Sat., May 2 will officially mark the Class of 2026's graduation from Concordia. Seniors shared their post-grad plans, which range from graduate school and employment to simply enjoying the summer after graduation.

“Of the 229 undergrad students scheduled to graduate this spring, 185 have completed their First Destination Survey, that is a response rate of 81%!” said Mariah Lucas, Director of Career Development and Vocation. 

Lucas’s team found that students have been accepted into full-time positions at the City of Costa Mesa, The Walt Disney World Company, Modern Woodmen of America, Howard University and the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

“I will be working as a financial representative at Modern Woodmen of America, a financial services company,” said Nathan Stuewe, a Business Administration major with an emphasis in Finance. “Concordia has taught me to never stop asking questions. I will be taking this with me into my work, always pushing to learn, improve, and challenge the standards,” he added.

Track student-athlete Josiah Chin, graduating as a Behavioral Sciences major, stated, “I am planning to take a gap year to intern at the DA’s office and get work experience before applying to grad school. I’m also planning to try and work for federal law enforcement by the time I graduate from grad school, hopefully!”

Students have also shared on the survey that they will be attending graduate school at the University of Florida for Doctor of Veterinary Medicine; Concordia University for Nursing, Master’s in Business Administration, and Master’s in Counseling; California State University, Long Beach for a Master's in Statistics; and California State University, San Diego for a Master's in Accounting. 

For the seniors staff of The Courier, these are the plans ahead for them following graduation:

Rebekah Michel (Editor-in-Chief): I will be graduating this spring with a Bachelor of Arts in Music, with a Concentration in Vocal Performance and a Minor in Musical Theatre. Upon graduating, I will be relocating to the greater Orlando area to begin working for the Walt Disney World Company. I was accepted into the Disney College Program back in March and will be working as a cast member. I am very excited to be working at my favorite spot on Disney Property, EPCOT, as a Seater and Hostess at Garden Grill Character Dining. I hope to join Disney Entertainment following my program. Outside of the Disney College Program, I will be in New York, making my New York City performance debut in May and my Carnegie Hall debut as a soloist in July. 

Teagan Algarra (Layout Editor): My major is Graphic Design with a minor in Computer Science. My post-grad plan is to get myself and my design work out there so that I can get some experience and standing in the graphic design field. One day, I hope to be a part of a video game design team. I was also the captain of the volleyball team, and we won our first national championship this year. Even though my college beach volleyball career is over, I plan to still play over the summer! I’m going to spend my first summer in California with a few trips and concerts planned in between. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the beach volleyball program and The Courier team here at Concordia. It has been the most rewarding experience to work and play alongside some of the most extraordinary people.

Joseph Panetta (Sports Editor): My major is Business with an emphasis in Data Analytics and a minor in Communications. After graduation, I’m going to head home to Hawaii for the summer and spend some time with family and friends. While I don’t have anything lined up yet, my goal is to come back to California after the summer and start living that big boy life. During my time at Concordia, I was blessed to be a part of the men’s soccer team and also the sports editor for The Courier. Sports have been a big part of my life, and I would love to work in an analytics or data science field for a sports team. I’m excited for what the future holds.

Kiara Azuma (Local/Global and Online Editor): I will be graduating with a Bachelor’s in Behavioral Sciences with an emphasis in Sociology. I have been accepted and will be attending California State University, Long Beach, to pursue my Master’s in Social Work starting this fall. I am really excited to be part of this competitive program and continue expanding my passions for serving and advocating for people in our community. I know I wouldn’t have had this opportunity without the professors here at Concordia who ignited these interests and pushed me to keep going and believing in myself to do more. I hope to work as a social worker in a school or medical setting after completing my master’s program. But before all of that, I plan to take advantage of a restful summer, hanging out with friends and family, and taking a mini trip to Seattle! 

Students looking to support and cheer on their fellow graduates can attend the May 2 Spring Commencement ceremony!

Tags: graduation

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