Graduating from college is an exciting time that comes with a lot of hard questions. Where will you go? What will you do? And how do you decide which path is the right path?

The truth is: making the leap from college student to career professional isn’t easy. But if you find the right community, your post-grad era can be the best time of your life. That’s why it’s so important to start your career in a city that sets you up for success—like Indianapolis! 

In this Life in Indy feature, we brought together three young professionals who chose to stay after graduation and are now thriving in Indianapolis.

• Emily Bergman studied Communications at Purdue University, where she earned her graduate degree in Human Resource Management. Now working with the Buckingham Foundation, Emily focuses on all things philanthropy, community engagement, and event planning. Outside of work, she is an avid yogi and Chicken Caesar Salad enthusiast who loves spending quality time with friends and family.
• Tony Sanchez graduated from Franklin College with two degrees in Economics and a minor in Mathematics. Now, he’s a specialist on the OneAmerica Financial Community Affairs team, helping run the Pathways Program that connects underserved students with opportunities to break into the financial services industry. In his free time, Tony volunteers at the Boys & Girls Club and loves playing sports and board games.
• Mackenzie Diaz is a native Hoosier who graduated from the IU Kelley School of Business—and has lived and worked in Indy since. She started her career at UKG and now works as a IT Business Analyst for BCforward, supporting Eli Lilly in Indianapolis. She is a big football fan and often spends her free time reading and crocheting.

Life after graduation isn’t for the faint of heart.

If you’re anything like me, life planning pretty much stopped once I figured out where to go to college. I picked a top-ranked university, got my degrees—and well, now what? Everyone kept telling me that a degree from Purdue University would open doors for me. But now that those doors are wide open, which one should I walk through? 

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the endless post-grad possibilities, trust me, you’re not alone. I was just lucky to get my start here in Indianapolis. 

I’m almost a year into my Indy adventure, and let me tell you: I’ve fallen in love with this city in ways I didn’t expect. So, here’s my unofficial post-grad survival guide for anyone wondering if Indianapolis could be the place for them.

But Indy is one of the best cities for young professionals.

If you’re business-minded like me, you’re probably thinking about the return on investment for your degree. Well, it’s time to reap the rewards of your hard work—and start your career here in Indianapolis.

Seriously, Indy is one of the most underrated spots for recent grads! People always talk about NYC and Chicago, but Indianapolis offers a ton of benefits. The most obvious one? The cost of living here is way more affordable than other big cities. You’re not paying crazy rent just to have a rooftop view (though we do have those if you want them!)

Indianapolis is also a hub of top-tier graduate programs. In the heart of downtown, you’ll find the world-renowned IU School of Medicine and IU School of Dentistry. Medical school not your thing? You can study at McKinney Law, the Kelley School of Business, or even Purdue University in Indianapolis! If you’re not quite ready to leave the school grind behind, these grad programs offer all the resources you need to climb the ladder. 

But here’s the kicker: Indianapolis wants you to thrive. This city is brimming with opportunities for young professionals to pull up a seat at the table.

From Cummins to Eli Lilly, many of the major companies here are founded and led by passionate Hoosier entrepreneurs. This makes networking a lot easier than you might think! People here want to see you succeed and are more than happy to make a connection. You’re not just another person on a LinkedIn list, and that’s a game-changer when you’re trying to navigate your career.

Indianapolis is a fun place to spend your twenties!

Okay, enough of the business talk—let’s talk about why Indianapolis is actually fun! (Because, let’s be real, you’re not going to spend all your time networking or hustling.) Indy strikes a great balance between work and play. Whether you’re into sports or just want a laid-back weekend exploring new coffee shops, this city’s got something for everyone.

Personally, I’m all about sports. Whether it’s the Colts, the Pacers, or the Fever, Indianapolis makes it easy to get in on all the action. Within just a mile, you have Lucas Oil Stadium, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and Victory Field. And between them, you’ll find tons of restaurants and sports bars to catch away games. My favorite haunt is an Indiana classic—Kilroy’s Bar & Grill! 

Prefer college sports? No worries! Within 30 minutes, you can watch Butler basketball at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Drive an hour out, and you can be at an IU football game (since they’re totally a football school now, right?) or catch a Boilermaker basketball game—my personal favorite.

Oh, and did I mention the food scene? The bars? The killer workout classes and artsy events? The summers here are to die for. But we don’t have time to get into that right now… that’s a whole other article! At the end of the day, Indianapolis is the perfect mix of everything you need as a post-grad. So, if you’re looking for a place that offers all the perks without the crazy price tag, Indianapolis is worth considering. It’ll surprise you in the best way possible!

College taught me why Indy’s a great place to live.

When you graduate college, your future can follow many different paths. But finding a city that feels like home makes what comes next so much better. Growing up in Franklin, I had the opportunity to live in Indiana my entire life, but I didn’t get to experience much of Indianapolis until my college years. Now I know: once you visit Indy, you may never want to leave! 

I attended Franklin College, which is just about 30 minutes away from Indianapolis. So, my friends and I would travel out there quite a bit. As an avid sports fan, I couldn’t miss out on going to an occasional basketball, football, or hockey game. I also spent a birthday out on Mass Avenue. And if you haven’t eaten at Condado Tacos yet, it may be time to go give it a try! 

Some say that I stayed too close to home for college. But I had an amazing four years at Franklin and would highly recommend it to anyone considering schools in Indiana. I was able to get a great education, build my resume with internships and workshops, and make lifelong friendships along the way. 

