Finding the Right Fit: How Ella Weinberger Turned a Major Pivot into Self-Discovery

When students arrive on campus, they’re often asked what they want to do, who they want to be, and how they plan to get there. What gets talked about less is the value of changing your mind. Career development  is rarely a straight path. Figuring out a career direction involves curiosity, experimentation, and a willingness to rethink old assumptions. Curiosity allows  those moments of uncertainty to become the starting point for something new. 

The same was true for Ella Weinberger. 

Ella thought she had her future figured out when she arrived at UW-Madison as a pre-nursing student. But pretty quickly she started questioning  whether nursing was actually the right fit. 

“I came in [to college] on the pre-nursing track and never really gave it a second thought,” Ella recalls. 

Like many first-year students on pre-health tracks, Ella dove into her heavily science-based prerequisite classes. Quickly, she realized she wasn’t enjoying them the way she thought she would. Every time she debated whether science was the right path, well-meaning peers reminded her that she wasn’t in actual nursing classes yet, and that it was normal to struggle with introductory chemistry and biology. But as Ella continued pursuing nursing, she grew increasingly doubtful. The more she learned about the field, the more she realized it wasn’t the right fit. 

Knowing she needed guidance, Ella visited the Career Exploration Center (CEC) where she met with career advisor Ryan Bouchard and shared her growing uncertainty about her path. As they talked, Ella began reflecting on interests she had largely set aside. In high school, she had been an active member of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), where she enjoyed learning business fundamentals and competing at the state and national levels. Although she had once considered studying marketing, she hadn’t felt ready to move away from her longstanding plan to pursue nursing.

Talking through her experiences helped Ella recognize that those interests hadn’t disappeared. Instead, they might’ve been pointing her toward academic and career possibilities that felt more aligned with who she was becoming. Ryan introduced her to resources such as The Guide to help her explore possibilities and generate new ideas.

“I actually had no idea that a journalism major was an option, or that marketing could be [studied] inside [the] journalism [school],” she said.

After her visit to the CEC, Ella decided to try something new and enrolled in Journalism 202. The course immediately aligned with her interests in creative marketing, and she found herself deeply engaged and eager to participate.

Still, discovering a new path and committing to it were two different things. Letting go of a plan she had carried with her for years was intimidating, even as she grew more excited about the possibilities ahead.

“I was scared to make the jump,” Ella admits. “From all these medical classes to writing and marketing, it’s such a different field.”

But the more she explored journalism and marketing, the more confident she became. Rather than moving away from something, Ella realized she was moving toward work that genuinely excited her.

Her advice to fellow students facing the same mid-major crisis? Don’t be afraid to explore.

“You come to college thinking you want to do one thing, but it’s common to switch. I think it’s important to know just how many people do that,” she said. “Take a class if you think you’re interested in something else. Even if you don’t like it, you tried it and you’re getting credit for it. It’s important to try.”

Now, Ella is actively exploring and preparing for professional opportunities in marketing. A lifelong sports fan and athlete herself, she is setting her sights on sports marketing and agency work, with ideas ranging from team social media management to sports representation agencies. Like everyone else, Ella can’t predict exactly where her future will lead. What she does know is that she’s found a direction that feels right for her.

There is a reason so many student stories begin with a plan that changes. As new experiences shape their interests and goals, uncertainty can become an opportunity rather than an obstacle. Ella’s story is one example of how exploration can lead to unexpected possibilities and to a path that feels even more fulfilling.

Story by: Nia Davis, Rachel Goodman, Michelle Jackson