College life at Arkansas State University serves a different purpose for every student that enrolls. The clubs, the classes, the camaraderie, the events, all of those things combined can guide a student forward through their higher education and their future career. At some point college ends, and for the graduating class of 2022, it ends with a degree. 

Tryniti Garred, senior zoology and fisheries and conservation biology major from Paragould, said, “I was able to get into a research scholarship that introduced me to some fantastic colleagues. I got pregnant with my son in the fall of 2019 and I had such an incredible amount of support from the biology faculty. COVID-19 didn’t alter my college life too much, and I had an overall great college experience.” 

Graduating from college, especially if a student goes directly after high school, can be a relief from being in school for so long. For other students it can be a nerve-wracking experience. 

Gracie Lannie, a senior criminology major from Hayti, MO, said, “I’m nervous about graduating because I’ve always been in school and I’m supposed to start a career. I had a child my junior year and that changed my mindset a lot during college.” Lannie plans on going to law school after graduation. 

For seniors who have been involved in clubs on campus it can be bittersweet leaving it behind, but moving on to greater things and doing something with their education can make it worth their while. 

Jake Clontz, a senior political science major from Leicester, North Carolina, said, “I have been volunteering in the theatre department and I got the experience of working with so many talented people. I have taken classes with some wonderful professors and it has really made my experience fulfilling. Jonesboro will always be a second home.” Jake looks forward to going home to North Carolina and finding a job in his field. 

The students featured are a few of many A-State graduates who look forward to their life after college. Their lives lie ahead of them and they will be equipped with skills, friendships, and a degree they didn’t have before. 

Categories: Life