Before 9 a.m. on a crisp, Saturday morning, Benedictine students and alumni gathered in the Westerman Hall first floor lobby to check in for the third annual Career Services Summit.
Director of Alumni Relations, Joanna Huey, and has been working on the Raven Walk to reach out to alumni of Benedictine College for this event. This networking platform was used to decide on Ryan Boh, graduate from 2014, as the keynote speaker.
“It is never too soon to start building your network,” Huey said.
Boh’s dedication to connecting with fellow Ravens on the Raven Walk, and being a highly active member on the site, made him the perfect candidate. The importance of grasping the opportunity to use this platform to build one’s network was the entire theme of the summit.
Director of Career Services, Jennifer Dittemore, and has been “along for the ride” with Huey in planning this event, as well as marketing the importance of this networking opportunity to current students.
“It’s a chance for students to begin build their network, or expand their network, which we know is the way to get a job,” Dittemore said.
“Some of the research we read says that eighty percent of jobs are not posted,” Dittemore said. “They’re filled by who you know.”
This point was talked about by many alumni who shared their experiences, and even the experiences of people they knew the importance of networking.
The Career Services Summit also featured a Young Alumni panel with Megan Quigley, ‘20, Emma Gnad,’20, Clay Haag, ’17, Sgt. Cue Robinson, ’16 and Matthieu Gilme, ’18.
Two breakout sessions offered students the opportunity to hear advice from alumni. Paul Howe, ‘88, spoke to the juniors and seniors. Jeff Ryan, ‘79, spoke to the freshman and sophomores.
Other discussions focused on specific majors with alumni working in the fields. Students also were able to obtain professional headshots, resume feedback and interviewing tips.
