design, will join TikTok’s e-commerce team as a strategic partners manager overseeing a portfolio of top creators and collaborating with brands that sell products on the platform. She will identify strategic opportunities that align creator audiences with brand campaign goals, ultimately driving product discovery and sales.
“When I received the call extending the offer, I couldn’t help but cry. The moment was both a relief and a validation of all the hard work I had put in,” Castro-Pacheco said. “More than anything, it marked a major personal and family milestone. I’ll be the first in my family to earn this level of income, and am finishing college with peace of mind, knowing I’ve built a future I once only imagined.”
Castro-Pacheco, a first-generation college graduate from Enola, Pennsylvania, will relocate to Los Angeles, a move she feels prepared for after studying in Spain for a semester and living in New York for two summers while completing prestigious internships with Michael Kors and Tiffany & Co.
“Susquehanna has given me the confidence to step into this next chapter of my life. The support I’ve received from faculty and staff and my peers has been instrumental in shaping who I am today,” she said. “I’m comforted knowing that no matter where I go, I’ll have a community cheering me on from afar.”
Other graduates from the Sigmund Weis School of Business are bound for Clark Construction Group, Deloitte, EY, The Hershey Company, JPMorganChase, KPMG, L’Oréal, MetLife, MUFG, Prudential, SEI, Seneca Insurance Companies, Sompo International, Valuation Research Corporation and Vanguard.
David Sandell joins nation’s largest carbon-free energy producer
David Sandell is looking forward to being part of the future of clean energy when he assumes his position as a chemical technician with Constellation, the nation’s largest producer of carbon-free energy.
Sandell will be working at Constellation’s Crane Clean Energy Center, a nuclear power plant in Middletown, Pennsylvania, not far from his hometown of Chambersburg.
“I am very excited to be going into nuclear energy. While it sounds daunting at first, the process behind nuclear energy generation is fascinating,” Sandell said. “It is also an amazingly clean form of energy, which is a necessity in today’s world. I think nuclear energy is the future and Constellation is a company that is taking us there in a safe and practical manner.”
As a chemical technician, Sandall will conduct chemical analyses of samples taken from the site to ensure they are within safe limits.
“I am most looking forward to using the skills I learned in my labs and classes within the chemistry department,” he said. “I am also excited at the prospect of learning more about nuclear chemistry and the ins and outs of the energy generation industry.”
Sandell, who majored in biochemistry and Spanish studies, credits the opportunities he had conducting research and becoming skilled in a wide variety of instrumentation with giving him the confidence and qualifications to pursue a competitive role in the nuclear energy field.
“As I interviewed with Constellation, I was able to use these experiences to position myself as the best candidate for the job,” Sandall said. “Our chemistry department prepares us for a wide range of careers or to go on to graduate school.”
Other natural science graduates in Susquehanna’s School of Natural & Social Sciences will begin careers or graduate or medical school at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Animal Hospital of Mount Pocono, Edge Engineering & Science, Eurofins, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Geisinger Health System, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Johns Hopkins University, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Mount Nittany Health, Northwoods Wildlife Center, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, PennEnvironment, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Princeton University, RETTEW, Thomas Jefferson University, University Reproductive Associates and Touro College of Pharmacy.
Emily Erdman wants to help kids like her
When Emily Erdman’s high school classmates were in school or participating in extracurricular activities, she was often confined to Geisinger Medical Center’s Janet Weis Children’s Hospital.
“I felt deeply isolated. I was just starting high school, and I was diagnosed with a chronic, incurable condition that carries the potential for significant impairments,” Erdman remembered. “I think at the time, I felt frustrated because I didn’t understand what was happening to me.”
This experience laid the foundation for her career path that will take her to Indiana University of Pennsylvania to pursue a doctorate in clinical psychology. Erdman plans to pursue a career providing psychiatric care to children who are experiencing anxiety or stress-related disorders, especially those coping with chronic illness who may need support understanding or coping with their treatment plans.
“No child should feel alone when they’re going through such distressing times — they deserve support and should be encouraged to seek help and talk to someone they trust,” Erdman said.
Hers is a rigorous five-year program consisting of four years of full-time enrollment followed by a yearlong internship that will provide hands-on clinical experience.
