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Madelyn Marcos will be the first to admit that college life hasn’t always been easy. As a first-generation student, Marcos had some ups and downs along the way. But despite experiencing many of the typical trials and tribulations that afflict first- generation students, the absence of a support system has not been one of them.

Marcos, a transfer student from St. Petersburg College who enrolled at UF in Spring 2022, is nearing the finish line — she’s on track to earn her degree in political science later this year. When she arrived at UF, Marcos knew she needed to find guidance on campus. “While my parents have always been very supportive, I was coming into something completely new,” she said. Luckily for Marcos, she learned about Beyond120 and joined at the start of Fall 2022.

Beyond120, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ signature experiential learning program, offers resources to ensure success beyond graduation day. Among other perks, students can gain career advice from guest speakers and get connected to professionals with real-world experience in their prospective fields.

The program seemed overwhelming initially to Marcos, who didn’t quite have a clear career plan in mind. With opportunities to meet with many alumni and listen to guest speakers from around the nation, the program opened up a slew of possibilities that felt daunting.

A meeting with Carlos Colon (Criminology, ‘98) brought Marcos’ future into focus.

Carlos, an FBI agent stationed at the Tampa field office, had become engaged with Beyond120 the year prior. Marcos’ interest in law initially brought the two together on the MentorConnect platform.

Colon taught a virtual class called “Careers in the FBI” every Thursday night where he would share work stories and have students participate in mock investigations to give them a better feel for his job. Marcos always enjoyed these classes, especially watching other students’ reactions to his more outlandish or exciting stories.

Before meeting Colon, Marcos considered applying for law school in Florida. She also contemplated taking a gap year to travel the world. With the guidance of her new mentor, plans quickly changed. At Colon’s encouragement, Marcos applied for a summer internship with the FBI.

“He told me it would be a huge commitment,” Marcos said. “But after
listening to the stories he would tell during his visits to campus, I knew that this was what I wanted.”

A commitment indeed: It took nearly eight months to the day for Marcos to move through the application process. All along the way, Colon was there to help Marcos where he could, like helping her create her first federal resume. For the most part, though, he stood back and let her accomplish as much of the application as she could on her own, always there to fall back on when she needed questions answered or advice.

Her mentor remains humble about his role in the experience. “All I really did was point her in the right direction,” Colon said. “She did all of
the hard work herself, and the fact that she ended up getting the internship says more about her than me.”

Now, Marcos patiently awaits the first day of her internship, working
alongside Colon and his talented colleagues at the FBI field office. Although she has her heart set on working alongside Colon, she plans to make the most of her time there and thoroughly explore as many different career paths as possible. After her internship and undergraduate degree are completed, Marcos plans to attend law school, hoping to pursue a career with the FBI.

Marcos knows many students may already have solid plans for post- graduation, but she has a piece of advice for those out there who don’t quite yet feel a pull in a certain direction: Attend a Beyond120 event. “You’ll start building professional connections,” she said. “So, no matter what happens, you’ll benefit from it.”

Above all else, Marcos believes that creating connections with others is the most valuable lesson she’s learned through her involvement in
Beyond120. And whether it’s bonding with other students who have similar interests or fostering relationships with mentors in your field, Marcos said, the program has much to offer.

As a mentor, Colon has also found his time with the Beyond120 program rewarding. The best part, according to Colon, is getting the chance to talk to students and hear about their excitement for the future.

“The way I see it, why wouldn’t you want to be a mentor?” Colon said. “UF gave me so much as a student, and now I get to give back — to me, it’s a no-brainer.”

Visit clas.ufl.edu/getinvolved for more information about the Beyond120 program.