Alumni & Family Engagement

After graduating in 2015 with a degree in international studies and Spanish, Regina Sanchez-Gonzalez took a role as a campaign assistant for California State Assembly. Following that, Regina became a recruiter for Global Citizen Year, which is an educational nonprofit. In 2018, she continued in the recruiting field but took a position at Lyft. During her time at Lyft, she was a business recruiter, national lead and technical recruiter. For the last three years, Regina has worked at Square as their lead technical recruiter. Regina advises current Hope students, “Take courses that intrigue you, even if you don’t see the direct career pathway in front of you. There are so many different types of jobs out there that you may not be exposed to (yet)!” Regina is passionate about cultivating teams and noticing strengths in others, just as she did in her time at Hope and does now in her current role at Square.

What was an impactful experience you had as a student at Hope?
Studying abroad for two semesters! I went to Sevilla my sophomore year and Freiburg my senior year. As someone who knew they needed to also be immersed in what they were learning about, I am so grateful that Hope had partnerships with great organizations and an ability to transfer tuition and scholarships to make these types of experiences possible.

To you, what makes Hope special?
Hope has a little bit of everything for everyone while retaining a small-college feel where you are not lost in the crowd and can find “your people.”

What is your current job title?
Lead technical recruiter: partner with the company’s engineering leadership to scale our teams globally across the Block ecosystem, one of the fastest-growing Fintechs in the world.

What do you love about your chosen career?
I am a partner in growing teams that play a role in creating the “tech world” that we as humans operate in. I take a lot of pride in building out inclusive interview processes, setting up people for success in interviews and connecting individuals with opportunities that can be life-changing for many.

What advice would you give to a current Hope student?
Take courses that intrigue you, even if you don’t see the direct career pathway in front of you. There are so many different types of jobs out there that you may not be exposed to (yet)! As a recruiter who has reviewed hundreds of resumes, I do not care what you studied but what skill sets (hard AND soft skills) you bring to the table.

What is a relationship that started at Hope that remains in your life?
I found my freshman year roommate through one of the internal Hope groups for incoming freshmen. We then lived together for three of our four years at Hope. She is one of my closest friends almost 10 years later, and we have been at each other’s side during all of life’s transitions: weddings, new jobs, cross country moves. We now live on opposite coasts (California and New York) but that doesn’t stop us from getting together for girlfriend trips every year!

Hope College is proud to honor Regina Sanchez-Gonzalez ’15 with the 2023 10 Under 10 Award. The 10 Under 10 Award honors emerging leaders who are making significant contributions by living out their callings; engaging in the local and global community through professional and/or volunteer involvement; and using their education to think about important issues with wisdom and clarity. Award recipients also communicate effectively to bridge boundaries that divide human communities and act as agents of hope living faithfully into their vocations. Designed for alumni who are within 10 years of graduation, these awards are presented by the Hope College Alumni Association. Make a nomination today.

After graduating in 2015 with a degree in social work, Karly Raklovits attended Western Michigan University where she received her master’s degree in social work in 2018. While she worked on her master’s in social work, Karly held a role as a foster home license specialist for Bethany Christian Services. In 2018, she took a role as a therapist at Bronson Battle Creek, Sexual Assault Services. Karly is very involved in her community as she has served at the Jericho Foundation as a breakout session speaker and as a board member at Edison Chapel. Karly says what she appreciates most about Hope is “the personal investment in students by exceptionally caring staff and faculty. I felt seen and cared for as a whole person, not just as a student, during my time at Hope.” Karly models advocating for others as she works to bring justice and hope into the world.

What was an impactful experience you had as a Hope student?
The Hope College social work department connected me with a wonderful internship opportunity that set me on the trajectory for my career.

To you, what makes Hope special?
The personal investment in students by exceptionally caring staff and faculty. I felt seen and cared for as a whole person, not just as a student, during my time at Hope.

