Seniors prepare for life after Detroit Mercy

As we near commencement on May 13, Detroit Mercy seniors are preparing for life after college.

For Alyssa Theisen, the answer was always simple: she would become a nurse. Following graduation, Theisen plans to start a position in the emergency department at DMC Children’s Hospital.

“When I was little, I would play doctor with anyone who would play with me and knew healthcare was what I loved,” she said. “As I’ve gotten older, I knew nursing was for me.”

Sarah Kuenzel, a Health Services Administration major, also knew from a young age that healthcare was the right path for her. She found inspiration in those closest to her: her family.

“My entire family is in healthcare and I’ve always known I was going to follow in their footsteps and also enter the healthcare field,” she said.

Kuenzel’s first job was an activities assistant and resident aide at a senior living community called Samaritas. Following graduation, she will return there full-time as their Life Enrichment Director.

“It’s really nice to see all the residents because I’ve worked with a lot of them before,” Kuenzel said. “They are just such a rewarding group to work with. They have so much to share with this world and they are so grateful for everything we do for them.”

Track athlete Zachary Zaborney is graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering.

He says that the material he learned at UDM has already been applicable to his life and has prepared him for a successful career. He plans to return to Detroit Mercy for graduate school.

“My dream job is something that has both office work and work that gets me outside and dirty,” he said.

Myles Harris, a Psychology and Philosophy major, plans to take a gap year following graduation, where he plans to continue acquiring experience in the field of psychology by working in a research lab and shadowing therapists.

He dreams to one day be a researcher within his own lab.

Harris found passion in the field of psychology with his desire to help others understand a personal situation he has dealt with throughout his life.

“I chose psych because I want to progress the understanding for my condition: ADHD,” he said.

Following three seasons of college softball at Creighton University, Ryann Glenn decided to finish out her senior year on a softball scholarship at Detroit Mercy. Despite growing up halfway across the country in Mohave Valley, Ariz., Detroit Mercy already sounded like home to the senior, because her sisters also attend UDM.

Glenn will be graduating with a Health Services Administration degree, in hopes to fulfill her dream of a career in dentistry.

Upon completion of her degree, she will be attending Roseman University in Utah to get her Master’s of Science in Biomedical Science. She eventually plans to pursue a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree.

“I chose Detroit Mercy because I knew I wanted to continue to receive an education rooted in Jesuit values,” said Glenn, “My older sister, an alumni, always talked about the opportunities Detroit Mercy offered, and I knew how important that was. I also wanted to finish my athletic career playing with my younger sister.”