For students and recent graduates, starting a new job or internship in an unfamiliar city can be exciting. It can also be intimidating, disorienting, and, well, downright scary.
To help ease the transition from campus to career, the Wisconsin School of Business hosted a brand-new event, Know Before You Go: A Guide to Your New City From WSB Alumni Who Call it Home, on April 23.
With support from WSB’s Alumni Relations team and undergraduate program office, the event connected students with alumni and members of the Wisconsin Business Alumni Board, who shared their personal experiences of moving to new cities for work, as well as the insider information they wish they had known upon their own graduation.
According to board member and organizer Sam Komisar (BBA ’23), who moved to Chicago after graduation—in the depths of winter, no less—the event was created not only to assist students who have already made plans to move, but also to encourage exploration of landing spots they may not have considered.
“When students are already tasked with finding a full-time job, the question of ‘where do I want to live after graduation?’ often takes a back seat,” Komisar says. “Students may default to their home cities or cities they’re familiar with, missing the opportunity to explore a new place that could be an amazing fit for them. This event was designed to help students push themselves to explore a new city and connect with amazing WSB alumni who live there.”
Event attendees were able to visit with and learn from alumni living in cities like Chicago, Milwaukee, and New York City. In small groups, they discussed everything from transportation logistics to exciting local activities.
“Business Badgers are everywhere and show up for one another in countless ways. Know Before You Go is a perfect snapshot of that,” says Kate Prehn (BS ’09), WSB’s director of alumni relations. “We hope that by continuing to host events like this, students will see how they can stay involved and be an active part of our nationally recognized alumni network.”
According to The Princeton Review, UW–Madison has the #14 best alumni network among public schools, in large part due to dedicated alums supporting efforts and events like Know Before You Go—which WSB plans to continue in the coming years.
“It’s special seeing future and current alumni come together to connect, learn, and grow,” adds Prehn. “That’s truly the Business Badger way.”
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