What is your current job title?
I am a therapist at Sexual Assault Services, a grant-funded* department of Bronson Battle Creek Hospital. I provide individual and group therapy for children, teen and adult survivors of sexual abuse and sexual assault. I also provide court and systems advocacy for survivors and their families.
*All services are completely free for survivors and their families.

What do you love about your chosen career?
There is so much I love about what I get to do. I love that I get to create a safe context for healing within the therapeutic relationship. I love getting to apply evidence-based treatment methods and interventions that alleviate post-traumatic stress symptoms and promote healing. I am passionate about empowerment of survivors, and I love witnessing them reclaim their voices and their power, breaking through the pervasive shame, secrecy and silence that surrounds sexual abuse. I am grateful to be able to mitigate the stress of the court system by accompanying clients through the court process and advocating for their needs alongside them. I love facilitating group therapy where brave stories are told, and feelings of loneliness and shame lessen through supportive connection.

What advice would you give to a current Hope student?
College students are given lots of advice and opinions about what they “should” do, and I would instead encourage that each person practice listening to their body and their inner wisdom. Many things can trigger a disconnect from the body including trauma, high stress, chronic busyness, comparison and distraction. Practicing gentle awareness of your body, getting curious about the sensations, engaging in grounding practices that help you attune to the present, and allowing yourself to be with your emotions—to validate and feel them—can help cultivate the ability to reconnect with and listen to your body’s wisdom. A therapist can be a wonderful resource to help facilitate this process but know that your first therapist may not be the right fit and that’s normal and okay. Try another therapist if you’re able! In the words of a psychologist I admire, “If you’re willing to pay attention to and dialogue with what’s happening inside of you, you’ll find that your body already knows the answers about how to live a full, present, connected, and healthy life.” – Hillary L. McBride, Ph.D.

What is a relationship that started at Hope that remains in your life today?
I have many dear friends from Hope whom I remain very close to today! They weren’t kidding when they said you will make “lifelong friends” at Hope. We have stood in each other’s weddings, traveled together, loved on each other’s kids, celebrated each other’s accomplishments, and been present for each other in times of joy and of pain. A couple of us enjoyed living near each other in college so much that we bought houses within a couple blocks of each other.

Hope College is proud to honor Karly Raklovits ’15 with the 2023 10 Under 10 Award. The 10 Under 10 Award honors emerging leaders who are making significant contributions by living out their callings; engaging in the local and global community through professional and/or volunteer involvement; and using their education to think about important issues with wisdom and clarity. Award recipients also communicate effectively to bridge boundaries that divide human communities and act as agents of hope living faithfully into their vocations. Designed for alumni who are within 10 years of graduation, these awards are presented by the Hope College Alumni Association. Make a nomination today.

After graduating in 2015 with a degree in psychology, Sarah Peterson continued her education at the University of Kentucky. In 2017, she received her master’s degree in clinical psychology and later in 2022, she received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology. During her time in Kentucky, she also worked as a therapist at Jesse G. Harris Psychological Center. Currently, Sarah is a postdoctoral research fellow at University of Michigan Institute for Social Research. Sarah expresses her gratitude for her time at Hope College, “For me, it [Hope] was the perfect size to feel comfortable enough to take risks and challenge myself. I was able to be involved in so many academic and extracurricular activities that I don’t think would have felt accessible at a larger institution.” Sarah has used her liberal arts experience as a foundation for her work as a postdoctoral research fellow.

What was an impactful experience you had as a Hope student?
I had countless impactful experiences as a student at Hope, but one that sticks out in memory was taking Research Methods with Dr. John Shaughnessy. He really encouraged me throughout that course and suggested that I try an Advanced Research Methods course to learn more about the ins and outs of psychological research. This set me up for the path to graduate school, which led me to my current career path today.

To you, what makes Hope special?
Hope is such a unique institution. For me, it was the perfect size to feel comfortable enough to take risks and challenge myself. I was able to be involved in so many academic and extracurricular activities that I don’t think would have felt accessible at a larger institution. I felt connected to my professors and my peers.

