From Classroom to Careers

“This weekend definitely helped me narrow down my targets for my career,” said North, an economics major from Alexandria, VA. “I had some thoughts about becoming an environmental lawyer, but this experience made me realize how much passion I have for this field. I’ve collected some business cards and will definitely reach out to some alums now that this event is over.”

For Tracy, a psychology and religion double major from Warwick, RI, the workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities afforded by Sophomore Career Connections “helped me see I have a lot more options than I thought I did.”

North and Tracy were among more than 250 sophomores who took part in the weekend’s activities, envisioning their future by taking part in interactive activities, and attending a series of 75-minute conversations and other networking opportunities with 105 mentors in 18 industries ranging from law and data science to sustainability and social justice.

The weekend kicked off on the evening of January 16 with an outside-the-box “keynote address” that was not an address at all but rather an interactive game show aimed at highlighting how the Vassar career network benefits its students. Conceived by alums Damon Ross ’94 and Eddie Gamarra ’94, the event pitted two teams—each composed of one mentor and two students—who tried to guess, Family Feud–style, the most common answers to questions about mentors’ careers and how Vassar had helped them achieve success. Some “top answers” on the board reflected these truisms: Mentors said their academic majors didn’t matter as much as they thought they would, and that connecting with others in the Vassar network was a key component in advancing their own careers.

Saturday morning’s program began with an exercise designed to break the ice between students and mentors as they explored their values, shared experiences at Vassar, and what they hoped to accomplish for the rest of the weekend. The “Stitch and Share” exercise was developed by the staff of the Center for Career Education based on training they received at the Stanford Life Design Lab at Stanford University.

The rest of the day was devoted to industry panels, in which alums and parents described their career paths across 18 fields and fielded students’ questions about the nature of their work. Some advice provided by the mentors:

• Learn as much as you can about artificial intelligence while you’re in a “safe space” on the Vassar campus. “Experiment as much as you can while you have the time to try and fail,” said Race Bottini ’12, a data analyst for the FanDuel sports betting firm.
• Nobody expects you to know all the answers about your career when you apply for jobs, but find ways to demonstrate your passion for your field.

As the event came to a close on the afternoon of January 18, students and mentors reflected on the experience. “I came into the weekend thinking it would be scary,” said Samantha Gorey ’28, “but I enjoyed everything about it, and I have a better idea about where I want to go from here.”

Chemistry major Hannah Pollard said she was curious how she could apply what she is learning at Vassar, “and this weekend introduced me to lots of options that can open many different paths.”

Many mentors said they had enjoyed the weekend and had learned as much as the students. Kevin Lee ’12, Environmental Health and Sustainability Manager at Dr. Bronner’s, a fair-trade body care and food company, served as a mentor for the third time. “Sophomore Career Connections is an amazing program, and it’s something I wish I had had when I was a student,” said Lee.

Vassar Trustee Brian Farkas ’10, an attorney at ArentFox Schiff LLP, said he has reached out to “literally hundreds” of Vassar students and alums since he graduated, some of whom were seeking advice from him and others who helped him in his own career. He thinks of the Vassar network as a big family.

“One question I often hear from students and young alums is ‘has Vassar prepared me for my career?’” Farkas said. “I always tell them the critical-thinking skills and the emotional intelligence Vassar teaches you has prepared you for whatever field you choose.”

Lindsey Sample ’20, Technology Sales Leader for the New York Public Sector at IBM, had a four-word answer when asked why she had agreed to serve as a mentor for the fourth time this year: “Helped people help people,” she said. “So many alums have helped me with my career that I’m happy to give back.”

Sophomore Career Connections was planned and overseen by Stacy Bingham, Associate Dean of the College for Career Education, and Jannette Swanson, Director of External Engagement in the Center for Career Education.

Reflecting on the weekend’s deeper impact, Swanson noted that SCC often feels like a true homecoming for mentors. “Mentors come to campus wanting to give back and support our students, but they often leave feeling deeply hopeful and inspired by them,” Swanson said. “For many alums, Vassar is home, and this weekend is a powerful reminder of the strength of that community. It’s a reciprocal experience.”

Bingham told the students to think of the experience as the start of a lifelong connection with the Vassar alum network. “I hope this is just the beginning of your relationship with both the Vassar network and the amazing staff in the Center for Career Education,” she said. “You have a huge network of champions and supporters in this room and beyond. Seek us out in the days, weeks, and years to come.”

Sophomore Career Connections is made possible by a generous gift from Carol Ostrow ’77 P’09 P’15 and Michael Graff P’09 ’15.

View a gallery of photos from Sophomore Career Connections on Vassar’s Flickr site.