May 14, 2012
Have you ever wondered how important your St. John’s connections
can be?
More and more students are learning the answer to that question
thanks to the Alumni
Insider’s View…Program (AIV) – a unique series of events that
allows alumni to give students a behind-the-scenes look at some of
today’s most exciting careers.
“We’ve just finished our events for the Spring 2012
semester, and it’s been fun to watch the program continue to grow,”
said Michael R. Daniels, Associate Director for Academic and
Student Programs in the Office of Alumni Relations. “Our staff has
demonstrated a real commitment to making sure we connect our alumni
and students in a meaningful way, and the results speak for
themselves.”
Some of the past semester’s marquee programs included the
AIV…Business Plan Competition – which received a record 87
submissions – and the
AIV…New York State Capital Program, which brought students to
Albany to meet graduates who work as politicians, lobbyists and
more.
Additionally, Hospitality Management students were able to tour
some of the city’s busiest hotels, such as Times Square’s
Marriott Marquis and Staten Island’s Hilton Garden Inn.
“The
best part about these programs is that they open up so many
opportunities for the students,” Daniels explained. “These young
men and women can make contact with alumni, send in their resume
and see what happens. And sometimes it even leads to internship and
job opportunities.”
One of these success stories is Patrick Bergin ’15CPS, who was
offered a job as Guest Service Agent at the Hilton Garden Inn after
attending the AIV…Hospitality Management Program. The hotel is
owned by alumni
Richard (’76NDC, ’86HON) and Lois (Malko) Nicotra ’77NDC,
’83GEd.
“The AIV Program opened a lot of doors for me,” Bergin said. “It
was an incredible hands-on look at how a hotel functions on a daily
basis, and it helped me see what it’s really like to have a
position there. After the event, I handed in my resume to the
directors of each department and got a call the next day. Now I’m
excited to begin working there as an employee.”
Javier Ortiz ’13L had a similar experience. After attending the
AIV…U.S. Capital Program, he sent an e-mail to one of the
panelists, Kathleen McGovern, Esq. ’88CBA, ’91L, Assistant Chief,
Corporate and Securities Fraud for the U.S. Department of Justice,
and secured an internship in Washington, DC.
“I
didn’t realize St. John’s had such a strong alumni contingent in
DC,” Ortiz said. “The networking opportunities of AIV were what
helped me land my summer internship with the Department of Justice,
and I’d recommend it to anyone interested.”
The Office of Alumni Relations is looking forward to another
exciting year of AIV programs in the Fall 2012 semester and hopes
to implement even more diverse ideas to create unique and helpful
networking opportunities for as many students as possible.
“We’re going to be launching some ideas next year that I’m sure
students will love,” said Desiree Henry ’10MBA, Assistant Director
of Academic Constituents. “For example, we’re looking to create a
speed networking opportunity for students of different majors. That
way they can mingle with professionals from various industries,
which will help them significantly in the long run.”
Elisa Douglas ’05C, Assistant Director in the Office of Alumni
Relations, noted that she hopes the annual programs in Albany and
Washington, DC will continue to grow in the coming years.
“The response I get from alumni who work and live in those areas is
overwhelming,” she explained. “And the students truly learn so much
from those events. We’ve been adding new components over the last
few years, so I’m excited to collaborate with even more alumni and
friends in the future.”
Without a doubt, these programs have been positively impacting our
students, and your expertise could further help them get the most
of their St. John’s education! If you would like to join the
growing number of alumni AIV participants, contact the Office of
Alumni Relations at (718) 990-6232 or by e-mail at
alumni@stjohns.edu and find out how you can get involved.