What is your current job title?
I am a postdoctoral research fellow. My current work involves disseminating evidence from a large-scale NIH-funded research grant that investigated the development of high-risk drinking behaviors over time and their event-level risk factors and consequences. My work involves scientific literature reviews, conceptualization and writing of scientific manuscripts and grants, data analysis, and presentation at scientific conferences.

What do you love about your chosen career?
I love that I have the opportunity to continue to learn new things and then communicate what I have learned to others. There is so much information in today’s world, it can be hard to digest. Anything I can do to help contextualize and make sense of seemingly conflicting pieces of information is really rewarding.

What advice would you give to a current Hope student?
Get involved in as many things as possible, academically and otherwise! College is the last chance for a lot of these opportunities, and you never know where they will take you or who they will introduce you to.

Hope College is proud to honor Sarah Peterson ’15 with the 2023 10 Under 10 Award. The 10 Under 10 Award honors emerging leaders who are making significant contributions by living out their callings; engaging in the local and global community through professional and/or volunteer involvement; and using their education to think about important issues with wisdom and clarity. Award recipients also communicate effectively to bridge boundaries that divide human communities and act as agents of hope living faithfully into their vocations. Designed for alumni who are within 10 years of graduation, these awards are presented by the Hope College Alumni Association. Make a nomination today

After graduating in 2013 with degrees in chemistry and musical performance, Alec Norkey attended Bowling Green State University where he earned his master’s degree in music, focusing on ethnomusicology and violin performance. From 2017–2019, Alec attended the Boston Conservatory at Berklee where he received his graduate performance diploma in classical contemporary music performance. Currently, he is working on his Ph.D. in ethnomusicology at University of California, Los Angeles. Alec recommends that current Hope students, “Take seriously the ideas and insights that a liberal arts education can provide. Embracing a breadth of thought can help prepare for times of struggle and uncertainty that so many face in modern times.” Alec is a lifelong learner who generously shares his passion for music with others.

To you, what makes Hope special?
To me, Hope is defined by its leadership, administration, faculty and students, so I expect the college will develop and change over time. Despite this change, I believe that Hope’s intention is to realize good will towards all of its students, Christian or otherwise. I think that this intention, combined with the grace of humility, openness to difference and compassion for suffering, potentializes Hope as a space for fortitude, critique and progress.

What is your current job title?
I’m currently a Ph.D. candidate in ethnomusicology, so much of my work involves researching and teaching about music, as well as the ways in which music exists in the world in relation to people, within and as culture. In essence, this work comprises aspects of both the humanities and social sciences. It is about documenting the stories of humanity’s relation to music, as well as the material and social conditions which sustain musical beliefs and practices.

What do you love about your chosen career?
As a Ph.D. candidate in ethnomusicology, I feel that I’m incredibly lucky to pursue the study of music in so many different ways. Since the field of ethnomusicology is quite interdisciplinary, I am able to seriously pursue my interests regarding not only music and performance, but also issues of culture, society, pedagogy, religion and social justice (just to name a few). This disciplinary emphasis on multiculturalism provides an academic environment where I’m constantly learning new things. (As a result, I’m rarely ever bored.) Finally, many aspects of my work are self-led, meaning that I have a little bit more control over what I get to focus on in my research and teaching. This dimension of independence can actually be the most challenging aspect in certain respects, but I find it to be incredibly rewarding.

What advice would you give to a current Hope student?
I feel that the role of college has dramatically shifted since 2013. So many students today seem to look to college as a path towards social mobility (i.e. getting a good job). While this general sentiment is understandable, I would advise students of today to think about their future careers and professionalization as only one part of what it means to be educated. To this end, I would advise current Hope students to both concentrate on their major or specialization and also take seriously the ideas and insights that a liberal arts education can provide. Embracing a breadth of thought can help prepare for times of struggle and uncertainty that so many face in modern times. Such issues include not only economic prospects, but also the environment, war, religion, political extremism, violence or oppression, and technology, to name a few. The cultivation of a well-rounded individual is vital to the maintenance of organized life and the pursuit of peace.

