Written by Ella Madison
Are you about to graduate? Do you have an inescapable fear of the future? Are you ready to walk across the stage, grab your degree, and enter the real world? No? Well that’s okay, because Meghan Gattorna was in your shoes 4 short years ago, and where she is now will give you peace and excitement for the future that lies ahead of you.
The world says, “when you graduate you are supposed to have it all figured out” or, “one wrong decision and you might mess it all up!”. Gattorna’s mom says this instead, “You are never big enough to mess up God’s plan for your life.” So, take a deep breath, put in the hard work, and buckle down as one of the most exciting chapters of your life is about to unfold!
Gattorna graduated from the University of Northwestern in 2022 and is now in the role of Senior Marketing Director at Chick-Fil-A, Woodbury at the age of 24. As a teenager, she moved from Iowa to Minnesota to finish high school, and then it was on to Northwestern, where she completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations. She now balances her social, work, and spiritual life as she is a member of a church in Cottage Grove, Minnesota. During her time at Northwestern, she applied herself in many ways and took full advantage of the opportunities given to her. “I don’t know if I’d really say I regret a lot, but I think I would have wanted more variety in what I did while I was in college.” She explains how she was always doing something productive, but maybe got into the rhythm of life too much, and should’ve balanced fun and some spontaneity once in a while. She says the only thing she can think of as a possible regret was not having more variety in the opportunities, she involved herself in. She also says she regrets not conversing more with her professors, and truly focusing on building those genuine connections, as she has now realized they were all so full of wisdom and tools that could have helped her succeed even further during her time in college. In relation to communicating with professors, Gattorna quickly learned that there are great differences in the ways you communicate with professors compared to bosses. In the work force, it is important to have confidence in your work and your decisions. Gattorna says that bosses don’t have the time for every little question you may have and this makes you learn quickly to have confidence in your ability to think on your feet and trust the training and education you have to make the best decision in your given situation.
From undergrad student to Senior Marketing Director, Gattorna is now in charge, overseeing three people, continuing to grow in her leadership skills and growth as an individual. With these new changes in her position, she has also started a new endeavor in her personal life. Recently, Gattorna moved out of her parents’ home and into her own apartment, now navigating a whole new stage of adulthood. One of her biggest challenges so far? Finding her can opener!
Don’t panic, you are right where you need to be, and you have all the resources to make the connections you need! Gattorna encourages readers and soon-to-be graduates to make plenty of LinkedIn connections, and act on those connections. She says it takes a few short moments to make a lasting and beneficial connection. Here is a pro tip: utilize the message function on LinkedIn and offer to take business professionals in your goal workspace out to coffee. This gives you a way to learn more about the work environment you may be entering, get to know someone in the professional world, and take initiative to build relationships and interpersonal communication skills.
You are close to a big transition in personal value as well. Soon, you won’t look to your grades, or notes on your assignments from your professors to tell you, “You’re good enough.” It is important to be conscious of this change. Gattorna explained with a glimmer in her eye that she now reflects her worth on her spiritual growth, and learning from experiences. It is a beautiful change to let go of the weight of grades and coursework and now take all that you have learned into real world application!
So, take a deep breath, put your fingers on the keyboard, press “connect” on LinkedIn, and soon you’ll be walking across the stage in KPH, receiving your hard-earned degree!
