Photo courtesy of St. Ambrose University. Pictured above, Ambrose graduates from May 2024.

While most undergraduate students at St. Ambrose University will graduate in the spring after completing four years, there are several winter graduates every year. 

These individuals have a variety of plans after graduation, including both higher education and entering the workforce. One thing all of the following graduates have in common is that they have all studied forensic psychology during their time at St. Ambrose. 

Olivia Sobieszczyk has accomplished a lot during her time at St. Ambrose University. She double majored in Forensic Psychology and Justice, Diversity, & Gender Studies. This past semester she has also been working at the Juvenile Detention Center as a part of her Forensic Psychology Internship Class. 

“I have loved my time at St. Ambrose University and I’m extremely grateful for all the memories and friends I’ve made along the way.”

Sobieszczyk’s plans for after graduation aren’t any less ambitious. She has already accepted a position as a Registered Behavior Technician at Beyond Behavior, which provides services for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. 

However, not everyone has concrete plans following graduation. Sophie McPeek, a double major in Forensic Psychology and Biology, isn’t exactly sure what she would like to do after graduation. 

“After graduation I don’t really have anything set in stone yet,” McPeek explains. “Since I don’t really have anything lined up yet, I am probably going to go back home and babysit and save up some money and keep looking for jobs.”

In the Forensic Psychology Internship Class, McPeek has been at Central High School working with students who are at risk of being involved in the criminal justice system. 

In the future, McPeek says she would like to work in crime scene investigation and evidence. The combination of Forensic Psychology and Biology would provide a great background for this type of career. 

Grace Kuchar is also a Forensic Psychology major with a minor in Criminal Justice. For her internship, she worked at The Safer Foundation with youth who have dropped out of high school. While she would like to go to graduate school, Kuchar is waiting until the fall to begin. 

“After graduation, I am planning on taking a few months to work until I start grad school in the Fall of 2025,” she explains. “I am still applying for schools right now!”

Sobieszczyk also plans to attend graduate school for Social Work in the fall of 2025, and is in the process of applying to different programs. 

While she is not exactly sure where she wants to end up in her career, Sobieszczyk is optimistic about what is to come. “I’m excited to see what the future holds.”

The winter commencement ceremony will be held at the RiverCenter on Saturday, December 14th, beginning at 10:00 a.m. A live stream will be available for those unable to attend. The link will be posted the morning of commencement on the SAU Registrar Page.