Which class would you retake if you could? Why?
There were so many great classes, I don’t think I could choose just one. To make this question simpler for myself, I think one non-major class I would retake would be the Intro to Global Politics. This course really broadened my horizons, both in terms of culture but also how that culture affects the social conditions of a nation-state (and how those conditions, in turn, affect culture). Of course, the ways in which people live affect their thoughts about and experiences of music. I consider this class as a prelude to my interest in ethnomusicology (and I didn’t even know it.)

Hope College is proud to honor Alec Norkey ’13 with the 2023 10 Under 10 Award. The 10 Under 10 Award honors emerging leaders who are making significant contributions by living out their callings; engaging in the local and global community through professional and/or volunteer involvement; and using their education to think about important issues with wisdom and clarity. Award recipients also communicate effectively to bridge boundaries that divide human communities and act as agents of hope living faithfully into their vocations. Designed for alumni who are within 10 years of graduation, these awards are presented by the Hope College Alumni Association. Make a nomination today.

After graduating in 2016 with a composite degree, Gavin Midlam explored various industries. He worked as an associate industrial designer for Halo Neuroscience and then held a few roles at Adidas including a 3D footwear designer and a product manager. From 2021–2022, he worked as the head of products for Amberjack, a shoe company. Most recently, Gavin has ventured into his own entrepreneurial endeavors as he founded LEON, a footwear brand. Gavin is also the outreach and partnerships manager for the Refugee Nation, a nonprofit organization. As Gavin reflects on his career journey he shares, “You don’t have to pretend like you have it all figured out. Rarely is your career a linear journey. Try things, say yes, take risks.” Gavin uses his experiences to constantly create and try new ideas.

What was an impactful experience you had as a student at Hope?
My time as a student-athlete, playing soccer for the college, is responsible for some of the most impactful experiences during my time at Hope. Building discipline, character and, above all, a brotherhood of teammates that has been transferable in unimaginable ways in the context of my career.

What is your current job title?
I am the founder of a footwear company called The House of Leon. At this stage of the business, I wear a variety of hats spanning from footwear design, to sourcing and manufacturing, to raising capital. No two days are the same but everyday there’s a puzzle to solve.

What do you love about your chosen career?
I just love making things. And specifically, footwear. Having the autonomy to cast a vision and build not only products, but systems, relationships and, ultimately, a business. It’s the most challenging, yet rewarding thing I’ve ever done.

What advice would you give to a current Hope student?
You don’t have to pretend like you have it all figured out. Rarely is your career a linear journey. Try things, say yes, take risks.

What class would you retake if you could?
Sculpture with Billy Mayer. Billy had a transformative impact on my life helping me navigate my education at Hope and ultimately instilling a belief in myself to carve my own unique career path as a creator.

Hope College is proud to honor Gavin Midlam ’16 with the 2023 10 Under 10 Award. The 10 Under 10 Award honors emerging leaders who are making significant contributions by living out their callings; engaging in the local and global community through professional and/or volunteer involvement; and using their education to think about important issues with wisdom and clarity. Award recipients also communicate effectively to bridge boundaries that divide human communities and act as agents of hope living faithfully into their vocations. Designed for alumni who are within 10 years of graduation, these awards are presented by the Hope College Alumni Association. Make a nomination today.

After graduating in 2014 with degrees in English and theater, Lauren Ezzo pursued a career as an audiobook narrator. She is a freelance artist who contracts for various publishers and publishing houses such as Scholastic Audio, Penguin Random House, Audible Inc., Harper Audio and more. Lauren has received many awards for her work such as the Audible Editors Select Pick in March 2019 and March 2020, as well as her most recent award as the 2021 American Library Association Odyssey Award Recipient. Additionally, Lauren has volunteered as a narrator for Learning Ally, a non-profit that provides audiobooks to students with learning differences including vision impairment and dyslexia.

