A new group of Honors College graduates from Georgia State University began their post-graduation journeys last week, moving into careers and further education with strong academic records and hands-on experience. Nearly one in five of the approximately 375 graduates plan to attend graduate or professional school, while others are starting jobs or gaining experience for future studies.
Sarah Cook, dean of the Honors College, said on May 12 that what stands out about these students is their purposeful approach. “What stands out to me about Honors grads is how, regardless of what comes next for them, they move forward with intention,” Cook said. “That mindset stays with them long after graduation — it’s what drives them to keep learning, growing and adapting throughout their lives.”
Many students received awards during their undergraduate years and participated in leadership roles on campus. For example, Maryln Darko earned both the Grady Scholar award and Dell WomenLead Scholar award while serving as vice president in student organizations. Jainam Jain was recognized as a Delta Analytics Scholar at Robinson College of Business.
Some graduates are continuing directly into master’s or doctoral programs across fields such as computer science, nursing, business administration, law, healthcare, technology, public policy and humanities. Others are entering competitive job markets: Abhay Deep Singh will work as a software development engineer at Amazon; Alexandrea Agbojeyin joins Equifax as a cybersecurity engineer; Maria Brown will be a press assistant for a U.S. senator; Rahul Kadam starts at UPS as a data analyst.
Graduates credited internships and applied learning experiences during college for helping build professional networks and practical skills that prepared them for these opportunities. Puja Raol reflected on her upcoming year as a Fulbright Scholar: “As a Fulbright Scholar, I plan to lead a research study in rural India for the upcoming year to study mental health disparities and implement culturally sensitive and holistic mental health interventions. The experiences that the Honors College has provided me have encouraged me to grow as an individual and future physician.”
The university highlights mentorship from faculty members alongside programs like the University Assistantship Program (UAP), honors thesis projects and research conferences as key elements supporting student success. Graduates say smaller class sizes helped foster community among peers while encouraging curiosity about their chosen fields.
This graduating class demonstrates preparation through research involvement, leadership roles on campus and real-world experience gained before completing their degrees.
