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Author Archives: krknowles

XO Davis, Data Science Major

  By krknowles • June 3, 2020 , , , ,

Name: XO Davis

Major: Data Science

Previous Major: Biology, Chemistry

What attracted  you to your initial major?: My desire to help people in the medical field by making them healthy and happy

What inspired you to change programs?: My performance in the Biology major wasn’t going as well as I would’ve wanted it to so I found it best to think of a new pathway to medical school.

What do you like best about your current major?: I like the flexibility the major offers and how it still gives me the option to have a minor with less stress instead of having a fixed schedule for the next years of college. This offers me the ability to have a bio major if I want to and take the prerequisites for medical school while also having a set major that will offer me a good career in the long run.

What is most challenging about your current major?: I can’t say so far because this is going to be my first semester with the major but if there is going to be a challenge then it will most likely be the intense math.

What sort of internships and career opportunities have your explored?: I have done internships in hospitals for the past 2 summers so that I can get a feel of how it is there and if I would want to still pursue that career.

What sort of extracurricular opportunities have you participated in?: Intramural Basketball, Many Hayes vs Gillson activities, Multiple sorority sport competitions

What sort of resources have helped you with your exploration journey?: CASA

What advice do you have for students exploring majors? If you aren’t really feeling your major by the first semester or you don’t know exactly what you want to do then don’t be stressed about it. In my opinion that is what freshman year is somewhat meant for, to get a feel of multiple majors by talking with friends and upper class men. If you aren’t a freshman then still exploring your passions is better than sticking to something that you don’t genuinely like or love.

Madeline Warner, Art History Alum Now Working in Tech

  By krknowles • May 13, 2020 , , ,

Madeline Warner Profile PictureRead why former Saint Ignatius student Madeline Warner ’15 loved her Art History / Arts Management major at USF (now Art History & Museum Studies).  The USF profile article also highlights real world experiences she explored in college and how Madeline now works in the tech industry in the Bay Area.

Full USF Profile Article about Madeline

Ashley Jones ’17, Switched from Psychology to Sociology

  By krknowles • April 22, 2020 , , , , , ,

Check out this video of Ashley Jones ’17 discussing how and why she finally decided to switch from Psychology to Sociology in her third year of college.  She also finished with a Psychology minor still and an African American Studies minor.  While we encourage students to start exploring early, it is never too late to switch gears – either with your program(s) of study or your eventual career(s)!

Producer & Videographer (Karen Trinidad); Editor (Alexander Flores).  Music by Bensound.com.

Video Transcript

According to LinkedIn, Ashley is currently in the process of pursuing both a Master’s in Social Work in Social Change and Innovation and Master’s in Public Health in Health Services and Policy at University of Southern California.  She said she hopes to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) after graduation. Ashley notes interning at KIPP SoCal Public Schools and says she is interested in “improving quality of life for vulnerable populations including people with disabilities, people of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals, low-income individuals and the elderly.”

After switching majors, Ashley still earned a minor in Psychology and a minor in African American Studies.  She was in the Muscat Scholar’s Program and initially came in as an Undeclared Arts major. Ashley took the1 cr. INTD 053 Exploring Majors and Careers class as a freshman which helped her learn fundamentals of major and career decision making that we believe she used later on to listen to her heart and switch to Sociology.

You can learn the fundamentals of major and career decision making from the  INTD 053 class, our Explore Your Path portal (myusf.usfca.edu/explore-your-path) and by working closely with your CASA Academic Success Coach.