Tamia Gregory
Not-so-obvious career options for the undecided undergrad at Delaware State
Going off to college without any definite idea for your future career is completely normal. Maybe your mind isn’t made up yet because you have so many interests you’d like to explore, or maybe you haven’t discovered a field that best suits you – that’s totally fine!
When you have a talent you’d like to hone in on but aren’t sure how to make a career out of it, deciding on something as big as declaring a major or a minor can be stressful, especially when there’s so much to choose from. Your head might be spinning even more recently if you attended Delaware State’s Career Expo last month, exposing yourself to hundreds of employers in different industries nationwide.
While it is suggested that students declare a major by the end of their sophomore year, needing a bit more time is okay too.
Delaware State has four academic colleges for undergrads: College of Agriculture, Science & Technology (CAST), College of Humanities, Education & Social Sciences (CHESS, my college, which is also the best college here!), College of Business (COB), and Wesley College of Health and Behavioral Sciences (WCHBS).
Some (possibly) obvious careers from these colleges include veterinary doctor, English teacher, accountant, or behavioral therapist. However, it’s equally possible that none of these professions stand out to you or include anything you’re passionate about.
For a college student who is still on the fence about what they want to do in life, perhaps this list of some (possibly) not-so-obvious careers I curated can help you decide on a major at DSU!
Park Ranger: If you enjoy nature and conservation and consider yourself a people person, you could be a business major with a concentration in Hospitality and Tourism Management, or you could join CAST as a Biology major. You’d have the opportunity to share your love of nature with others who share that interest!
Fingerprint Tech: This may be perfect for you if you can’t get enough of true crime media, and you’ve been super inquisitive because you’d be responsible for examining and analyzing fingerprints found at crime scenes. A major in Criminal Justice (CHESS) is the way to go! Fingerprint Technicians or Identifiers working for the government made an average of $117.5K in 2022 – they were getting to that bag!
Museum Curator: A museum curator oversees artifacts; deciding where they’ll be displayed, where and how to obtain them, what collections will be displayed, and so much more. For all my history buffs who are passionate about the past, this is paradise! Back with another major from CHESS, a history major turned museum curator would be able to plan events for a museum surrounding a particular item or theme to celebrate history in their vision.
Lawyer: Hear me out – yes, I know this is not an uncommon career, but it’s the approach that’s probably the path less traveled. Instead of majoring in criminal justice or politics, you could be a student from WCHBS by majoring in psychology to become a lawyer! Having a detailed understanding of how the brain affects our actions and reactions would be critical in defending your clients. Fun fact: 50% of all Black lawyers are HBCU graduates. Let’s keep that momentum going, everyone!
Search Engine Optimization Specialist: Social media like TikTok and YouTube serve as a starting point for research for many users. If you and your friends are like mine, there’s a good chance you use TikTok to search for the best brunch places in your city, then head to Google to look at the menu and prices. As a restaurant that serves brunch, I would want nothing more than for my establishment to show up on your search, and an SEO specialist can identify the best strategy to make sure you and your friends can party with us over breakfast foods. If marketing and branding spark your interest, consider Business with a concentration in marketing.
I could go on forever, but in college, there is truth in the saying, “There is something for everyone.” Join clubs and organizations on campus that focus on things you are interested in; you never know when inspiration may hit!