How would you feel if you graduated a year early from CMU? Would you be happy to leave or nostalgic to see your college experience coming to end? I sat down with Devin Beahm who is graduating early and coping with the mixed feelings about her decision.
Devin is a junior Psychology and Global Studies double major. Next year she will attend the University of Central Florida located in Orlando. Devin will be earning her Masters in Sports Business Management and Masters in Business Administration. It’ll take her two years in earn her degrees.
Devin has definitely left her mark on CMU through all of the activities she has been involved in. Her impressive resume boasts a number of different organizations. She has been a part of the President’s Student Advisory Council, on the e-board of her sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta, an 1000plus executive board member, has a job as a Career Peer Mentor at the Career and Professional Development Center, on the Academic Review Board and University Committee on Discipline, an Orientation Counselor plus many more. Devin has been busy during her time at CMU with her classes, homework, and dedication to so many clubs and organizations.
Her feelings on leaving early are bittersweet. Devin said, “I’m so excited for my program next year because it’s a great opportunity.” Leaving CMU a year early she means saving her parents money that they will now be using to pay for her graduate school, which Devin greatly appreciates.. She told me, “it’s also a huge step for me in terms of going away from home.” Living two and half hours away from CMU in State College, PA Devin has had the luxury of traveling back and forth on the weekends. It will be an adjustment for her to be 1,000 miles away from friends and family, but I’m sure they will all love to visit her in sunny Florida! Devin is proud of her impressive accomplishment of graduating a prestigious school in three years. Devin said, “I’m sad I won’t be able to experience some things as a senior, but my senior friends have been more than accepting of including me in anything they do.” She has been dealing with the emotions of realizing this is her last semester at CMU and the excitement that her new program starts next fall.
There are many things that Devin will miss about CMU. She said, “I’ll definitely miss all of my friends, it’s weird to think I’ll be in a completely new state (Florida) next year.” Devin is also going to miss a lot of the key events that she loves about CMU like Carnival & Greek Sing. Devin said, “I’m definitely planning on coming back next year to see everyone as much as possible!”
Devin’s incredible experience at CMU has allowed her to seize this opportunity. Devin said, “One of the reasons why I feel like I could graduate early is because I have experienced so many things.” She has received a great education, had an on-campus job, studied abroad, participated in research, joined a sorority, and met so many great people.
The chance to graduate early is a rare one and not many will have the option. But if you do and if you’ve had an amazing experience at CMU and a fantastic opportunity ahead of you, take Devin’s lead and graduate early!