There are so many important University of Maine alumni who have been involved in such valuable careers. I wanted to create this series known as WomenSpire to highlight women who have achieved great things after college. The first woman I want to highlight for this series is Claudia Johnson. Claudia is a former writer for our chapter of Her Campus, along with being this year’s University of Maine Sorority Woman of the Year. When she attended the University of Maine, she majored in Political Science with a minor in Philosophy. She is currently a Business Immigration Analyst for a company called Fragomen, an immigration law firm located in Boston, Massachusetts.
Claudia’s thoughts on her future career started when she was very young. She wanted to be an astronaut when she was little, but her mindset changed once middle school approached. It was then she realized how much she wanted to attend college, and was gaining a particular interest in Social Studies. When she got to high school, she took a class on contract law. She found it extremely engaging, so she stuck with a path towards political law when going into college.
A memorable step towards solidifying her career plans was through her internship. Before interning, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to pursue a study in public policy. She was able to obtain an internship working for Senator Susan Collins. Although their political views don’t fully align, it was a great way for her to be involved in and view politics from another perspective.
“It was such a great experience to see what people on the other side of politics might think, and it gave me a lot of respect for the way that Senator Collins does her work and manages her position.”
After this internship, she realized that public policy was not the right direction for her, not wanting to live her adult life in the public eye.
Once she graduated from UMaine, it took her a few months to hear back from jobs due to delays caused by COVID-19. Her first job interview was in August, and in September, she got an offer as a Business Immigration Analyst. Her career centers on helping immigrants come to the United States legally. She started her position last month and has been working remotely, with even her training being completely remote. One of the best parts of her job is building connections with people, as she contributes to a big life transition for them.
“Whenever I’m staring at a computer screen, it’s actually someone’s whole life that I’m helping. Some of these people have been waiting five or ten years to become U.S. citizens, and I’m putting the finishing touches on those applications.”
When asking Claudia what has been difficult in regards to her position, she discussed how difficult it was to adjust to learning all the new parts of a job. She never took college classes tailored to her exact position, so there was a lot of room for learning. She explained how learning how to do a job is like learning a language. There are so many new aspects, ranging from filling out paperwork to learning what certain acronyms represent. It was also difficult for her to learn the software at first since all businesses have different forms of software for employees to use and adjust to.
Something in college she learned and effectively uses in her career is time management skills because she was able to learn exactly what to prioritize. Communication is another big skill she was able to take into the real world, due to her having to communicate with co-workers and supervisors. Professional writing is also something really tailored to her position since she has to effectively communicate through her paperwork to clients who might not be as proficient with the English language.
Claudia described how her career has benefited her, saying that it is fitting for her due to her love of helping others. She also explained how earning income is extremely beneficial for her, and she is so appreciative of having such a great career right out of college, especially in a pandemic. Ultimately, this career helps her think about what other opportunities lie ahead.
“It helps me understand better what a future in law might look like for me, so it’s been helpful with setting goals for me as well.”
Claudia’s position as a Business Immigration Analyst allows her to really connect with people looking to come to the United States for a great life. Her journey towards a successful career through her hardworking spirit is truly motivating. It was such an honor talking to her about her inspiring career.