One of my favorite parts of my college experience was being in my fraternity, Kappa Delta Rho—and no, not just for the parties. I held positions like Head of Brotherhood, Head of our Judicial Board, and Head of our Mental Health Board, which all greatly impacted me as a person and prepared me for my career today. 

Franklin College also connected me with an internship at OneAmerica Financial, which turned into a full-time position out of college! 

My friends and I are proud to call Indy home.

After graduation, the next step was finding a place to live. I lucked out, and some of my best friends from college wanted to get a place together. Where, you might ask? If you guessed Franklin, you’d be correct! 

Living in Franklin keeps me close to family, while making it easy to commute to Indianapolis for work or events. The commute is only about 35 minutes long—maybe 40 minutes if I stop to get some fine cuisine at Sonic or Taco Bell. And the best part about staying here after graduation is that we can still access all the opportunities Indianapolis has to offer. 

Sports are still a huge passion of mine, and nobody does sports quite like Indy. From USA Swimming to March Madness, Indy is a big city for sporting events, and they make it very accessible for people to attend. You can always find me at a Pacers or Fever game after work or catch me walking from the parking garage to a Colts game on a Sunday afternoon. 

The nightlife in Indianapolis is also outstanding, and my friends and I always find fun things to do on the weekend. Recently, we’ve found ourselves going to Five Iron Golf a lot, having a good time hitting golf balls and creating lifelong memories. If you have a chance, just go check out the city, and you’ll definitely find something that appeals to you!

Starting my career in Indy was the right choice.

Living in Indy has also helped launch my career. I’ve now worked at OneAmerica Financial for a year and a half, and I couldn’t be more pleased with how much I’ve grown over that time. 

As a Community Affairs Specialist, my job is all about workforce development and education in the community. I’ve helped lead many initiatives that teach our community about financial literacy, inspiring people to find their passion and imagine where they could see themselves in the future. 

It’s rewarding to empower others and help them build the financial skills to manage their personal growth in the 21st century. There’s nothing like seeing someone learn how to budget, how to invest, and how to save! And I couldn’t do any of this without the support I get every day from my amazing team and the entire company.

The impact Indy has brought to my personal and professional life is something that I will never be able to fully grasp. If you’re a recent graduate looking for your next home, I will always endorse Indy as the place to be. Being a Hoosier will always mean something to me, and I’m forever grateful to be able to call this place home!

Deciding where to live is a balance of career and community.

The first step after graduation is figuring out where to go next! As a senior at the Kelley School of Business, I knew I wanted to stay in the Midwest, preferably just a road trip away from my family in Northern Indiana. But I also wanted to start my career in a city that would help me break into the tech industry. 

Fortunately, there’s a reason many IU Bloomington grads get their first jobs in Indy. Indianapolis has plenty of opportunities for recent grads seeking an entry-level role in technology, business, and beyond. With a walkable downtown and a low cost of living, Indy also seemed more financially feasible than Chicago, so I went for it! 

I signed the lease to my downtown apartment right after securing my job at Kronos—now UKG—and officially moved to Indianapolis in June 2020. Living in Indy, I was able to focus on my new job, while exploring the local community and even returning to a few hobbies I didn’t have time for in school. 

I have discovered so many fun things to do in Indy!

My first year as an Indy transplant didn’t look anything like I anticipated. In 2020, the pandemic was rampant, and everything about the world was one big question mark. But I still found ways to enjoy the city. I ventured out to local greenspaces, spending time at Broad Ripple Park and admiring the view from Highland Park. And I still tried a bunch of new bars and restaurants by sitting outside or ordering carry-out. 

Now, after years of living here, I’m still finding new things to do and places to explore! Indy is frequently overlooked as a fun place to live, but I think it has everything you could ever need. 

For me, I love sports—and attending games is half the fun. That’s why it’s nice living in Indianapolis, where we have professional football, basketball, baseball, soccer, hockey, and even volleyball. And best of all, the tickets here aren’t going to break the bank! I even started playing pickleball recently, and there are a handful of parks across the region where the courts are free to play. 

Indy also has award-winning restaurants across downtown, high-end shopping at Keystone Mall, and many places to go thrift shopping. You can find local businesses all over the city, and a few of my favorites are Tomorrow Bookstore, Gina’s Juice Bar, and Harmony Tea Shop. 

What sets Indianapolis apart is its welcoming community.

The population of Indianapolis is around 880,000 people, which seems huge to me. But even though Indy is a big city, the people here make it feel like a tight-knit community. 

Seriously, there is an abundance of ways you can make new friends in the Indy area. You can easily find groups and organizations that cater to every demographic, career path, or hobby you might enjoy. I am personally a part of Latinos in Tech and recently participated in some of the events held by Indiana Women IN Tech Week. Through these organizations, I’ve met many lovely women and mentors, like Maria De Leon and Linda Calvin.

Young Professional Networks like IndyHub hold events specifically designed for new grads to meet others who are starting fresh in the 317. And it sounds a little silly, but there are also a TON of Facebook groups that can connect you with people in the Indianapolis area. Indy Local Foodies is a group I swear by—with lots of recommendations and insight on new restaurants to try. I’ve also seen firsthand how BFF Indy helps build friendships and offer community for ladies around Indy.

Looking back, I’m so thankful for how the Indianapolis community has helped me grow in both my career and as a person. If you have any questions about Indy or want to learn more about transitioning from college life to early career, feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn and start building your Indy network!