Vonzelle Johnson 鈥07 speaks with students attending a Shaping Your Vision networking event during homecoming. (Photo by Duy Trinh 鈥14)
Beyond the football, fireworks, and bonfire of , many alumni returning to campus also helped with networking events, including an improved and expanded career workshop.
Shaping Your Vision is as an opportunity for students to establish career connections with alumni visiting campus from all walks of life. The workshop was the result of collaboration between Alumni Relations, Career Services, Alumni of Color, and the ALANA Cultural Center.
A special 鈥渟peed information鈥 session was held for students to talk with the 28 participating alumni with career experience in communications, health care, nonprofits, real estate, education, and business services. Students could also talk with former students who now work at 冈本视频, and with students who continued to graduate school.
鈥淎lumni have been crucial, from events like these to just running into someone wearing a 冈本视频 hoodie,鈥 said Andrea Finley 鈥13, who went on to work for 冈本视频鈥檚 Office of Residential Life. 鈥淥ur relationships with alumni are essential to our relationship with the institution as a whole.鈥
, DeLand city commissioner and chair of the Volusia County Democratic Executive Committee in Florida, delivered the keynote speech.
Johnson spoke of the formative experience he had at 冈本视频, and how the relationships he developed here helped him make decisions about his future.
鈥淲hen we ran for [political] office, we had no idea what we were doing. But I did know one thing鈥攖hat I went to 冈本视频, and that by the time I graduated, I knew the most important people that I needed to know,鈥 Johnson said.
The event provided students helpful tips and information about and staying connected after the event.
Johnson emphasized that the relationship between student and alumni should be a mutual one.
鈥淒on鈥檛 call on someone just when you need something,鈥 he advised. 鈥淢ake sure to offer your services.鈥
Students who attended took advantage of the opportunity to chat and network with .
鈥淚 like hearing their experience, and if they have any advice,鈥 said Carolina Batista 鈥17, adding that the stories told by alumni might not seem like advice at first, but often contain valuable wisdom within.