Madeline Hoskins-Cumbey

mcumbey00@gmail.com

What was your major at Butler? Have you pursued any graduate degrees post-Butler?

My B.S. degree is International Business with a minor in French. I plan to pursue an MBA after I’ve worked full-time for a few years!

Where are you currently working? Where have you worked before now?

My current position (and first job after graduation) is as a Program Coordinator at Institute for Study Abroad. I graduated in May 2023, and began working at IFSA full-time in July 2023. In the fall of 2022, I began working at IFSA as an intern­- which was awesome! I had such a wonderful experience during my internship and with the team at IFSA, that I joined full-time after graduation. During undergrad, I had various internships in Indianapolis, Chicago, and Singapore. I found my internship at IFSA to be the most meaningful which led me to change some of my career trajectory decisions to align with what I find personally interesting and fulfilling. I realized if my heart is not invested in what I do, then it is a lot more difficult to be motivated and curious within your position. I would encourage any student to look for internships within fields they find engaging!

Have you worked or traveled internationally since graduation? If yes, where? If not, do you anticipate going abroad in the future?

One of the best perks of working at IFSA is that our U.S. team is remote! Working remotely allows me to travel and explore new places for longer than just a vacation. I am going to Europe in the Spring of 2024, including the U.K., Denmark, and Iceland. I’m so grateful to have a position that supports location flexibility so I can pursue my favorite hobby, traveling!

What advice would you give an IB major who is not sure about what they want to do with their major after graduation?

First, how you feel is completely normal! I would encourage people to develop the habit of limiting their time on social media because the comparison game of seeing who is doing what on LinkedIn, Instagram, etc. will make you feel worse. The most pressure I’ve ever felt was during my senior year of college, and the stress of finding a job right away can be debilitating and overwhelming. Second, I would suggest you make a list of options depending on what is viable for you. For example, if you can take a break from working immediately after school, research some volunteering or traveling opportunities for the summer after graduation. If not, research companies in industries you are personally interested in. For me, I found it was easier to job search within a certain field rather than for a specific job title. By searching on Linkedin, i.e. “Global operations” > Location: XYZ, it may be easier to discover jobs that are interesting to you rather than googling for a specific “Project manager” role. Third, pool your resources! I received a lot of comfort through talking with professors, friends, bosses/coworkers, etc. about their paths. Set up a meeting to build connections with your professors or find a mentor. These people could be your career mentor, academic advisor, or I recommend getting involved in a group at the CFV at Butler, they are specifically there to help you with this! I learned a lot from my peers and leaders during my later years on campus, and it helped me solidify what I envisioned for myself after graduation. You as a human being are more than just what you do for work, so places like the CFV can help you create your vocation (“life’s purpose”) that goes beyond just career. 

Are there any skills (soft skills, language skills, communications, etc.) that you would advise that IB majors prioritize while still in school?

I highly recommend IB folks invest in language classes while you can. I chose French as my language of choice, but any language will be beneficial to you in the future! It will challenge you (in a healthy way) to grow in an area outside of business and you will learn more about a culture. Being confident in other skills such as written and verbal communication, Office 365 (PowerPoint, Excel), and time management will also serve you well.