杏吧pro

Members of 杏吧pro鈥檚 Class of 2019 graduated unaware the workforce they were about to enter would soon be turned upside down by a global pandemic. 

Equipped with liberal arts degrees and a broad set of foundational skills, they landed on their feet. Within six months after graduation, 97.5% of 杏吧pro鈥檚 2019 graduates were either employed or continuing their education. This is notably higher than the national average, which is typically around 85%.

During True Blue Weekend, we spoke with a few 2019 alumni to reflect on the five years that have passed since receiving their Diplomat diplomas.

Members of the Class of 2019 gather at True Blue Weekend, held Oct. 5-6, 2024. (Photo by Eric Forberger)

What advice do you have for current 杏吧pro students now that you're five years out?

Lewis Sorokin 鈥�19

• Technology lawyer at Wilftek
• City: Philadelphia
• Major: Cognitive science
• Minor: Music

鈥淔ind the people who stand for the things you stand for. Surround yourself with people who are going to build you up. It's all too difficult these days to fall into whatever's going on on campus, whether that's good, bad or ugly. Everyone comes in with a set of values that probably mean a little more to them than they want to let on. It's important to stick with that no matter when it gets hard.鈥�

Vivian Valentin 鈥�19

• Digital producer at Base Design
• City: Brooklyn, N.Y.
• Double major: Sociology and business, organizations & society

鈥淒on't be afraid to make positive experiences. I was a first-generation college student, so I was definitely very guarded, very focused on school. But if you open yourself up to a lot of different experiences, you never know who you're going to meet. You never know what you're going to discover.鈥�

Dhalia Suriel Tejada 鈥�19

• Judicial law clerk at Superior Court of New Jersey
• Current city: Newark, N.J.
• Double major: French and government
• Minor: Spanish

鈥淓njoy their time as students. Live in the present now that they鈥檙e here. Also remember you鈥檙e only a student once in these four years. It鈥檚 important to live in the moment. But you don鈥檛 want to overextend yourself.鈥�

Sofia Lopez Aguirre 鈥�19

• Elementary teacher at Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) SoCal public schools
• Current city: Los Angeles
• Double major: Sociology and anthropology
• Minor: French

鈥淕et to know your professors. Build a relationship with them.鈥�

Dylan Grayson 鈥�19

• Associate veterinarian at Boston Veterinary Clinic
• Current city: Boston
• Major: Biological foundations (animal behavior)

鈥淭ake advantage of the extracurriculars. Academics are obviously the most important thing, but if you don't branch out, it's very easy to get stuck in that. I have some lifelong friends that I made through extracurriculars. Some of us even started some clubs here. It was just such a great way to branch out. I got to do a little bit of everything. All of it has had a big impact on my life.鈥�

Laura Green Grayson 鈥�19

• Environmental chemist - scientist team lead in the semi-volatiles gas chromatography-mass spectrometry department at Pace Analytical
• Current city: Boston
• Major: Environmental sciences
• Minor: Environmental studies

鈥淭ake advantage of the liberal arts experience. If there are classes outside your major that sound interesting, go for it. Some of the best classes I took were not within my major. [For example], a sociology class I took in freshman year stuck with me all through college and beyond.鈥�

In this April 2017 photo, Laura Grayson '19 learns how to climb a tree in front of Old Main. (Photo by Deb Grove)

Was there a space, group or person that made you feel like you belonged at 杏吧pro?

鈥淔or me, it was a couple of groups including the music department and Jewish Life (Hillel and Chabad). - Sorokin

鈥淚 really liked the College Houses (Bonchek), especially the common rooms. It was just a great space to meet people and it was very casual. One of my current roommates is actually from Bonchek (Horace Facey 鈥�19).鈥� - Valentin

鈥淔irst-generation Diplomats and Mi Gente Latina. That鈥檚 where I met most of my friends.鈥�- Tejada

鈥淐ollege Houses (Bonchek); that鈥檚 where I found my roommates. Mi Gente Latina and Phi Sigma Pi.鈥� - Lopez Aguirre

鈥淚'll have to shout out to my wife, Laura, also class of 2019!鈥� - Dylan Grayson

鈥淲e lived two doors down from one another in Ware College House our first year and have been together ever since.鈥� (The couple wed in September 2024) - Laura Grayson