Alumni

Where Are They Now?

Catching up with six graduates from the Class of 2005.

Nancy Zomaya
Hometown Des Plaines, Illinois
Current Location Lake Bluff, Illinois
Areas of Study Psychology major, Sociology and Anthropology minors
What she’s doing now Started school this fall at Scholl College of Podiatry at Rosalind Franklin University in North Chicago, Illinois.
How college helped As a Residence Life Community Director, Nancy learned many skills for use as a future podiatrist. “I developed better communication skills, got to know people on a more personal level, served as a resource to my residents, and learned how to explain and enforce various policies,” she says. “Above all, I was able to advise students on their concerns, making referrals when necessary and documenting everything for future reference … I learned patience and empathy, which is of paramount importance in my future career.”

Eric Heyboer
Hometown Littleton, Colorado
Current Location Surprise Valley, California
Areas of Study Environmental Studies major, Politics minor
What he’s doing now Interning with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
How college helped Eric’s participation in the College’s League for Environmental Awareness and Protection and his efforts to create a more effective campus recycling program prepared him for the “real” world by teaching him that patience and determination are key when working toward a desired outcome. “These I’ve taken to heart now that I’ve entered the workforce, and I’d like to believe I’m a better employee because of it,” says Eric, who credits biology professor Ray Wiggers for helping him get
the internship.

Loveena Dookhony
Hometown D’Epinay, Mauritius
Current Location Syracuse, New York
Areas of Study Economics major, International Relations minor
What she’s doing now Enrolled at top-ranked Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs at Syracuse University, earning a dual master’s degree in public policy and international development and researching African economic development issues. 
How college helped As a volunteer at an AIDS orphanage in Uganda, Loveena attended the funerals of her young students and witnessed poverty first-hand, experiences that refined her personal, academic, and professional goals. She wrote her senior thesis about AIDS orphans using the data that she obtained from Uganda, while her advisor, Rob Lemke, professor of economics, guided her through the research and writing process and helped her secure financial aid from Syracuse University.

Clemon Courtney III
Hometown Chicago, Illinois
Current Location Shanghai, China
Areas of Study English major, African-American Studies minor
What he’s doing now Teaching English in China for one year.
How college helped Fascinated by Chinese culture since his mother brought him a pair of chopsticks at age nine, Clemon took Mandarin Chinese throughout high school. While attending Lake Forest, he took Chinese and Asian thought classes as he nurtured a desire to travel to China. English professors Judy Dozier, Richard Mallette, and Davis Schneiderman taught Clemon, an English major, that education is best utilized when shared with others. “I can fathom no better use of my degree than to pass on my knowledge of English to others, especially since, in this case, it will greatly improve my students’ futures,” he says.

Sara Moriyama
Hometown Yokohama, Japan
Current Location New York, New York
Areas of Study Environmental Studies major, Philosophy minor
What she’s doing now Attending Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs in New York to pursue a Master’s of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy. 
How college helped A Japan native, Sara’s experience with writing a senior thesis and other scientific papers for her environmental studies classes helped her gain more confidence in writing English while she enjoyed taking classes in other subjects because of the interdisciplinary approach to her major. She enjoyed the opportunity to participate in the annual Student Symposium, in which students present research on a variety of topics. “I think Lake Forest’s small class size allowed us to have many opportunities such as giving oral and poster presentations, debates, and discussions … I am glad that I was given those opportunities to communicate and present in front of classmates and teachers,” she says.

Rob Nerland
Hometown Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Current Location Chicago, Illinois
Areas of Study Economics major, Mathematics minor
What he’s doing now Working for Peak6, an options trading firm located at the Chicago Board of Trade.
How college helped Rob played on the College’s hockey team, an experience that taught him how to juggle different priorities. “Playing a college sport and balancing school work has provided me with invaluable time management skills and an ability to compete under pressure,” says Rob, who credited his professors’ open-door policies for helping him through his classes. “These have translated well to my career after college and I am sure that without Lake Forest College I would not nearly be as able to take on the challenges of ‘real life.’”