Providing opportunities for students to network and learn from experienced Colgate alumni is a cornerstone of the four-year career development plan. This spring semester, students were greeted by alumni eager to return to campus and give back to the Colgate community. Programs included panels, information sessions, skills workshops, boot camps, and coffee chats.
Career Services hosted an event examining the industry trends of environmental, social, and governance in business and real estate. A panel composed of Peter Smith ’10, Kevin Danehy ’83, Jessica Prata Cianciara ’01, Kurt Wright ’81, and Kevin Porter ’21 spoke about impactful careers in sustainability, public policy, and community development. Students received tips on career exploration and job search strategies in the field.
In an event co-sponsored with the Peace and Conflict Studies Department, students had lunch with Michael Barber ’14, James Carroll ’15, Niall Henderson ’16, and Jen Spindel ’11. The interactive discussion centered on how their PCON backgrounds translated well into careers in corporate strategy, higher education, research and writing, and experiences at the Peace Corps, Council on Foreign Relations, and the military.
Students interested in career paths in mental health and psychological services heard from Matthew Putts ’07, Nancy Goldstein ’80, Tim Allen ’10, and Michelle West ’08, who shared experiences in vocational rehabilitation, psychotherapy, research, and teaching. During a later virtual panel, Kendra Brim ’11, Dena Robinson ’12, Devin Hughes ’91, and Denny Gonzalez ’13 spoke about incorporating their values and Colgate education into DEI work in advocacy, education, policy, and programming.
Prep for Tech prepared students for behavioral and technical interviews in computer science, software engineering, and other programming-related fields. Presented by Career Services, Colgate Coders, and the Department of Computer Science, the boot camp format offered an overview of career paths and skill development. Rupika Chakraverti ’20 and Lauren Henske ’19 covered behavioral interviews and Franklin van Nes ’18 led a technical interview session. Further, 35 alumni from companies such as LinkedIn, BlackRock, Adobe, Pega Systems, Coinbase, Amazon, and Google, engaged in 70 one-on-one mock interviews with students.
“Franklin's session provided clarity on navigating technical interviews, from problem-solving approaches to effective communication with interviewers,” recalled Raghav Sah ’26. “Connecting with Colgate alumni was a highlight, as their real-world experiences added depth to my understanding of the field.”
During April's Consulting Bootcamp, Jeff Cloetingh ’05 and Kyle Diener ’17 from L.E.K. Consulting shared their career trajectories while providing actionable steps to help students become stronger candidates. “The mock case interview that Kyle conducted helped put me in the mindset of a consultant and encouraged me to start my interview preparation in earnest,” said Abby Harn ’26.
To learn about events and professional opportunities, students are encouraged to read Career Services’ weekly newsletter, What’s Going On. Colgate alumni who are interested in sharing their advice and experiences with students should contact careervolunteer@colgate.edu.