AUC Seniors Ready for the Big Leap

By: Nesrien Abdelkader

@NesrienAshraf

As graduation looms, AUC’s seniors say they are feeling both excited and nervous to step out of the bubble that is the insular campus and leap into the real world.

AUC’s main goal as a university should be to prepare students and equip them with the skills and knowledge that they need to be successful in their future endeavors. Whether this has been accomplished or not depends on who you ask.

“The liberal arts education, with all its co-curricular activities prepares our students well for most career paths and future directions that they choose to embark on,” said Iman Omary, associate director for Coaching and Learning Success.

This liberal arts education also allows students to gain knowledge in many different fields because it encourages them to take classes outside of their major and engage in a variety of activities offered to them.

“Many students engage in internships or take on part-time work while studying, so in a way, they have already transitioned into the world of work,” she added.

However, Anthropology and Political Science senior Ahmed Mahana doesn’t feel like the university has given enough support to those studying any of the Humanities and Social Sciences (HUSS) majors.

“I do feel prepared but it comes more from a personal confidence than from a confidence placed in me from the university. I won’t deny there have been efforts made, but they have been inconclusive,” he said.

In Mahana’s opinion, there has been a lack of HUSS related events, and the ones that have happened were short-lived or not educational and because of that, the opportunities that AUC provides for HUSS are very limited as opposed to other majors.

But Integrated Marketing Communications senior Laila Ahmed won’t let graduation twitters deter her self-confidence; she feels excited to get out into the working world, but she says she owes her confidence to her own hard work.

“Personally, I put myself out there with a lot of work, a lot of different tasks and commitments in order to try and make the most out of my four years at AUC,” she explained.

On the other hand, students in more practical majors say an AUC education has well served its primary mission.

“On an educational level, since I’m majoring in biology most of our life after university revolves around something academic. I’ve gained a lot of experience that’ll help me in life after university,” said Biology Association President and senior Youssef El-Bayoumi.

Mahana and El-Bayoumi, both agreed that one of the greatest fears that students have is not being able to find work in the field they’ve devoted years of their lives to studying. Regardless of the major, there is a sense of apprehension when it comes to finding a job.

El-Bayoumi is escaping from the Egyptian job market by traveling abroad after graduation to pursue better job opportunities.

“Biology and Egypt don’t mix well,” he said.

However, biology is not the only field with limited job opportunities in the country.

Mahana said that his majors both have a restricted job market in Egypt, as do most HUSS majors.

The Career Center offers assistance to those struggling in the form of services such as  self-assessment tools, exploration events and mock interviews, Assistant Director of Career Services and Scholarship Engagement Leidya Boutros said.

“The Career Center services and events are geared towards students from all majors and schools to help them make informed decisions about potential careers of interests. An example of these services includes the annual Career Day,” she said.

Although the future is uncertain for some, seniors still owe some of their happiest memories to AUC.

Looking back on their time at the university, seniors found their fondest memories were small things such as sitting with friends in the garden or doing well on a project. There were difficult classes and tough professors, but overall the good outweighed the bad, Economics senior Sarah Elshahed said.

For most seniors saying goodbye is the most difficult thing that comes with graduation.

“HUSS plaza is one of my favorite things about [the] university and I know I will miss it very much because the bonds and friendships I made there are indispensable; they will last a long time,” Mahana said.

From freshman to senior year, AUC students grow attached to the campus and more importantly, the people in it. Students spend four years creating friendships and after graduation, it’s difficult to maintain them once everyone moves on with their own life, Ahmed said.

“I’m least looking forward to not being able to see everyone during assembly or in those five minutes in between classes where you’re rushing to your next class,” she added.

A place that was once intimidating and new to freshmen has become like a home to them after four years of classes, clubs and events.

“I’m an introvert and in the beginning of university I was completely out of my comfort zone. There were a lot of people; I felt like I was in a very different community,” Elshahed said.

Four years later, AUC became her home, Elshahed said.