Malinda Brunk (BA ‘26) recounts her experience at the Ford School's 2026 Career Exploration Days and shares the lessons she learned from alumni on navigating career journeys and professional development.
Preparing for the Trip
My motivation for the trip was originally just to spend a weekend in DC with my friends and meet a few alumni—and get to experience the trip that Gail Tien of Career Services was always talking with me about. I also spent four months in DC last year, and I was eager to go back. Once I realized there would be people there doing exactly what I want to do in the future, I was excited to connect with them. The job outlook for national security careers is quite grim these days, but I prepared by remembering my achievements and the work that I have done in the past to be able to make conversation with prestigious alumni.
Trip Highlights
I was lucky enough to go on this trip with another student who has lived in DC her whole life. While the events the Ford School put on were fabulous, the nightlife and food in DC are where the city truly shines. My friends and I had some really cool experiences outside the Ford School events, and we had the most fun when we went out to dinner and explored the city at night. We also went with my friends' parents to a country club where Brett Kavanaugh frequents—and watched Duke lose, which may have been the highlight of our experience!
Major Takeaways
I learned a lot from other students and alumni, but what stands out most to me is that regardless of how accomplished and put together each of us is, no one really knows what will happen in the future. It is so important and comforting to hear from experienced professionals that your first job is not where you are going to end up long term and that at 22 years old, you aren't supposed to be landing your dream job. The Ford School gives us a head start on amazing jobs, but it is okay if it takes a bit to get there.
Looking Forward
This trip really reinforced my decision to go to graduate school. I always knew I wanted to go, but this experience made me realize that to get where I want to be in the long term, graduate school is the way to go. It is no secret that many of my peers and I are scared to see what happens after leaving the comfort of Ann Arbor, but I'm learning to embrace not knowing what comes next. Taking some more time to build my resume so I'm a strong candidate for the jobs I am interested in might not be traditional, but it is okay. I am also realizing that networking is hard and slightly uncomfortable. It's strange to talk to established professionals about yourself and what you plan to do when you have little experience. Still, I think it's good to put yourself out there and learn about other people's experiences, especially if you have an interest in their work.
My advice to my fellow Fordies is this: take every opportunity you get. Go to DC! Do an internship you never thought you'd be interested in! Learn about a policy area you've never thought about exploring! Even thinking about who I was and what I wanted one year ago is significantly different from who I am and what I want now, and I'm sure I'll be saying the same a year from now.
Malinda Brunk (BA ‘26) is a senior from Lake Orion, MI, studying national security policy against domestic terrorism. She is passionate about protecting democratic institutions and improving public safety, and intends to pursue a career in national security after her graduation in May. Outside of work and school, she spends her free time singing in the Women's Glee Club and Heartbeat Philanthropic A Cappella.