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Finding Post-Grad Success

Graduating from Lewis & Clark College means you will earn a bachelor of arts degree that is grounded in critical thinking, written and verbal communication skills, teamwork, and problem solving—all of the essential qualifications you need to succeed in any career.

Life After L&C

March 12, 2026

Lewis & Clark students build a robust skill set throughout their four years that applies to any path they take after graduation.

Credit: Nina Johnson

Our alums’ accomplishments showcase the wide variety of possibilities and pathways that our students pursue after graduating. Here are a few of their stories.

Our Alums

Sierra “Star” Burton BA ’23, administrative and editorial assistant at Contemporary Art Review Los Angeles magazine
Jordan Gonzalez BA ’21, PhD candidate in chemistry at UCLA
Jaelen Hodges BA ’23, medical student at OHSU
Kalea Kaui BA ’23, MAT ’25, substitute teacher for the Beaverton School District
Eden Kenney BA ’23, law student at Stanford Law School
Liv Nicks-Turnley BA ’23, ungulate keeper and giraffe primary at Wildlife Safari
Maya Postigo BA ’23, clinical research assistant and program manager for the Listos: School Readiness Lab at OHSU
Lauren Satterwhite BA ’23, clinical PsyD candidate at William James College
Adam Schwarz BA ’23, junior data analyst for Alytic

Sierra “Star” Burton BA ’23

Sierra posing outside while on her overseas program in Italy.

My own journey has truly been unconventional—I now work in an industry much different than what I studied. However, the political science department helped shape my writer's voice and professional writing skills. I also give major credit to the electoral and legislative fellowship I participated in my junior year with Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon. It shifted how I saw myself—as a community leader with ideas worth sharing.

Hometown: San Jose, California
Major: Political Science
Extracurriculars: Artemis (Ultimate Frisbee) and improv

Path after L&C: Right after graduating, Sierra worked for several children’s circus arts and performing arts companies. In 2024, she was selected to participate in a nine-month art handling apprenticeship at the Broad Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. She is now the administrative and editorial assistant at Contemporary Art Review Los Angeles magazine.

Jordan Gonzalez BA ’21

Jordan smiling outside on the L&C campus.

I fell in love with the idea of research after participating in L&C's Rogers Summer Science program. It's what motivated me to pursue my PhD.

Hometown: Chandler, Arizona
Majors: Mathematics and Chemistry (double)
Extracurriculars: Baseball

Path after L&C: Jordan is currently a PhD candidate in chemistry at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Jaelen Hodges BA ’23

Jaelen Hodges BA '23

The support I received from L&C's pre-med program was invaluable and made a tremendous difference in my path.

Hometown: Eugene, Oregon
Major: Psychology
Minor: Neuroscience and Health Studies (double)
Extracurriculars: Rowing team captain, Pre-health Club, science museum volunteering, L&C Hillel, SAAB tutoring

Path after L&C: Jaelen worked for two years as an assistant coach for the Lewis & Clark rowing team and as a medical scribe in a local emergency room. She is now in medical school at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU).

Kalea Kaui BA ’23, MAT ’25

Kalea Kaui BA '23, MAT '25

Every class, every lesson, every day prepared me for life after college, including more college. Graduate school was a dream, and L&C made that possible for me.

Hometown: San Jose, California
Major: Music (performance)
Extracurriculars: Varsity softball, Orchestra, Hawaii Club, private viola lessons

Path after L&C: Since graduating, Kalea discovered her love of teaching children. She returned to campus to earn her master of arts in teaching degree at Lewis & Clark’s Graduate School of Education and Counseling. She is currently a substitute teacher for the Beaverton School District in Oregon.

Eden Kenney BA ’23

Eden Kenney BA '23

As a transfer student coming from a large public university where it felt easy to fall through the cracks, I was drawn to the intimate class sizes and more personal connections with faculty that L&C has to offer.

