Annie, Elise, Cara, Katherine, Presley and Sloane (Class of 2023)
Cara Costigan and Annie De Rosaire both graduated from Wooster in 2023, and they have been using what they have learned from their time at Wooster all around the world. Wooster has taught them lessons that they have used throughout their college careers and will continue to use in the future. They both studied abroad in different countries, an experience that has shaped who they are and paved the way for them to be more independent.
Cara and her mom in Prague.
Since graduating from Wooster, Cara has been studying at the University of Richmond as a Health Studies major with a minor in Biology and is on the Pre-Nurse Practitioner track. This past semester, Cara decided to study abroad in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. Wooster has helped Cara prepare for everything that she has done in and out of the classroom. With big adjustments in college, specifically science courses, which have a much bigger workload and larger lecture-based classes, Wooster helped Cara more on a personal level.
“I learned how to advocate for myself, reach out to professors when things got hard, and utilize office hours,” Cara said. “Because I was used to building real relationships with my teachers in high school, I felt confident asking for help.”
These are all important skills that Wooster not only teaches but also gives opportunities to, which sets students up for success when they graduate and move on to higher education.
Annie studies Biopsychology and Biotechnology at Tufts University. She decided to study abroad in Copenhagen during her time there. The small, community-oriented environment that Wooster promotes has helped Annie grow her confidence and self-advocacy skills, which have been fundamental in college. Annie keeps in touch with many of her friends from Wooster, and she follows the Wooster Instagram account to keep up with the school. Many of her hobbies and interests that she had while at Wooster have stayed the same, and college has given her a chance to find more people with shared interests. She will continue to use these skills and learnings in her future as she finishes college and moves on to the next chapter of her life.
Wooster is such a unique place with a special community, which is why Cara has also made an effort to stay in contact with it. To do this, she has stayed close with her friends and often reaches out to old teachers or administrators, especially as recommenders for job applications. Last semester, when she was abroad, Cara learned about something that reminded her of Mr. Pannone, whom she then emailed about the material, which turned into a long chain.
“That kind of lasting and genuine relationship is something really special and unique to Wooster,” Cara said.
Because of her major, Cara is taking many science courses at Richmond. Each semester, she would take two to three upper-level chemistry or biology courses, each meeting for three hours of lecture and three hours of lab work per week. This was a big adjustment to college, but Wooster’s values helped Cara overcome this by giving her the confidence to stay self-motivated and ask for help when she needed it. There were also specific courses from Wooster, like DLI Statistics with Dr. Sullivan, that showed her how to take ownership of her learning.
College is all about finding your way through studies and living on your own, and both come with many new findings. Cara thinks the most important thing she has learned so far is how to put herself out there. She attended Wooster from 6th grade through all of high school, which meant that moving into a new environment was a big change because she had to make all new friends and collaborate with new people in every class, club, and work environment. Although it was intimidating at first, Cara uses this skill frequently.
Annie (left) and friends in London.
Since graduating from Wooster, Annie has gained a lot of independence. Living off campus without a meal plan has been a recent step that marked the start of a new chapter in her college life. One of the challenges she has faced in college is not being completely sure about what she wants to do. Annie shared that she switched majors at one point. Going into college, she thought she knew what she wanted to do, but she ended up choosing a different path for her future.
“Being gentle with myself and allowing myself to choose a different path, switch majors, was a huge breakthrough moment for me, and it’s worked out really well,” Annie said. “I want to continue with the mindset that it’s okay to change your mind, be more present, and not plan out my future to the minute."
Since graduating, Cara has also become much more independent. College has taught her how to structure her life, including things like making daily schedules to balancing homework, exercise, work, volunteering, and of course, making time for friends. Once a week, Cara volunteers at a retirement community in Richmond as a “friendly visitor.” This means that she spends time with four residents and discusses their weeks, or just keeps them company during this stage in their lives.
"It's also been rewarding and has taught me the importance of showing up consistently for others,” Cara explained.
Cara paragliding in Switzerland on a weekend trip.
Cara has also taken on the role of being a tour guide and is working in the Office of Admissions as an Office Assistant. This gives her a new experience of working and balancing that with the rest of her highly enriched college life. Richmond has been very popular with Wooster students, and many go to tour it, so the chances of Cara being the one to check you in or even lead your tour are high! One of her favorite moments in this role was when Elliot Rosen ’25, a Wooster student at the time, was randomly placed into her tour group, which turned into a fun run-in. Elliot now also attends Richmond.
Studying abroad is a very unique experience that many college students partake in. Studying in Prague helped Cara in so many more ways than she expected. Being immersed in another culture pushed her to put herself in others' shoes in a way she had never thought of before. There were also many more opportunities in classes she could take, like a course called "Story of Religion in the Most Secular Country."
“It was all about the Czech Republic, and how it once stood as a very religious society to now being the most secularized one, the country with the highest population of non-believers,” Cara said. “We discussed and understood why this was the case, which presented a very layered and complex list of reasons. Hearing how others view global issues challenged my own assumptions and taught me to think more empathetically and openly about the world around me. It was an extremely fulfilling experience, and I seriously couldn't recommend it enough.”
In the next few years, Cara sees herself going to graduate nursing school. Currently, Richmond doesn’t offer a nursing program, so she will do a 12-month accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and then hopefully work as an RN as a way to gain experience before going to part-time NP school. Cara wants to be near her siblings in Boston when she is older, working in some of the best hospitals in the nation. Her brother, Colin Costigan ‘20, is also an alum of Wooster. Cara hopes to own a practice in family medicine.
Annie and her friends in Barcelona.
Annie hopes to be in a city doing medical research in a city or for a biotech company. She is interested in neurodegenerative diseases and is even thinking about getting her master’s degree after graduating.
Cara’s journey since graduating from Wooster shows how the skills and values she learned there continue to shape her success in college and beyond. From challenging science courses to studying abroad and giving back to her community, she has embraced new opportunities with a lot of confidence and independence.
Annie’s advice to current seniors at Wooster who are preparing to graduate is that you really will end up exactly where you are meant to be. She shared that she hated hearing adults telling her that as a senior, but looking back, she feels like they were right. Whether it is the school you go to right after Wooster, a school you transfer to, or not going to college at all, Annie says that you will find the place that is meant for you. Annie has learned a lot in college, and one of those things is not to be so certain of everything in life.
“Not knowing exactly what you want to major in or do after college isn’t a failure,” Annie said. “It takes time and effort to understand yourself well enough to make these big decisions. Simply put, be open-minded; it’s okay to admit you don’t know something. There are a million and one resources to help you in college, but self-reflection is kind of all you need.”
Cara and Annie’s journeys since graduating from Wooster show how the confidence and independence they gained there still guide them as they go through college.
Fiona '26
Journalism Student
Marley '26
Advanced Journalism Student