Hope College is proud to honor Lauren Ezzo ’14 with the 2023 10 Under 10 Award. The 10 Under 10 Award honors emerging leaders who are making significant contributions by living out their callings; engaging in the local and global community through professional and/or volunteer involvement; and using their education to think about important issues with wisdom and clarity. Award recipients also communicate effectively to bridge boundaries that divide human communities and act as agents of hope living faithfully into their vocations. Designed for alumni who are within 10 years of graduation, these awards are presented by the Hope College Alumni Association. Make a nomination today.

After graduating in 2014 with degrees in biology and chemistry, Parker Bussies worked as an ophthalmic assistant at Zeeland Vision. He also worked as a medical assistant at Eyes to See from 2014–2015. Parker began his master’s and Ph.D. in 2015 at University of Miami studying genomic medicine. He received his Doctor of Medicine in 2019 and currently is an obstetrics and gynecology resident at Cleveland Clinic Foundation Residency Training. Parker has utilized his skills to volunteer for different organizations such as the Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance, San Juan Bosco Free Health Clinic and the Lotus House Women’s Health Clinic. When Parker thinks about his time at Hope he says, “The faculty and staff at Hope College care so much about their students. I have been a part of several academic institutions since graduating and have never felt so valued as I did at Hope.” Parker empowers his patients by equipping them with the right information and giving them autonomy in their decisions.

What was an impactful experience you had as a Hope student?
My most impactful experience as a Hope student was my study abroad public health program in the Dominican Republic. It was through this experience that I decided to pursue medicine. I did an additional study abroad program in Argentina and majored in Spanish. As a resident physician, I now have a clinic one-day per week where I provide obstetric and gynecologic care for Spanish-speaking patients in Cleveland, Ohio.

To you, what makes Hope special?
The faculty and staff at Hope College care so much about their students. I have been a part of several academic institutions since graduating and have never felt so valued as I did at Hope.

What is your current job title?
Resident physician and Ph.D. candidate. I am currently an OBGYN resident at the Cleveland Clinic and am also completing a fast-track Ph.D. program in molecular medicine.

What do you love about your chosen career?
I love how much autonomy my patients desire over the care they receive. Rather than simply telling them what the plan is, I empower them through education and get to walk alongside them as they control their obstetric and gynecological journey.

What advice would you give to a current Hope student?
I encourage Hope students to take as many courses outside of their selected major as possible.

What is a relationship that started at Hope that remains in your life today?
One relationship that started at Hope that remains in my life today is with my tennis coach, Steve Gorno. Some of my best memories come from my time on the Hope college tennis team, so it brings me joy to relive them with coach Gorno when I come back to Michigan for visits.

Hope College is proud to honor Parker Bussies ’14 with the 2023 10 Under 10 Award. The 10 Under 10 Award honors emerging leaders who are making significant contributions by living out their callings; engaging in the local and global community through professional and/or volunteer involvement; and using their education to think about important issues with wisdom and clarity. Award recipients also communicate effectively to bridge boundaries that divide human communities and act as agents of hope living faithfully into their vocations. Designed for alumni who are within 10 years of graduation, these awards are presented by the Hope College Alumni Association. Make a nomination today.

After graduating from Hope College in 2014 with a degree in biology, Meredith Busman continued her education at Wayne State University. She received her Doctor of Medicine in 2018 and then took the role of an emergency physician at Corewell Health. Additionally, Meredith is a sub-elite marathoner, having completed several marathons across the globe. Meredith is generous with her time as she volunteers in various capacities. When she thinks about her role at Corewell, she states, “I enjoy connecting with people in the community since I work in the same area where I grew up. I think it can help me identify with my patients and provide them with better care when I understand a little more about them or their background.” Meredith exemplifies an empathetic problem solver and leader in the West Michigan medical community.