Hometown: Bay Area, California
Major: Sociology and Anthropology
Minor: Rhetoric and Media Studies
Extracurriculars: L&C Speech and Debate team; high school speech and debate coach; sociology summer research assistant

Path after L&C: Since graduating, Eden has coached speech and debate at a high school and started her own LSAT tutoring business. She is now earning her JD at Stanford Law School.

Liv Nicks-Turnley BA ’23

Liv posing with a giraffe.

The support I had while at L&C allowed me to find my niche in the field of conservation, and the courage to try to make a difference.

Hometown: Longmont, Colorado
Major: Biology
Minor: English
Extracurriculars: Teaching Excellence Program, SAAB tutoring

Path after L&C: In the two years since she graduated, Liv traveled to Colorado and Alaska for conservation internships. She has now secured a full-time job as the ungulate keeper and giraffe primary at Wildlife Safari in Roseburg, Oregon.

Maya Postigo BA ’23

Maya Postigo BA '23

My four years at L&C were the most transformative years of my life. I learned the value of having a growth mindset, stepping outside of your comfort zone to embrace new opportunities, and using your resources. I was exposed to so many new ideas, people, places, experiences, and opportunities—both inside and outside the classroom—that challenged my preconceptions and helped me better understand myself and others.

Hometown: Cochabamba, Bolivia
Major: Psychology
Extracurriculars: Mixed LC copresident, Palatine Support Network facilitator, 2022 International Fair cochair for Latin America, Gente Latina Unida, mentor for IME’s Great Expectations program, International Fair Committee

Path after L&C: Maya has been working as a clinical research assistant and program manager for the Listos: School Readiness Lab at Oregon Health & Science University for the past two years. She engages Latino parents, pediatricians, and early childhood educators to codesign and evaluate interventions and programs to be used in pediatric clinics to promote school readiness among preschool-aged children and parents (primarily Latino) on Medicaid.

Lauren Satterwhite BA ’23

Lauren Satterwhite BA '23

One of the most important things I learned at Lewis & Clark was to not be afraid of creating my own path. I am interested in studying the area where dance, psychology, and rhetoric and media studies overlap. In my doctorate program, I intend to explore how dance may be used as the primary form of communication in a clinical therapy session.

Hometown: North Andover, Massachusetts
Major: Psychology
Minor: Dance and Rhetoric and Media Studies (double)
Extracurriculars: L&C Dance Company, Dance Y, Dance Extravaganza, Community Choral, New Student Trip leader for Creative PDX (fall 2021)

Path after L&C: After graduation, Lauren was hired as a dance instructor at Lake Oswego Academy of Dance and as the lead dance instructor at Tippi Toes East Portland. Working as a dance instructor solidified her love for children. She’s now working toward her doctor of psychology (clinical PsyD) degree at William James College.

Adam Schwarz BA ’23

Adam Schwarz BA '23

Lewis & Clark helped me develop a solid work ethic—it's made my current job feel like a walk in the park.

Hometown: Daly City, California
Major: Computer Science and Mathematics
Minor: Data Science
Extracurriculars: Fire Arts Club

Path after L&C: Upon graduation, Adam secured a job as a junior data analyst for Alytic in Arlington, Virginia.

Admissions Alumni

A High Note

Composer Oswald Huỳnh Named a 2026 Guggenheim Fellow

Oswald Huỳnh BA ’19, whose music explores memory, heritage, language, and identity, has been named a 2026 Guggenheim Fellow in music composition.

Global Research

City Life Makes Animals Bolder

A new global study led by L&C biologist Tracy Burkhard finds that city animals tend to be bolder, more aggressive, more exploratory, and more active than their rural counterparts.

Vision and Growth

Law School Strategic Plan Focuses on the Future, Student Success, and Community

“Excellence and resilience in a fast-changing world” is the focus of the Law School’s strategic plan, with efforts to future-proof the school and ensure students’ success.

Immersive Learning

Turning Local Concerns Into Environmental Research

L&C seniors partnered with Portland’s Albina residents to respond to their environmental priorities, collecting and evaluating data on air quality, traffic safety, and the potential use of mass timber.