EXPERIENCE
The best part of the NDSU experience, according to new grads
Published December 2018
Six December 2018 graduates share their future plans and what they will remember about their NDSU experience.
Andrea Richard
Major: Human development and family science
Hometown: Bowman, North Dakota
Relationships stand out to me. I formed very important relationships through organizations. And my NDSU Ambassadors adviser, Nancy Kaler, was very helpful in every aspect of my education. I also had great relationships with professors like Dena Wyum, who built off the classroom experience and made it personal. She helped me achieve my goals, and connected me with people in the college who set me up to succeed after graduation. That’s what has been really memorable to me about my time at NDSU.
Plans after graduation: I’m looking for full-time work. I have a few interviews lined up, and I hope to enroll in graduate school in the Educational Leadership master’s degree program for higher education at NDSU.
Ashley Honl
Major: Accounting
Hometown: Fargo, North Dakota
I think the most memorable part of my NDSU experience has been my involvement in a wide variety of student organizations. It’s been a great way to meet people and make valuable connections that last throughout my NDSU career and beyond. One of my favorite organizations is the Accounting Club, which is a great way to meet future employers. My sorority has been a great experience, too.
Plans after graduation: I plan to continue at NDSU to get my Master of Accountancy degree and then I will be an auditor associate at Eide Bailey in Fargo.
Babak Jahani
Major: Doctoral student in mechanical engineering
Research focus: Anti-bacterial surfaces that defend against germs
Hometown: Fargo, North Dakota. Orginally from Iran.
There was a very meaningful bridge between what I learned in the classroom and what I did in the lab. Thanks to the concept of a research-based university, my classes aligned with the things I was supposed to be doing in the lab. I’m very thankful for that.
Plans after graduation: To work in a company that specializes in medical devices.
Jordyn Meskan
Major: Civil engineering
Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Some of the things that I’ve been very blessed with at NDSU is that the size of the school has been perfect for nurturing experiences and opportunities. There are a lot of ways to get involved at NDSU, whether its extra-curricular organizations or taking a research position or working at the dining center. You don’t have to pick just one organization. You get to do things that you love and want to do.
Plans after graduation: Over the last summer, I had the opportunity to intern with Black and Veatch in Bloomington, Minnesota. It was really cool, and an area of civil engineering I never thought I would go into. I’ve been offered a full-time position.
Aurora Obembe
Major: Nursing
Hometown: Fargo, North Dakota
Here at NDSU, there is a community of support, and all you have to do is step forward, work hard, take initiative and show you want more for yourself. The people on this campus want you to succeed and are experts in their field. They guide you toward success – it’s a good place.
Plans after graduation: I’ve committed to working in the field of psychology – mental health and substance abuse. I haven’t decided yet, but fortunately the job market is in my favor. Later, I’d like to become a psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner, and also teach.
Tyler Toepke-Floyd
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Wishek, North Dakota
The friendships I’ve made here will last forever – NDSU is a very welcoming place. Whether it’s academics, sports or clubs, it’s all about the friendships you make. They are the people who will pick you up or help you out. You’ve got to value your friends and try to be a good friend back. It pays dividends.
Plans after graduation: I’ll take a two-week trip to Ecuador to do some mission work, and then I will be working at Field of View in the tech incubator at NDSU. It’s a start-up business in the drone industry, and I’ll be doing mechanical engineering work there. It’s a really small company and I’ll wear a lot of hats as an entrepreneur, but it’s something I like to do.
