The Communication Honor Society, Lambda Pi Eta, hosted a Career Day this past Friday and Sunday. The event was held in-person on Friday and virtually on Sunday. The goal of this event was for students to learn more about the different fields of the communication industry and network with Villanova alumni. 

Thirteen Villanova communication alumni attended the virtual event on Sunday. Each alumnus attendee provided advice to students about how to navigate the industry post-college and how to stand out when seeking out internships and jobs. 

The following professionals attended the Communication Career Day: Daniel Trucil (Media Relations Advisor, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program), Brooke Ferencsik (Vice President of Communications, RxSense), Melissa Paone (Executive Director Marketing & Communications, Neumann University), Ré Kleinbard (Vice President, Edelman), Calista Smith (Owner, Scale Strategic Solutions), Kate Gifford (Human Resources Coordinator, NBCUniversal), Anne Marie McGrory (Director of Communications, Stoneleigh Foundation), LeAnne Armstead (Ecommerce Brand Marketing Manager, The Kroger Co.), Priscilla Jackson (Assistant Director, Industry and Professional Networks; Alumni Relations Department Assistant, Villanova University), Danielle Cherry (Founder & CEO, Crimson Communications), Keith Jones (News Anchor, NBC Philadelphia), and Katherine Glavin (Senior Director, Client Success & Delivery at Sermo) and Daniel Gainey (Senior Client Advocate and Project Manager, AmpThink Founder & CTO, RedTwo Consulting). 

The event consisted of a panel led by the senior & junior Directors of the Career Day. Many of the Villanova alumni provided stories about their college experiences, including memories with their professors and mentors, what organizations they were involved in on campus and what challenges they faced in the beginning of their careers. 

“When I have had a manager who has been challenging to work with or when the leadership did not align with my own values, I would think to myself, ‘It is time to lean on your network, whether it is other Villanova students or alumni,’” Glavin said, when discussing challenges faced in her career. “I would then ask questions like, ‘Is that common in our industry or is it this company?’”

All of the panelists have had a diverse range of opportunities in the communication industry and were able to share their experiences. Many have worked in public relations, sports communication and broadcasting. Additionally, some of the panelists have worked with the federal government, covered the Olympic Games and created campaigns for large corporations such as Coca-Cola and TripAdvisor. These industry-related experiences allowed the panelists to share important tips with students on how to stand out when applying for jobs and internships. 

“Attitude is key,” Ferencsik said. “The people who really get immersed in the workplace with intellectual curiosity are going to succeed.”

The panelists emphasized the importance of making connections with mentors and professors in college. They also explained how it is beneficial to take risks and explore different interests and internship opportunities in order to discover one’s true passion. 

“I’ve learned way more things from failure than success,” Jones said. 

In addition to describing professional skills, how to network in college and how to reach out to employers, the panelists also provided advice about how to utilize the lessons learned at Villanova to help them succeed in the future. 

“Courage is feeling the fear and doing it anyways. Getting outside your comfort zone is where the growth and adventure begins,” Glavin said.