With our Class of 2020 commencement ceremony only months away, our seniors are in the process of pondering their future and planning their next steps in life after ASH. To help answer their questions, ease their minds, and satisfy their curiosities, ASH invited young alumni to attend a special Q&A panel where they could share their experience as university students: Jackson B. (‘19), Rose F. (‘19), Julie R. (‘19); and Emma H. (‘17). They were a fantastic panel, who eagerly shared their #ASHexperience and perspectives on ASH graduate life.

Our visiting alumni represented the diversity in student choices across continents with two of our recent graduates studying in the US, one in the UK and one in the Netherlands, and across fields of interest, including languages, international business, science, and education. Each brought different experiences, living on campus with meal plans, with roommates or without, alone and cooking for themselves, with easy transitions and some more difficult - providing a complete panorama of what life at university can look like. 

During the panel, our alumni opened up and shared their stories with our seniors, many of whom they knew and had personal connections with. They also took a range of questions, from prepared ones like, "describe what you have been doing since you graduated from ASH", and "what is the one piece of advice you would give to the current seniors?", to student-initiated questions about the reality of coursework, time management, self-organization and preparing meals - everything was up for discussion with this experienced and relatable panel on stage.

Our alumni opened up the importance to self-regulate your work and schedule, that your studies and coursework vary by education field, and that it’s okay to change your mind if you find that your interests change as you grow older. They emphasized cultivating meaningful relationships and creating a support network, being open with everyone you meet as everyone is going through a similar experience in trying to make friends, getting organized and finding fulfillment each day. In just 30 minutes, the Class of 2020 received insightful, open, and real perspectives on life after ASH from those who are living it, a key step in the journey towards defining their own.