As the end of another academic year approaches, many students are forced to face the reality of what to make of those hard-earned bachelor’s degrees. The University of Massachusetts’ department of communication is hosting its annual Alumni Career Night featuring six successful graduate panelists and communication department staff.
The program will kick off with welcomes from the Communication Department Chair Lisa Henderson and Career Night Coordinator and professor Martin Norden. Following introductions are the panelists’ presentations, where UMass alumni will briefly share their stories since graduation. Following the presentations will be a question and answer period, and then a reception with free Antonio’s pizza.
Alumni Career Night 2011 takes place Thursday, April 7 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Herter 231. The reception following the event will be held in the Herter lobby.
Six panelists have been carefully selected to present a summary of their careers since graduating from UMass. Three of the six had taken classes with Norden many years ago, according to the professor.
“I was very interested in putting together a panel that consisted of communication alumni … at different stages of their careers and who represented a broad and diverse range of career possibilities,” said Norden.
Jessica Atwood graduated from UMass in 1995 and then from graduate school in 2000. She has spent over 15 years working as the Senior Economic Development Planner for the Franklin Regional Council of Governments in Greenfield, Mass. Atwood will discuss her work spreading broadband service access in areas of the Western Mass. area that are not serviced.
Graduate of 1996 Liz Coffey currently works as the Film Conservator for the Harvard Film Archive in Cambridge, Mass. Coffey took somewhat of a hiatus after graduation, dabbling as a bicycle mechanic, video store clerk and motion picture projectionist, amongst other jobs.
Gregg de Domenico graduated in the class of 1999 and has been aggressively contributing to the film industry ever since. De Domenico worked on “Spider-Man 3,” “Dave Chapelle’s Block Party,” “Neil Young: Heart of Gold” and other films. He has worked on over 300 commercials, 100 music videos and shot two documentaries, which will be released in 2012.
Patrick Sabbs, a 1984 graduate, spent the decade after graduation working his way up the food chain at WWLP TV-22 in Springfield, Mass. to become Production Director. Sabbs attended Western New England College School of Law to become an assistant district attorney, a job he holds currently in the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office. Sabbs acts as the real life version of Christopher Meloni, working in the Special Victim’s Unit.
A graduate of 2002, George G. Smith, Jr. currently resides in New York City and works as a blogger, social strategist and self-proclaimed digital master. Smith is PepsiCo’s Senior Manager for Social Activation Strategy and Execution, meaning he promotes the company’s brand on social networking sites such as Facebook. He has worked with other large-name brands such as Crocs and Walmart by helping develop marketing strategies.
“[He] was a gift out of the blue,” said Norden on Smith. “By coincidence, he had recently contacted the [College of Social and Behavioral Sciences] Dean’s Office about wanting to meet with current students, and so his name was forwarded to me.”
Since recently graduating in 2007, Hillary Teed has traveled with the U.S. Peace Corps to Dominica and the West Indies, where Teed worked with a community development and renewal program. More recently, Teed has worked for the Connecticut Community Providers Association as a Public Policy Specialist. CCPA is an organization that advances health policy and advocacy on behalf of the community human services providers.
“The panelists will have about 10 minutes each to discuss their post-UMass career paths, the twists and turns those paths may have taken and their current work,” said Norden.
An hour will be available for questions after all presentations.
Immediately following the event is a reception in the Herter lobby, where “students will have a chance to meet informally with the panelists,” said Norden. The professor and event coordinator has even asked panelists to bring business cards with them.
“With any luck, quite a bit of post-panel networking will take place!” Norden excitedly added.
Kate Evans can be reached at [email protected].
