Are Alma College students prepared post-grad?

GAGANDEEP KAUR
GRAPHIC DESIGNER

NAYONIKAA SINGHAAL
STAFF WRITER

11/3/2025

Every college promises to prepare its students for the “real world.” But the truth is, no classroom alone can do that. At Alma College, preparation for life after graduation depends on how much you take advantage of what’s around you, the travel programs, campus clubs, leadership opportunities, and moments that push you beyond comfort. The resources are here, but it’s the students who make them meaningful. 

From my interviews with alumni across generations, one truth was clear: Alma prepares you for life if you take advantage of the opportunities it offers.  

“My time as a biology and chemistry major gave me a strong academic foundation, but it was the real-world experiences that built my confidence” said Nancy Benson (‘80). 

“What really helped was practicing interviews in Chicago and Detroit with different companies, it taught me how to speak in an interview,” said Benson. That skill carried her into her first job with Becton Dickinson, a medical manufacturer, before she pursued nursing.  

For Benson, Alma’s academics opened the door, but experiential learning helped her walk through it.  

For another alumni, the most important lessons came outside of the classroom. “Fraternity life was an introduction course into the real world, you have to deal with all kinds of people with different opinions, and you learn how to get things done together,” said Gary Stano (‘83). 

Through student leadership and orientation committees, he learned how to make people feel welcome and build community, skills that shaped his later career in medicine. “That’s what real life is about, working with people, dealing with problems, and learning how to make it all come together,” said Stano. 

“Your time here goes too fast. Grab the gusto while you can, because once you get out, it’s the real world,” said Stano. His advice captures what makes Alma unique. College is not just about absorbing information; it’s about discovering how to use it. Alma creates the environment, but students have to choose to be active participants in it. 

That same perspective came through in my conversation with a more recent graduate, “Alma has some great opportunities, especially Posey Global, it helped me come out of my shell and gain perspectives I wouldn’t have anywhere else. Alma is really meant for people who want to get out of their comfort zone,” said Rakkshet Singhaal (‘22). 

I’ve seen that same transformation in my own time at Alma. The college’s value isn’t just in its classes or career prep but in how it encourages students to take initiative. Programs like spring term travel courses, Alternative Breaks, and campus organizations teach lessons no textbook can: how to communicate across cultures and adapt to challenges.  

Professors don’t just teach, they mentor, connect, and push you to think beyond what’s familiar. Alma’s small size allows those relationships to be personal and lasting. 

So, does Alma College prepare you for life after graduation? Absolutely, but only if you let it. The preparation doesn’t come from a checklist of classes or credits. It comes from saying yes, to opportunities that challenge you, to experiences that scare you a little, to moments that force you to grow. Alma doesn’t just prepare you for a career; if you take advantage of what it offers, it prepares you for life itself.