Students and Alumni of Color Engage in Critical Conversations Regarding Career Success

On Monday evening, more than 60 students and alumni of color gathered for an intimate roundtable networking event aimed to provide a safe, open forum to discuss job searching and navigating the workplace as a person of color. Student attendees commented how valuable it was to be able to connect with alumni in senior level positions from a variety of organizations and receive their candid insights and advice.

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our alumni guestsDavid Gopie ’00, Dianne Morales ’93, Dominic Cathey ’15Eri Noguchi ’93Jewel Mack ’92, Jillian Rose ’05Kassandra Frederique ’10Kenia Maldonado ’01Kerron Norman ’02, Lisa Orbegoso ’05Martine Baron ’98Martinique Teperman, ’06Micah Hasegawa ’15, Natalie Wright-Umoh ’03, Nathan Smith ’02Trelan Holder ’06, and Walter Vega ’04, for taking time out of their evening to provide mentorship and support, as well as to our students who participated and helped make the event a great success!

Tips For Maximizing Your New Connections

  1. Send personalized thank you notes to the alumni you met, highlighting a specific tip you appreciated or insight you gained.
  2. Connect with them on LinkedIn, making sure to customize your request. Note that some alumni may prefer to keep their connections closed.
  3. If the alumni you spoke with offered to meet or chat again for one-on-one conversations, follow up on their offer with suggestions for potential dates, times, and locations that would accommodate their schedule.
  4. Keep in touch and update them on any developments resulting from their support. If you find articles or resources that may be of interest to them, pass them along! Remember, networking is a two-way street. The more you invest, the more you’ll get back.

Additional Resources for Networking

  • CSSW Student and Alumni LinkedIn Group
    Join a network of more than 2,700 students and alumni from CSSW to share and create new ideas, resources, and opportunities.
  • Columbia Alumni Directory
    Research, identify, and connect with CSSW alumni at large, and soon, the wider Columbia Alumni Community. Second-year students can immediately access the site using their UNI and login. First-year students will receive access within the next few months.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.