MANHATTAN — Kansas State University graduates continue to set records for employment rates and salaries in a wide variety of careers across the globe.
According to the university’s annual post-graduation report, 96 percent of 2017-2018 graduates are employed or pursuing further education — a 1 percent increase from 2016-2017 graduates and a 2 percent increase from 2015-2016 graduates. In addition, the overall median starting salary for recent bachelor’s degree graduates rose by 2 percent to $45,000.
Has your Wildcat shown interest in studying abroad, but you as a parent have some reservations? K-State takes pride in working with students to provide a unique, safe, and memorable experience abroad that is a once in a lifetime opportunity. The Wilkerson family from Columbia, MO has extensive knowledge about studying abroad and the Education Abroad office. Judy and Carroll Wilkerson have had 4 children study abroad! The K-State PFA caught up with the Wilkerson family to get insight on what it’s like having a child study outside the U.S.
“We have had 4 children study abroad – 3 in Europe and 1 in South America. Our way of helping them prepare was encouraging them and asking them questions to be sure they had everything in order. Packing was probably the biggest challenge when going somewhere for multiple months and limited suitcase space. We are fortunate to live in the era of the internet and we were able to stay connected with FaceTime, usually once a week due to the time difference, and text messages.
At the beginning of 2019, Greyhound announced a partnership with K-State to provide transportation in connecting students to cities like Kansas City, Wichita, Salina, and Denver as well as small towns in between. Especially for students who fly into the Kansas City airport (MCI), this opportunity will allow students to catch a ride with Greyhound for affordable prices starting at $21 (depending on the day).
K-State PFA met up with Emily Zwick, who is serving as the internal public relations chair for K-State All-University Open House. Emily is a senior studying agricultural economics from Wichita, Kansas. Following graduation in May, Emily will be working as a supply chain associate for Cargill in Minneapolis, MN.
PFA: Thank you for agreeing to share information about Open House with us! To start things off, can you share a couple sentences that describe K-State’s All University Open House?
Emily: Sure! Open House is a family friendly event with something for everyone. Join the 20,000 people who flock to K-State’s carnival of academic exhibits, entertainment, food, and fun every year. Don’t miss live entertainment in the Quad and Bosco Student Plaza. Explore K-State’s 250 majors and options, 475 campus clubs, and nine colleges: arts and sciences; engineering; business administration; education; agriculture; human ecology; architecture, planning, and design; veterinary medicine; and technology and aviation (at K-State Polytechnic).
May 2011 Graduate Jessica Rodriguez from Overland Park, Kansas.
The K-State Parents and Family Association (PFA) recently caught up with K-State alumna Jessica Rodriguez. She graduated from K-State in 2011 with a degree in Food Science and Industry, and is now a 2nd year Doctor of Physical Therapy student at Northwestern University. Jessica is originally from Overland Park, KS, but has lived in Chicago and Los Angeles since graduation. At K-State, she was involved in Student Alumni Board, Mortar Board Senior Honorary, Developing Scholars Program, and Alpha Delta Pi sorority. Additionally, Jessica worked part-time on campus and was involved in undergraduate research.
Describe your transition from college to career. What were some of the major adjustments?
After graduation, I worked in food manufacturing for 6 years and am currently making a career change to Physical Therapy so I’m a student again! My initial transition to working life was exciting and went by fast. I worked with my company to delay my start date so that I could spend the summer traveling internationally. I wanted to take advantage of my unique time off, knowing I probably would never have time off like this again, totally free from responsibility. The biggest challenge starting my first job in 2011 was feeling really tired. It was amazing not having to worry about studying after hours, but staying engaged for 8-10 hours a day with little break is challenging. Having worked a full-time job made the transition to graduate school much easier. Although I had to get myself accustomed to studying again, grad school feels like a full-time job plus extra. The biggest adjustment to graduate school was adjusting my evening/weekend schedule. I give myself enough time with friends to be sane and happy, but I know I must keep a careful balance of academics and personal time.
MANHATTAN — Kansas State University graduates continue to set records for employment rates and salaries in a wide variety of careers across the globe.
