Campbellsville University senior Kelsey Overall, who is double majoring in Spanish and Christian missions, knows exactly what her plan is after graduation. She’s flying to Mexico on May 8 to accomplish the biggest dream of her life: She will be moving to Chapala, Mexico to serve as a missions director for Oak Life, a school for orphan care.
“I am so excited to be moving on to this next stage in my life, but I also am working through grieving and celebrating these last four years as I have been processing through this transition,” Overall said. “I am sure in the fact that the Lord goes before me, while also being nervous about what that may look like in the next few years.”
While attending a mission trip with the School of Social Work in November of last year, Overall was asked by the founder of Oak Life to consider taking this job. So, she went home and spent weeks praying about it and the Lord just called her to go.
“What excites me the most is being able to utilize all my passions in one place,” she said. “I get to live in a different culture, serve kids, speak Spanish and organize missions’ teams.”
Overall fears this next transition because it seems a little more permanent than others have been.
“I am unsure of how the Lord will move in this next season, but I am also sure that He will be with me in every step,” she said. “I plan to stay connected to those closest to me while also trying to build connections while I am in Mexico.”
Overall had this advice for future CU graduates:
“My advice would be to trust in the Lord’s timing, and that He has good plans set before you,” she said. “Grow closer to the Lord and allow Him to teach you new things. Always be open to learning new things.”
CU graduate student Allan Garcia is another student that has set his plan into motion. He’s a pastoral ministries and theology double major.
“I plan to work on my master’s degree at CU while working as the international counselor of admissions and, hopefully, pastor a church,” he said.
Garcia started working for the CU Admissions Office last summer.
“I was blessed by the possibility to work with international students and working alongside wonderful people and learning more from my professors,” he said. “It’s exciting to know that the best chapters of my life are yet to be written.”
However, Garcia realizes that not every graduate has everything figured out. Garcia’s advice is to pray, watch how and where God is working, ask people who have had similar experiences, explore different perspectives and be open to change and challenges.
CU senior Paula Fernández doesn’t currently have her future mapped out.
“It’s a little scary not having everything figured out yet,” she said.
As a psychology major, she’s learned a lot, not just about human behavior, but about herself, too. The program helped her to build critical thinking, empathy and research skills, and it gave her the confidence to ask more questions.
“My dream job is something that lets me make a real impact on people’s lives, maybe as a therapist, counselor or working with underserved communities,” she said. “Long-term, I’d love to be in a role that combines mental health advocacy, education and possibly even public policy.”
Fernández is interested in exploring careers where she can help people and apply her understanding of human behavior, for instance mental health related counseling, human resources, social work or nonprofit associations.
She has sought advice from professors in the psych department, completed some informational interviews, and looked into grad school programs. She has also been doing a lot of online research and asking peers who are further along in similar fields for advice.
“The future is very scary, but I’m trying to trust the process and stay open,” Fernandez said.
Gabriela Sanchez, a CU senior from Venezuela, feels the same way.
She’s currently majoring in criminal justice administration with a minor in psychology.
“My plans for the future are to work as either an FBI agent or INTERPOL (International Criminal Police Organization), but in order to get to those positions, I would like to get my master’s first,” she said.
Her first step after graduation will be to apply to graduate schools.
“I’m excited but at the same time I’m scared,” she said. “All I know is, everything will be fine.”
