{"677421":{"#nid":"677421","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Yellow Jacket Alumni Highlight Their Career Journeys","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ECollege of Sciences students \u2014 from first-year students to Ph.D. candidates \u2014 enjoyed an informative and frequently humorous career panel on September 25, 2024, featuring alumni from the Schools of Biological Sciences, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, and Psychology. Co-sponsored by the Georgia Tech Career Center and the College of Sciences, the \u201c\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat Can I Do with my Georgia Tech Science Degree (Life Sciences)\u201d\u003C\/strong\u003E panel provided an opportunity for alumni to share career advice and outline their sometimes-circuitous career paths.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWe do alumni panels because it\u2019s a great way for students to learn and network with alumni like them, former Tech students who have walked this campus, listening to the Whistle in the background and cheering for the Jackets on the Flats,\u201d says College of Sciences Career Educator\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/career.gatech.edu\/james-stringfellow\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJames Stringfellow,\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E who moderated the event alongside Graduate Career Development Officer\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/catharinegroover\/\u0022\u003ECatharine Groover\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFirst-year neuroscience major\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EKali Breckley\u003C\/strong\u003E is currently on a pre-med track. She attended the event to discover what else she can do with her major.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI learned about opportunities I could see myself pursuing in the future, and it gave me a better big-picture outlook for what my life could look like after my undergraduate degree is complete,\u201d says Breckley.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI enjoyed meeting distinguished GT alumni eager to share wisdom and help students on their academic journeys,\u201d adds\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EYusuf Ismail\u003C\/strong\u003E, an applied physiology Ph.D. student. \u0022The event was extremely beneficial, allowing us to network with alumni and gain valuable connections.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe panel included Atlanta-based alumni at various stages in their careers. Although they came from many different industries, they all had one thing in common \u2014 joy in their chosen professions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPanel Insights\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cYour future job will value you for how you think, not only for what you know. I\u2019m a big believer in the scientific method and that almost any problem can be tackled if you channel those principles and dissect the problem to figure it out.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EJustin Burns\u003C\/strong\u003E, B.S. BIO 2005, Ph.D. BIO 2010, Georgia Research Alliance;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cEverything you learn at Georgia Tech will carry through with you for the rest of your life. It\u2019s not just science you learn here. It\u2019s about the experiences and the relationships you build, including the unique style of problem-solving that will become a part of your brand.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EAnthony Diaz\u003C\/strong\u003E, B.S. EAS 2001, The Coca-Cola Company;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWhile you\u2019re in school, adopt a \u2018hungry hungry hippo\u2019 approach to life, gobbling up knowledge and opportunities. You want to be so good at what you do that you\u0027re \u2018dangerous\u2019 \u2014 dangerous in a positive way because you\u0027re incredibly capable and generate immense impact.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EAustin Hope\u003C\/strong\u003E,\u0026nbsp; B.S. PSY 2014, Google;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cDevelop a pitch explaining who you are that captures a person\u2019s attention. Get comfortable with that pitch and be ready to use it, even when standing in line at the movie theater. My one-on-one interactions have helped get my foot in the door for interviews and subsequently jobs.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EMaureen Metcalf\u003C\/strong\u003E, M.S. BIO 2014, Deloitte;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cLeverage your network and get introductions to the people in that company that can connect you with the hiring manager. Get in front of a person and show your personality. Let them see you\u2019re more than a piece of paper with a bullet-pointed list of accomplishments.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EKristel Topping\u003C\/strong\u003E, Ph.D., APPH 2021, The Home Depot;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cMy best advice is to be flexible and seek out mentors at all stages of your career. I\u2019ve been in private industry, academia, and the federal government. In all of those places, I\u2019ve learned something. I never expected to be where I am today, but I feel incredibly lucky to be in a position with the CDC where I can make a daily difference.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EDavid Williamson\u003C\/strong\u003E, B.S. BIO 1973, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cPractice your soft skills, especially communication, now. Speak in your classes. Talk to your professors about their research. Get excited to talk about the work you and your friends are already doing. When you are hired, those soft skills will be even more important. Your technical skills may be amazing, but you must also communicate why your research results are important to your company.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EAshley Zuniga\u003C\/strong\u003E, B.S. BCHM 2014, Geovax.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EComing Up Next\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAlumni and students who enjoy networking and discussing career options are encouraged to attend the\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ECollege of Sciences Student \u0026amp; Alumni Leadership Dinner\u003C\/strong\u003E on October 30, 2024, at the Georgia Tech Alumni House. Students can register via\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/career.gatech.edu\/careerbuzz\/\u0022\u003ECareerBuzz\u003C\/a\u003E. Alumni interested in future career events are encouraged to contact College of Sciences Director of Alumni Relations\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/leslie-roberts-b2354542\/\u0022\u003ELeslie Roberts\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The alumni panel  is one of several career education events offered by the Career Center and the College of Sciences this fall"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFrom navigating unexpected job pathways to the importance of networking and soft skills, College of Sciences alumni shared insights and advice about leveraging a Georgia Tech education into a successful career at the\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat Can I Do With My Georgia Tech Science Degree (Life Sciences)\u003C\/strong\u003E event.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"From navigating unexpected job pathways to the importance of networking and soft skills, College of Sciences alumni shared insights and advice about leveraging a Georgia Tech education into a successful career at the What Can I Do With My Georgia Tech Sci"}],"uid":"36607","created_gmt":"2024-10-09 14:03:41","changed_gmt":"2024-12-04 21:02:44","author":"ls67","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-10-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-10-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675260":{"id":"675260","type":"image","title":"Alumni panel and organizers (from L to R): David Williamson, Ashley Zuniga, Austin Hope, Anthony Diaz, Maureen Metcalf, Leslie Roberts, Kristel Topping, Justin Burns, and James Stringfellow","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAlumni panel and organizers (from L to R): David Williamson, Ashley Zuniga, Austin Hope, Anthony Diaz, Maureen Metcalf, Leslie Roberts, Kristel Topping, Justin Burns, and James 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Smith\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Elaura.smith@cos.gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["laura.smith@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}