Amy Larson '17

Amy Larson ’17 struck the right balance between being open-minded and knowing what she wanted. The Dubuque native came to Simpson knowing she wanted to study criminal justice, but not being sure what her end goal was.

“I had no idea what I wanted to do with it yet, but I learned throughout my time that there are so many different things I could do in this field,” she said. “I never once thought about changing my major.”

This combination eventually led Amy to a job in the special investigation unit at EMC Insurance in Des Moines, her top choice for a job following graduation. Being offered the job two weeks after her interview didn’t come by chance, though. Simpson prepared her with the experiences she needed to stand out.

“I had a long resume with several different jobs, work study jobs, two internships, volunteer hours and many skills. During my interview, I never once stuttered when answering their questions,” she said.

Amy is unsure whether her job at EMC will serve as a stepping stone to something else or whether she’s in it for the long haul. Either way she’s open to new challenges and opportunities, even if they take her halfway across the country.

“I do not have any specific career plans at the moment because I know there are so many options that I haven’t even thought of yet,” Amy said.

No matter what, Amy knows that Simpson was a good community to ground herself in and launch off of when the time came. She knew from the first time she visited. She went with her gut and encourages others to do the same.