3, 2, 1, Blastoff!

Peter Costanzo '14, an international business & management major, marked his second Networking Day this year.

Peter Costanzo '14, an international business & management major, marked his second Networking Day this year.

Alumni help students launch dynamic careers

by MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson


Students got a head start on their careers Nov. 2 when they took part in Networking Day. Open to all Dickinson students and alumni, the annual event included career-planning sessions, mock interviews, a networking luncheon and reception and even a chance to have an image-polishing LinkedIn portrait taken by College Photographer Carl Socolow '77.

International business & management major Peter Costanzo ’14, who marked his second Networking Day this year, took full advantage of the daylong event, attending several information sessions, a mock interview and the luncheon and reception. “It’s a great opportunity to get information that will help me to make informed career decisions, to explore industries I may not have previously considered and to make contacts that could help me in the future," he said.

Michael Henry '06, a fundraiser at Temple University, enjoyed the chance to give back. "Some of my closest mentors are Dickinson faculty and alumni, and this is a way to pay it forward," said Henry, who benefited from Networking Day opportunities earlier in his career and returned this year in a mentoring capacity.

Pamela Byron Fukuda '93, a government official who has volunteered at Networking Day for the past five years, noted that interactions such as these can have far-reaching effects.

“A lot of times, it’s about talking with someone who can share ideas, insights and lessons learned—someone who can help you understand what the appropriate expectations are for the workplace and what an appropriate timetable is for career advancement," Fukuda said. "They also can help you find ways to channel your interests into fulfilling careers and get more comfortable with networking. So while they may not be able to offer you a job, they may be able to refer you to someone who has a job opportunity.” 

It's a win-win situation, noted J.T. Sandone '94, manager of international corporate finance at the Vanguard Group, who served on an alumni panel and provided personalized resumé and job-interview tips to students interested in finance. “We have a very deep pool of high-potential talent at Dickinson, and I love to see awesome students launch into successful careers," he said.

Networking day coincided with the fall Alumni Council meeting, which gave the more than 30 Alumni Council members a chance to participate in the event. In addition to networking with students, Alumni Council members met throughout the day to discuss, and advise the college on, development, communications and alumni-relations efforts.

Published November 4, 2013