Ohio State graduates prepare for careers after commencement
Thousands of students from The Ohio State University will join family and friends in Ohio Stadium this weekend to celebrate the first in-person commencement since 2019. The class of 12,345 graduates, undergraduates and certificate holders will have a chance to celebrate and then move on to the next step of their professional lives.
Emmanuel Adu, a fourth-year aerospace engineering major and undergraduate student research associate at the Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence (CDME), chose Ohio State because he was inspired to see the stars.
“I was either going to be an astronaut or going to do something with flying,” he said. “I wanted to be a jet pilot, but I figured out my vision was really bad. I couldn’t do that, but engineering just sounded cool.”
Adu was born in Nigeria before moving to Columbus for elementary and high school. After a head injury led to severe amnesia, Adu had to take remedial courses at a community college to relearn basic concepts.
Despite these challenges, Adu will graduate this week and begin a two-year rotational program in software engineering with Capital One. Armed with his engineering degree, Adu said he also wants to tap into his entrepreneurial spirt.
“I’ve always wanted to start a little business,” he said. “So I think two years, three years from now, I want to get my MBA and maybe start my own company.”
For Annika Diaz, a fourth-year animal sciences major with a specialization in animal biosciences, that next step is graduate school. A Morrill Scholar, Diaz has served as a science educator in Columbus-area schools and as a researcher at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. Following graduate school, Diaz sees her future as a researcher and teacher.
“Ultimately, my goal and my career is through my research to answer problems that are affecting both human and animal health,” she said. “Or giving back to my community by way of being an educator and combining that research and education aspect.”
Diaz and Adu are just two of the thousands of Ohio State graduates preparing for the careers of the future. For the university, and the state, that preparation is in focus during the annual In-Demand Jobs Week – a statewide recognition of the jobs, industries and skills that are in demand in Ohio.
Ohio has in-demand jobs in more than 200 occupations across a wide range of industries. Ohio State works with students and employers to help them connect through career fairs, networking events and online resources. The Buckeye Careers program in the Office of Student Life offers career development assistance, support and resources for all Ohio State students.
One example: The Center for Aviation Studies is hosting a Zoom session for aviation careers and pathways on May 7 at 1 p.m. The session will highlight the variety of jobs that are needed within the aviation industry, as well as educational paths to those careers.
by Chris Booker, Ohio State News
