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Students Connect with Alumni


Ninety alumni shared their expertise with 230 students during Networking Day. The daylong event provided valuable professional contacts to students and paved the way for many successful new careers.

Students from all disciplines were invited to a student-alumni luncheon featuring an address by a professional-protocol expert. They also attended lively panel discussions throughout the day. Topics included charting career paths in the federal government and in the nonprofit world, getting into graduate school, marketing one’s self to employers, interviewing successfully and maximizing social-networking sites.

Seniors also gathered tips on how to effectively network at social events. They practiced their newfound skills during an end-of-day student-alumni reception. Held in the atmospheric Rector Science Complex Atrium, the reception offered a stellar opportunity for seniors to speak with accomplished alumni about their career plans and make contacts in their fields.

The annual Networking Day was sponsored by the Career Center, the Office of Alumni & Parent Relations and the Alumni Council.


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  • Carol Campbell Haislip '79 speaks during the Networking Day Etiquette Luncheon. Haislip is co-director of the International School of Protocol, a company that provides protocol and etiquette training for businesses, educators, adults and children. Haislip specializes in teaching individuals social, communication and marketing skills that help them advance their careers.
    Carol Campbell Haislip '79
  • Three distinguished scientists—Treasure Walker '04, Kelly LaRue '09 and Aline Scop Plavnik '09—lunch with Kelly Maers '11, a biochemistry & molecular biology major (fourth from left) and other science majors.
    Walker, LaRue, Plavnik
  • From left: Alex Baranick '10 (economics), Vanessa Akerman '10 (international business & management) and Kaitlin Van Wagner '10 (international studies) get salient advice from keynote speaker Carol Campbell Haislip '79 (standing) on launching careers in business.
    Business Tips
  • From left: Donald Nagle '76, chief financial officer of Asia Society; Emily Wing '09, project coordinator Institute for Women's Health & Leadership; and Jennifer Gordon Ross '93, chief information officer of the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations, address the organizational differences between for-profit and nonprofit businesses and advise students how to earn top positions in the nonprofit realm.
    Nonprofit Leaders
  • A noteworthy number of students attend a panel discussion about nonprofit businesses, proving once again that Dickinsonians are a philanthropic crew.
    Philanthropic Community
  • Alumni offer an insider's view of the hiring process for jobs in the federal government.
    Federal Government
  • Jennifer Mihok '07, mission intern for the Methodist Federation for Social Action, Allison Reilly '08 of AmeriCorps and Sam Kolokithas '96, financial advisor at Ameriprise Financial Services, outline alternative postgraduation paths, such as study-abroad opportunities, internships and volunteerism.
    Alternative Paths
  • Kate Shaw '10 (middle row, second from left) asks a question of a panelist as Kristen Chan '10 (to her left) and Melanie Gade '10 (to her right) look on.
    Pressing Question
  • Steven Weber '91 and Allison Sandford '96 offer tips on successful interviewing.
    Successful Interviewing
  • Panelists discuss what employers look for and outline ways that applicants can market themselves, accordingly.
    Marketing Yourself
  • Marketing isn't just a means to sell products and services. It's also a useful career tool. Christy Sink Myers '94, director of human resources for The Phillips Group; John Kain '90, manager of sales training and development for Armstrong World Industries; and Molly Osborn '08, assistant director of advancement at Georgetown University, discuss the concept of self-marketing.
    Marketing Yourself II
  • In her presentation, Social Networking and the Job Search, Lin Peterson Koenig '73 outlines the professional value of social-networking sites LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Koenig is associate director of alumni career services at Dickinson.
    Social Networking
  • There are many roads to graduate school, but they do have some common elements. Above, alumni who have attended or currently attend prestigious graduate institutions discuss their admission strategies.
    Grad School
  • In this workshop, students learn to create a good first impression, converse effectively and exit gracefully in business-social situations.
    Mingle, Mingle
  • At an early-evening networking reception, seniors had the opportunity to speak with alumni about their career plans and make contacts.
    Networking Reception
  • All attendees wore color-coded name tags designating the field they studied or worked in. Seniors were able to find alumni in their desired fields by looking for name tags of the same color.
    Making Contacts
  • Recent graduates Paris St. Clair '09, an analyst at Barclays Capital, and La'dell Peton '09, an analyst at Goldman, Sachs & Co., offer career advice to senior business majors.
    Paris St. Clair, La'dell Peton
  • Jennifer Blanck '92, assistant dean of career & alumni services at Georgetown University, connects with Lilah Terwilliger '10, a classical-studies and history major.
    J. Blank, L. Terwilliger
  • Guy Brunt '73, a realtor for Century 21, and Molly Osborn '08, assistant program manager of Georgetown University's Discovery Initiative, speak with Lauren Letko '10 and Ashley Emershaw '10.
    Inquiry Meets Experience
  • Held in the Rector Science Complex Atrium, the two-hour student-alumni reception offered ample opportunities for students to connect with professionals in an array of fields.
    Career Connections
Carol Campbell Haislip '79 speaks during the Networking Day Etiquette Luncheon. Haislip is co-director of the International School of Protocol, a company that provides protocol and etiquette training for businesses, educators, adults and children. Haislip specializes in teaching individuals social, communication and marketing skills that help them advance their careers. Prev ImageNext Image

Text by MaryAlice Bitts
Photos by A. Pierce Bounds '71