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A bright future for bold Augustana grads

We highlighted 14 of Augustana's recent graduates in the "Choose Boldly/Go Brightly" book. 

Together, they exemplify the Augustana student experience. They explored the world through study abroad; pushed the limits of their knowledge with research projects; sought to challenge themselves in athletics and internships, they created in classrooms and on the stage and formed meaningful relationships with their peers and mentors. Now, they're empowered to change the world.

Augustana helped them find their path. Now it's your turn. 

Choose Augustana!

Here's a look at the one-of-a-kind experiences that made them who they are today:

Ryan Jenkins scored an internship at CBS national news in New York City that was the catalyst in his journalism career.

→ Claire Herdegen studied in Spain and Norway and performed with the choir in Europe and Asia. On her adventures, she learned Spanish, drove dogsleds and saw the northern lights.

→ Alan Daly studied Classics and mathematics, giving him the unique edge to earn a prized internship at MD Anderson Cancer Center then earn his Master's at Dartmouth.

→ Jessica Lechtenberg found the mentor she needed to go the extra mile in an Augustana alumni. CORE made the connection, Jessica made it happen.

→ Joe Flynn fed his passion for creativity through a minor in entertainment and media. A job with Fresh Films, a studio based on Augustana's campus, gave his career in the film industry a kick start.

Janice Wu turned her "scribbles" into a comprehensive, award-winning business plan that rounded out her portfolio enough to land a job at Microsoft.

→ Natalie Hardy found her passion for ethics and honed the essential skills, like effective communication and strong writing, that are helping her succeed in a Ph.D. program at St. Louis University. 

→ Megan Janssen's relationship with her Augustana mentor led her to the conference where she made the contacts that led to her job as a software engineer at ESPN. 

Kumail Hussain is a first-generation graduate. As a student, his passion for health and fitness led him to pursue a career in orthopedic medicine. As a graduate, he's using social media to encourage other aspiring medical students to overcome obstacles that might prevent them from reaching their goals.

→ Anna Dispensa never thought she'd be able go study abroad and graduate in four years, but she did it. Along the way, she learned to embrace new ideas about education during her internship at Alpha Primary School in Kingston, Jamaica. 

→ Leo Nguyen used his time as an Augustana student to gain professional political experience. He worked as an intern for Representative Cheri Bustos during her congressional campaign. 

→ Emily Graziano found a never ending supply of professional development opportunities through CORE. She gained the skills and confidence to land a job before graduation, and transition to a new one during the pandemic. 

→ Mike Powers was amazed by Augustana's history of turning out Academic All-Americans. And then he became one. Now, he's finishing his master's before starting an accounting career at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Chicago.

→ Ninna Mendoza found her passion for helping others. As a student, she co-founded Campus Kitchen at Augustana and researched at the Children's Nutrition Research Center at the Baylor College of Medicine. Today, she serves her community as a medical assistant. 

Your bright future is out there, too. All you have to do is find your path and Augustana will guide you on the way. 

Ready for the first step? Make your tuition deposit and commit to Augustana.