{"678211":{"#nid":"678211","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Annual Leadership Dinner Celebrates Student-Alumni Connections","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWhen College of Sciences External Advisory Board Chair\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EHeidi Schindler \u003C\/strong\u003E(ABIO 1991) was a student at Georgia Tech, she struggled to find help with career opportunities in the sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cOnce I decided I didn\u2019t want to go to med school or into academia, the Career Center didn\u2019t have answers for me,\u201d says Schindler. \u201cI found my own way.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAs an alumna, she appreciates the emphasis now placed on student career education and makes student engagement and mentoring a priority.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cAttending events like the Student and Alumni Leadership Dinner is important to me because I don\u0027t want students to feel unsupported \u2014 like I once felt. Alumni know people. We know the business world, and we want to help students make the connections that shape their futures.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Networking Extravaganza\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe Student and Alumni Leadership Dinner, organized by College of Sciences Career Educator Program Manager\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EJames Stringfellow\u003C\/strong\u003E and Director of Alumni Relations\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ELeslie Roberts\u003C\/strong\u003E, is an annual event that encourages networking and promotes student and alumni engagement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cIt is our premier event,\u201d says Stringfellow. \u201cThis year, we were fortunate to have more than 20 alumni in attendance, willing to give their time and expertise to help students prepare for securing a career.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAttendees included students from all six schools in the College of Sciences. First-year\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EMatthias Keys\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eis a biology major.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI\u2019m here to gain knowledge and wisdom,\u201d says Keys. \u201cThere\u2019s so much to learn from alumni working in the real world.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMaddie Tibaldi\u003C\/strong\u003E is a fourth-year neuroscience major. \u201cI\u2019ve heard so much about the strength of Georgia Tech\u2019s alumni network. I\u2019m enjoying talking to alums and learning what activities I can do to enhance my professional development.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EDouble Jacket\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ERalph Cullen\u003C\/strong\u003E (PSY 2008, M.S. Human Factors Psychology 2008) attended the Leadership Dinner for the fourth time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI enjoy interacting with the students,\u201d says Cullen, a research manager for the quant team at Etsy. \u201cSince I frequently interview job candidates, I can pass on what I look for in a resume and what impresses me in interviews.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Big Event with Small Groups\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe event kicked off with a special 30-minute session facilitated by Dean of the College of Sciences and Betsy Middleton and John Clark Sutherland Chair\u003Cstrong\u003E Susan Lozier\u003C\/strong\u003E who discussed current and future goals for the College and answered questions from students and alumni.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0022I\u2019m inspired by the enthusiasm and energy I\u2019ve seen tonight,\u0022 says Lozier. \u0022In the College of Sciences, we believe in learning that extends beyond the classroom, and our alumni are a vital part of that experience. Their insights can help our students bridge the gap between academic theory and professional practice.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe evening\u2019s activities included Networking Bingo and Speed Networking. The Networking Bingo icebreaker helped alleviate students\u2019 nervousness by providing specific questions to ask alumni. For the speed networking activity, students rotated between tables to talk with alumni about topics such as what they wished they had known in college, making good career decisions, negotiating workplace conflicts, and how to get hired in the real world.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/career.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Career Center\u003C\/a\u003E Executive Director\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EDavid Gaston\u003C\/strong\u003E applauded the collective team effort it takes to launch students into professional careers.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cFrom faculty and staff to alumni and industry partners, every member plays a crucial role in providing the support, guidance, and opportunities our students need to thrive in their chosen fields,\u201d says Gaston. \u201c The College of Sciences Student Alumni Leadership Dinner is instrumental in bringing our partners together to allow students to meaningfully engage with professionals in careers they may want to pursue. \u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2024 Internship Company of the Year\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EDuring the festivities, Stringfellow announced the inaugural winner of the Internship Company of the Year,\u003Cstrong\u003E BrandSafway.\u003C\/strong\u003E The award honors a company that provides a high-quality learning environment for student interns.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELauren Hester\u003C\/strong\u003E, who graduated this past August with a psychology degree, interned with BrandSafway as a Workday case management intern and nominated them for the award.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cIt was my first corporate experience and BrandSafway was such a welcoming environment,\u201d says Hester. \u201cThere were no dumb questions. I was able to be a sponge and learn so much about how business works. Thank you to BrandSafway for opening that door so I could learn and grow, not just as a scientist, but as someone who is now business savvy.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EBrandSafway President and CEO\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EKarl Fessenden\u003C\/strong\u003E accepted the award.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWe are based in Atlanta and appreciate the benefit of having a world-renowned Institute just 20 minutes from our doors,\u201d says Fessenden. \u201cWhat we value most about our internship program is that it brings in students who are not only technically skilled but also bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to our organization. We are a better company because of our internship program.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWhen presenting the award, Hester related that she heard about the internship at a networking event hosted by the College of Sciences and the Career Center:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0022Networking really does pay off!\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"First-ever internship employer of the year awarded to BrandSafway"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Student and Alumni Leadership Dinner provided a platform for students and alumni to network and share career insights. The event also honored BrandSafway with the inaugural Internship Employer of the Year award, highlighting the company\u0027s commitment to offering valuable learning experiences to interns.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The annual Student and Alumni Leadership Dinner highlighted the importance of alumni-student connections, with BrandSafway receiving the first-ever Internship Employer of the Year award for its outstanding internship program."}],"uid":"36607","created_gmt":"2024-11-06 15:28:22","changed_gmt":"2024-12-04 20:53:43","author":"ls67","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2024-11-06T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-11-06T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675533":{"id":"675533","type":"image","title":"BrandSafway was honored as the 2024 Internship Company of the Year. 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leadership.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EStudents appreciated the opportunity to speak one-on-one with alumni and Georgia Tech leadership.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1730920674","gmt_created":"2024-11-06 19:17:54","changed":"1730920674","gmt_changed":"2024-11-06 19:17:54","alt":"A man and young woman talk in front of two windows.","file":{"fid":"259170","name":"Students appreciated the opportunity to speak one-on-one with alumni and Georgia Tech 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