Charting Your Post-Graduation Path: Navigating the Road to Success
Written by: Nina Rawal (W’27); Edited by Élan Martin-Prashad (C’27)
Thinking about life after graduation can be daunting. For most, the transition from college to the real world is accompanied by a range of emotions – excitement, anticipation, and a healthy dose of fear. With the looming idea of the future at the forefront of our minds, it is not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by the prospect of navigating the professional world. However, many Penn graduates, including Mckayla Warwick (C’20), founder of Collective Climb, have demonstrated that life after college can be extremely rewarding with the right amount of determination.
During a recent interview, Mckayla described her post-college lifestyle, hoping to share some knowledge for current juniors and seniors thinking about professional life after Penn. Mckayla co-founded her nonprofit organization, Collective Climb, during her senior year at Penn. After watching her aunts solve conflict in their community so quickly and creatively, a passion arose in Mckayla to empower young people in Philadelphia through restorative justice.
Here at Penn, Mckayla majored in Sociology with minors in Urban Education and Africana Studies. Through various courses, such as the Academically Based Community Service (ABCS) “Education in American Culture” course, she studied the insidious ways that systems of harm are reproduced through the justice and education systems. By the time she finished the class, she knew she wanted to work in policy but also do direct implementation work. However, she was not exactly sure what she wanted to do with these particular passions until the opportunity of the President’s Engagement Prize emerged. After a deep planning meeting at Hill Dining Hall with two of her friends, Kwaku Owusu (C’20) and Hyungtae Kim (C’20), who later became co-founders, the idea of Collective Climb developed.
Looking back, Mckayla has fond memories of Penn. Without experiences like the Ase Academy, a program where undergraduate Penn students mentor Black middle school students in West Philadelphia and internships off campus at Great Philly Schools, she would have never been inspired to lead a company as great as Collective Climb. During her time here at Penn, she also co-founded the Makuu summer program with the Black Cultural Center of the University of Pennsylvania, offering a comfortable environment for Black students and alumni to “just be.” Mckayla emphasizes that the Black middle and high schoolers she met through these Penn programs were her best teachers. Through their interactions, she gained valuable insights into their experiences, acquiring inspiration that propelled her to spearhead her own initiative. Mckayla encourages students to seize every opportunity presented throughout their tenures here, as she discovered her specific areas of interest through doing just that.
Embarking on the path to becoming a female leader in the business world entails confronting lingering feelings of apprehension that come with the occupation. Mckayla, for instance, grappled with concerns on whether or not she had the skill set and connections to assume the role of executive director at Collective Climb. While it did take her about six months to fully acclimate to such a position immediately after graduating, she would not trade her career for the world.
Her advice underscores the daunting nature of forging a professional trajectory, emphasizing the importance of unwavering determination and effort. With these qualities, success will come naturally. Concurrently, Mckayla maintains the importance of keeping a work-life balance. She advocates for establishing clear boundaries upon assuming a role, urging individuals to discern and uphold a comfortable equilibrium between work and personal life. After being submerged in a constant fast-paced environment like Penn, ensuring self-care can be challenging, but it is crucial for avoiding burnout.
Mckayla serves as an inspiring example, illustrating that the post-Penn transition, albeit daunting, warrants a deliberate pursuit of one's passions. Her narrative encourages individuals to identify and apply their passions to their professional endeavors, ensuring a fulfilling and purposeful life after graduation.
As we students face the uncertainty of life after college, we must remember that success is not just a destination but a continuous process fueled by passion, determination, and a commitment to making a difference. We can chart our post-graduation paths with purpose, and navigate the road to success with the right mindset and unwavering dedication.