Life Post Graduation For County Grads

Name: Zach Dayton, 23, of White Plains, graduated from Pace University with a BA in Business Administration in 2009.
Now What? “After graduating, I got a job as the marketing and promotions coordinator in the athletic department at Pace. My sports marketing internship at My Sports Dreams in Katonah as well working in the athletic department as an undergrad helped land me this job. I played baseball and made the golf team at Pace and am currently receiving an athletic scholarship to acquire a Master’s in Public Administration.”

Name: Carrie Schmelkin, 22, of Rye Brook, graduated with a BA in Magazine Journalism and English from Syracuse University, the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
Now What? “I was completely terrified about beginning the job-search process,” says Schmelkin, a former Westchester Magazine intern. “Our career counselors told us that a typical Newhouse student could often land a job in about a month to three months in a good economy, but in these times, that span might increase to a year to two years.” In June, Schmelkin landed a job as a general-assignment reporter for the New Canaan Advertiser, a weekly regional paper owned by Hersam Acorn. “I could not ask for a better first job. I write between six and eight stories a week and get involved in photography and layout as well,” says Schmelkin. “And the best part—I am able to live at home and save money since my commute is only twenty minutes up the Merritt.”

Name: Stephanie Williams, 22, of Rye Brook, graduated in May 2009 from Purchase College with a BA in Art History and Journalism.
Now What? “I was really lucky to land a full-time job right out of school working as a public relations assistant at Shameless Promotions, a small agency serving clients in the Hudson Valley and Manhattan. I am always looking for freelance writing and web-development opportunities on the side.”