April 07, 2010
On Tuesday, March 30, 2010 a select panel of St. John's
University alumni who majored in English and went on to forge
successful careers in a variety of industries shared their stories
with current students at the Alumni Insider's View…St. John's
College English Career Paths on the Queens campus.
Photo gallery
The Alumni Insider's View…Programs enable St. John's University
students to obtain real-world knowledge about a chosen profession
and/or field while drawing upon the professional experiences of
some of our most successful alumni. By serving as panelists,
speakers and moderators, alumni provide students with keen insights
based upon years of experience within their individual professions
and careers.
Alumni panelists at this valuable mentoring event included:
Richard Atkins '91C, '93GEd, '05Ed.D.
Founder/CEO
Improving Communications
Samantha Chin-Wolner '09C
Production Assistant, Cambridge University Press
Advertising Manager, Coilhouse Magazine
Matthew DeBardelaben '87C
Account Executive
RR Donnelley
Cynthia Furlinger '83C, '86G
Knowledge Manager
Deloitte
Roseanne Gatto '01C
Assistant Professor, Institute for Writing Studies
St. John's University
Remembering the issues that faced them when they were planning
to embark on their own careers, the alumni were happy to return to
alma mater to offer advice to the current students.
They described how their experiences at St. John's helped to
prepare them for their career and offered students information
about what to expect after graduation.
"I'm pleased and proud to be able to be a resource to students who
may otherwise not know what to ask or where to ask these
questions," said Atkins. "People think that being an English
major means that you become an English teacher, which is not always
the case. I think it's commendable that this panel is made up
of people who are not just teaching English."
As both an alumnus and St. John's faculty member, Prof. Gatto was
well aware of the value that students can derive from this unique
resource. "When I was an undergraduate, I don't remember having
this type of experience," she said, "and as a professor here now,
it was really nice to be able to offer something like this. It's
awesome!"
Students were grateful for the chance to gain firsthand
information about the many professional options that they can
consider when planning their careers. "It's not very often that
you're able to speak with people who are out there in the workforce
and already have worthwhile experience," remarked Diana Castaldini
'09C who is currently pursuing a graduate degree in English in St.
John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. "This program was very
useful to me, because you usually don't get to ask people what the
structure of their career has been like. It's given me a
sense of what it's going to be like for me after graduation."
"I think that this was a great night," agreed junior Jared
Moret. "I had a concern about making myself marketable as an
English major, and this was a great way to meet people, make
contacts, learn some practical information and engage in valuable
networking."