The Marketing Association held its first alumni panel on Tuesday, April 13.
The panel was open to all business majors. The alumni included managers, owners and presidents of companies.
The main theme of the night was to learn where past Cabrini College business majors have found careers. The alumni each told stories of their journeys through the world of business. Questions were then opened to the students in the audience and a networking session was held at the end.
“These panels are valuable to students because it helps the students for the future. It is also great networking for internships. These alumni of Cabrini College will stop everything to help in any way,” Jodi Romano, director of alumni development, said.
Many students have specific expectations for careers after college and want to plan the rest of their lives. In contrast, the stories alumni told showed that nothing goes the way one expects it will.
“I’ve transferred from almost five different jobs from the time of graduation up until now, and this is where I exactly want to be,” Brian Rice, class of ‘01, online marketing manager of SAP, said.
“I was a psychology major and ended up in the world of business. I am now the president of White Horse Village. Who would of ever of thought that I would be the president of a company? Not me,” Mary Kay Burke, Class of ‘69, president of White Horse Village, said.
Eddie O’Brien, Class of ‘84 and owner of Surplus Metals Corporation, was one graduate who had determination. O’Brien graduated from Cabrini and had no job lined up. His sister met a man who had given his card to her and she passed it along to O’Brien. He walked into the office, asked to speak to the owner, waited patiently until he arrived and asked him for a job. He offered to work for free.
O’Brien was hired right on the spot. After learning the business of surplus metals, he would go to different jobs, get hired and ask for raises. When the raises were not granted to him, he decided to create his own business. This continued for almost more than three years. O’Brien is now the owner of Surplus Metals in Bala Cynwyd.
The alumni could not emphasize enough to students that they should take risks and not be afraid to go outside of their comfort zone.
“I learned a lot about not being afraid. I need to apply my strengths to the world,” Alyssa Frieze, senior business administration major, said.
“This event was not only fun but beneficial to all students. It was also a great opportunity for us students to network and find out that there are plenty of job opportunities through the alumni office,” Rebecca Kincade, senior marketing major, said.
To learn more about getting in touch with Cabrini College alumni, contact Jodi Romano, director of alumni development, at jdr63@cabrini.edu. If students would like to learn more about marketing, contact the Marketing Association at ccmarketingclub@gmail.com to become a member.
