When Elise Rouleau-Rivera entered college undecided about her major, it was a terrifying thing. Trying to decide between two majors that she wasn’t even sure she was interested in felt like a battle. It wasn’t until she met with a career advisor at the Career Exploration Center (CEC) that she discovered a path that felt more aligned with her values and interests.
Coming into college, Elise wasn’t sure what she wanted to do. As a first-generation college student, she was navigating many aspects of higher education for the first time. She considered a few familiar career paths including education and law, but she wasn’t sure if those were the right paths for her.
“I ultimately decided to go into college undecided, which was definitely not a favorite topic for my family,” Elise said.
Elise’s academic advisor at Cross-College Advising Service (CCAS) recommended she visit the CEC. Once there, she met with career advisor Claire Peters, with whom she returned to for a few more meetings.
“The CEC is, I tell everybody, in my favorite place on campus. It absolutely encompasses all the values that I love.”
At the start of her first meeting, Elise described herself as indecisive and lost, and Claire helped her navigate those feelings. They talked through what was working (and what wasn’t), where to start with navigating UW-Madison’s many major offerings, and next steps to take toward finding her path. Elise tried out many different classes over her first three years, engaging with different topics intentionally and exploring areas of study she hadn’t known were available.
“I know I had no clue my majors existed. I was so used to hearing [about] business, human resources, engineering, nursing, nurse practitioner, etc…I didn’t even realize that there were so many majors on campus in the first place.”
Ultimately, Elise landed on a double major in Community and Organizational Development and Health Promotion, Health Equity, along with a certificate in Chicano Latino Studies. Looking back now, she reflects on what it was like coming into college undecided–
“It was 100% scary coming in undecided. But college is scary. College is a place where you have to just go with your fears,” she said. “You have to be okay with being uncomfortable, and that’s all part of the process.”
Now, Elise offers advice to students: explore widely. By taking diverse classes, and methodically exploring options with the help of career and academic advisors, she discovered both what she liked and what she didn’t, which she found essential in choosing her direction.
A lot of things helped Elise navigate the ups and downs (including the love from her pet bunny). Reflecting back on it now as a senior, Elise emphasizes that she doesn’t regret the process. In fact, there’s a quote she wishes everyone would take with them:
“With experience comes knowledge. Every experience, good or bad, teaches you. Every class, good or bad, teaches you something. So I think that is the most [important thing]. With experience comes knowledge.”
Story by: Nia Davis, Rachel Goodman, and Michelle Jackson