Erdman arrived at Susquehanna intending to pursue a career in music and added psychology as an additional major because she had always had an interest in the subject. Her psychology coursework and the opportunity to conduct research, she said, brought into focus that psychology — and helping others — is her true passion, but she isn’t walking away from music.
“I’m especially grateful for the opportunity to earn dual degrees, as I’ve come to recognize connections between music and psychology,” Erdman said. “I believe my background in psychology enhances my ability to deliver expressive performances, and the discipline, resilience and communication skills I’ve developed through my musical training will undoubtedly serve me in my future career in psychology.”
Other social science graduates will embark upon careers or graduate school at AmeriCorps, Centre Law & Consulting, Chester University of Pennsylvania, Marymount University, Matrix Behavior Solutions, Saint Joseph’s University, West Pediatric Movement Center, Villanova University and the Walt Disney Corporation.
Benjamin Bulger trades spikes for army boots in pursuit of purpose
After his graduation from Susquehanna, Benjamin Bulger will hang up his track and field uniform in favor of another — that of the U.S. Army.
“I want to join the military because, first and foremost, I want to serve my country,” the Danville, Pennsylvania, native said. “Having the ability to do so while also being part of an organization that shares many of my values seemed like a no-brainer.”
After earning his bachelor’s degree in history, Bulger will head to basic training and then continue to Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia. There, he will earn his commission as a second lieutenant and receive his first job assignment — a pivotal step toward the future he’s envisioning.
“I’m looking forward to developing my leadership skills so I can confidently lead soldiers,” he said. “While I’m open to making the Army my career, I also recognize it may be a chapter that prepares me for whatever comes next.”
That openness to opportunity, coupled with a drive to make a difference, has been shaped by his time at Susquehanna. As a captain of the track and field team, Bulger credits much of his growth to his coach Ethan Senecal, who “taught me leadership skills, how to work as a team and the meaning of hard work,” he said.
In the classroom, Bulger found deeper purpose through courses like Faiths and Values with Professor of Religious Studies Jeffrey Mann, where he began to articulate the moral foundation for his ambitions. Outside of academics and athletics, leadership roles within the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity provided further experience in responsibility and service.
“As far as goals,” he added, “I’m hoping to develop as a leader and as a man, to travel and to make a meaningful impact. Susquehanna has prepared me greatly for this next step.”
Other graduates from Susquehanna’s School of Humanities will embark on careers or graduate school at ADP, Blair County Historical Society, Columbia Journalism School, DeSales University, Ingram Content Group, National Baseball Hall of Fame, New York Red Bulls, New York University, Syracuse University, University of Virginia and The Walt Disney Company.
Kirsten Weirich turns love of theatre and autism advocacy into career
Theatre has always been about more than performance for Kirsten Weirich. As someone on the autism spectrum, Weirich knows firsthand how transformative the stage can be for self-discovery and building empathy and community.
After graduating as a valedictorian from Susquehanna with a degree in theatre studies, she’s taking that passion to Villanova University, where she’ll pursue a fully funded master’s degree in theatre while working part-time with Theatre Horizon’s Autism Drama Program, teaching acting to children and adults on the spectrum.
Theatre has proven to be therapeutic and beneficial in helping those on the spectrum become more comfortable in social situations, Weirich said, but beyond that, theatre lacks appropriate representation of autism spectrum disorder, and there is also work to be done “to make theatre productions more sensory-friendly for those with ASD,” she said.
“As someone on the autism spectrum and someone who knows so many people on the autism spectrum who find solace in theatre, this is a very important area of study to me,” Weirich said.
Weirich’s path hasn’t always been clear to her. When she arrived at Susquehanna, she wasn’t sure exactly what she wanted to do, just that she wanted to explore theatre. But after a few classes, conducting scholarly research of her own, directing her fellow peers and shadowing her professors, she realized that she wants to pursue a career in academia. This is also thanks in large part to the professors who have mentored her along the way and helped her find her love for new play development, find the right graduate program and “changed my life.
“I have always loved learning, especially in a structured school environment, and at heart, I’m a big sister and I love to mentor others,” Weirich said. “To have the chance to mentor and teach the next generation of theatre-makers will be such an honor.”
Other students from Susquehanna’s School of the Arts will begin their careers or graduate school at Bernard & Ruth Siegel JCC, Carnegie Mellon University, Kraus Marketing, Pennsylvania State University, PB&I, Temple University, University of Oklahoma and The Walt Disney Company.
