Senior year is fast and furious, putting pressure on students to figure out what their next step is. How many alumni’s careers actually lineup with their original plan? 

2018 PHS graduate Emma Moore always saw herself under the lights because she had loved performing since she was little. She also wanted people to take her seriously and have a career that would directly affect people. 

“So what I originally planned to do after high school was to double major in Musical Theater and Recreational Therapy,” Moore said. “This was my way of saying, ‘I’ll be practical, even though what I really want to do is follow my dreams.’”

Though she planned on getting into the musical theater program, she ended up in the acting program and also minored in psychology. She grew through more opportunities, such as interning as a personal trainer and being a TA in a psychology class and yoga class. Following graduation, she has experienced success in the film industry. 

“I’ve been blessed with pretty humbling success in my first year and have held principal roles in multiple feature films,” Moore said. “And I’ve still done musical theater professionally even though I didn’t get into that program.”

Luke Condie, who graduated in 2021, had a similar experience as well.  

“I also discovered a love for acting in theater class, and wanted to keep doing that, so it was a full semester and a whole acting class before I decided to major in history,” Condie said. “Still, history, storytelling, and acting are all things I love, and I hope to be able to integrate them into whatever my future career is.”

Condie was able to find what he wanted to specialize in, even though it wasn’t on his first try.

“Keep your options open until you’ve decided what you want to do, and then go for it!” Condie said. “You don’t even need to have everything figured out when you start at college, if that’s even what you end up doing.”

Before graduating in 2020, Aidan Jacobsen originally planned on becoming a physical therapist. After working with Dax Mitchell, who was Powell High School’s previous athletic trainer, he found an interest in the recovery process. 

“I enjoyed being able to help people recover from injury or to watch them heal and progress,” Jacobsen said. “It was all very satisfying and fulfilling for me. It was a great way to help others and get to know people on a more personal level.”

Jacobsen is currently studying Kinesiology and Spanish at the University of Wyoming. He will continue studying Spanish, but is going to change from Kinesiology to Physiology so he can later attend medical school. 

While each of these graduates didn’t end up exactly where they planned, they are still on the journey to success and finding fulfilling careers. 

“So basically the biggest thing I’ve learned is what my mentors have emphasized over and over again: there are multiple paths to the same destination,” Moore said. “Honestly, all that has changed in my plans is that I’m more confident in what I’ve always wanted.”