What was an impactful experience you had as a student at Hope?
Taking courses I was bad at. Taught me that unlike in high school, some things won’t come easily, or that no matter how hard I work at them, I just won’t be as good as some of my classmates. Taught me to have more humility, but also reinforced the importance of a strong work ethic. Students should look for other experiences that will make them uncomfortable (such as a study abroad where they don’t know the language).

What is your current job title?
I am an Emergency Medicine and Observation Medicine Physician working in the West Michigan area with Emergency Care Specialists – an independent, democratic emergency physicians group.

What do you love about your chosen career?
I enjoy connecting with people in the community since I work in the same area where I grew up. I think it can help me identify with my patients and provide them with better care when I understand a little more about them or their background. I also like when patients come in with a fixable problem —like a dislocated shoulder or a bad laceration, because I can remedy the problem in an hour, make them feel better and send them home. It’s very satisfying.

What advice would you give to a current Hope student?
Find a board of mentors for yourself who are already doing what you see yourself doing, even if it’s not directly related. Ask them what steps they thought were important towards getting where they are. Meet for coffee, take notes. Also, make your “personal” Venn diagram. Make overlapping circles with your interests, personal activities or professional experiences. Find where the circles overlap, how interests and pursuits overlap. At the center is you—you become the unique product of all those overlapping circles. That’s the person you present when applying for jobs, positions, etc.

Hope College is proud to honor Meredith Busman ’14 with the 2023 10 Under 10 Award. The 10 Under 10 Award honors emerging leaders who are making significant contributions by living out their callings; engaging in the local and global community through professional and/or volunteer involvement; and using their education to think about important issues with wisdom and clarity. Award recipients also communicate effectively to bridge boundaries that divide human communities and act as agents of hope living faithfully into their vocations. Designed for alumni who are within 10 years of graduation, these awards are presented by the Hope College Alumni Association. Make a nomination today.

After graduating from Hope College in 2013 with degrees in biology and chemistry, Emily Armbruster pursued a Ph.D. at the University of Missouri. While she was there, Emily researched the structure and dynamics of the 70S E. coli ribosome using single molecule biophysical techniques. From 2017–2019 she was a recipient of a Go! Fellowship with Oak Ridge National Laboratory. In 2019, she completed her Ph.D. in biochemistry and became a postdoctoral research associate for the Advanced Family Research Center. Now, she is using her education as a senior scientist at NanoImaging Services in the greater Boston area.

Hope College is proud to honor Emily Armbruster ’13 with the 2023 10 Under 10 Award. The 10 Under 10 Award honors emerging leaders who are making significant contributions by living out their callings; engaging in the local and global community through professional and/or volunteer involvement; and using their education to think about important issues with wisdom and clarity. Award recipients also communicate effectively to bridge boundaries that divide human communities and act as agents of hope living faithfully into their vocations. Designed for alumni who are within 10 years of graduation, these awards are presented by the Hope College Alumni Association. Make a nomination today.

After graduating from Hope College in 2013 with a degree in art, Megan Altieri became an art educator at Wellspring Preparatory High School in Grand Rapids. Additionally, in 2020, Megan started her own small business, Sonder Articles. Megan is very involved in the West Michigan community and has given an Artist Talk at Grand Valley State University and ArtPrize. In 2018, she won the Public Vote Installation Award at ArtPrize.

Hope College is proud to honor Megan Altieri ’13 with the 2023 10 Under 10 Award. The 10 Under 10 Award honors emerging leaders who are making significant contributions by living out their callings; engaging in the local and global community through professional and/or volunteer involvement; and using their education to think about important issues with wisdom and clarity. Award recipients also communicate effectively to bridge boundaries that divide human communities and act as agents of hope living faithfully into their vocations. Designed for alumni who are within 10 years of graduation, these awards are presented by the Hope College Alumni Association. Make a nomination today.