The Stony Brook University Career Center held its annual “Careers-In Week” series in November, where representatives from a variety of professions participated in industry panels to answer questions from students about their respective industries.
The five events reviewed careers in industries including, healthcare and helping professions; finance; chemical engineering; music and media; and local, state, and federal agencies. The sessions occurred virtually over Zoom and welcomed over 500 students. The noteworthy element of Careers-In Week was the inclusion of alumni on the industry panels. This allowed the university to connect former and current students while shining a light on alums with powerful stories and rewarding careers.
Careers-In Week also served as an opportunity for the Career Center to support student organizations and connect them with individuals from companies they have expressed interest in. The event was co-hosted by several student groups, including the Finance Society, Investment Club, Society of Women Engineers, Phi Alpha Delta, Stony Brook Energy Club, Delta Sigma Phi, Statesman, WUSB, SBU-TV, Alpha Nu Zeta and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
The Healthcare and Helping Professions Panel appealed to many Stony Brook students interested in the medical field. In attendance were The Estee Lauder Companies, New York Edge, CN Guidance, Counseling Services and CityMD, who are all seeking to help Stony Brook students discover exciting roles in healthcare and helping professions. Heather O’Connor, the career coach for healthcare, shared, “The Careers in Healthcare and Helping Professions event was a wonderful opportunity for undergraduate students at Stony Brook University! Our guest speakers offered insight into their companies and available full-time, part-time, and internship opportunities. The event allowed students to network with our panelists and was a rewarding experience for those pursuing healthcare. Students truly appreciate the networking opportunities that events such as this one provide. I look forward to more in the future!”
The Finance Panel addressed students pursuing banking, investment, wealth management and similar topics. The companies represented were Sidekick, Forest Hills Financial Group and CapitalG. “Careers-In Finance was a very insightful experience,” said Glenn Song, a business major and marketing intern at the Career Center. “While the name made it seem like it was geared strictly toward finance roles, there were panelists from a variety of industries, including investment banking, real estate, consulting and more.”
The Chemical Engineering Panel offered students insight into their options as CME majors. Boeing, Campbell Soup Company, Proctor & Gamble and National Grid were on the panel. “Working with the student organizations for the Careers-In Chemical Engineering event was a fulfilling responsibility for me as a career coach. They were active in the planning and facilitation of the event and developed engaging questions for the panelists. It was a great opportunity for them to stand out and network with potential employers,” shared Kirshani Gunaratnam, career coach for the IT and Engineering Career Community.
The Local, State and Federal Agencies Panel connected students with the NYC Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings, Government Relations at Stony Brook, the Suffolk County Administrative Judge’s Office and the United States Justice Department Antitrust Division.
The Music, Media and Creative Panel focused on titular topics in addition to the arts, communications and journalism. Professionals from LiveNation, MSNBC, 42 West and PublicIsGroup were present to share their experiences finding positions and making critical career choices.
Alumni and Employer Panelists
Simone Archer ’02, NYC Office of Administrative Trials and Hearing – administrative law judge/hearing officer
Lorraine Baum ’09, CN Guidance and Counseling Services – director of population health
Stephanie Brumsey ’09, MSBNC – segment producer for The Cross Connecting and The Sunday Show
Deena Claudio ’11, Boeing Commercial Airplanes – deputy chief engineer
Kelley Coughlan-Heck, TRITEC Real Estate – executive vice president and partner
Zimei Du ’20, Procter and Gamble – paper machine leader
Jackson Georges Jr. ’10, Capital G Division of Google – partner
Christina Geraci ’04, Suffolk County District Administrative Judge’s Office, New York State Unified Court System – principal court attorney
Josh Haberman, Sidekick Partners – VC investor relations
Terri Leibler, Live Nation Entertainment – SVP sales enablement
Bryn Mike ’11, Campbell Soup Company – senior commercialization project lead
Carl Mills, Government Relations at Stony Brook University – assistant vice president
Vincent Moy ’15, National Grid – senior engineer
Julia Orlando, City MD – recruiter
Carol Otero, CN Guidance and Counseling Services – human resources director
Selena Piliere, Estee Lauder – lead panelist for recruitment and engagement
Alexander Psonis ’13, Estee Lauder – director of operations
Hector Rivera, Forest Hills Financial Group – director of certified financial planning
Esthefania Rodriguez, New York Edge – manager for talent partnerships and initiatives
Rashaun Smith, Publicis – vice president account director
Meg Stagaard, 42 West – vice president
To learn more about future events, please visit the Career Center and Handshake for more information.
– Joseph D’Alessandro and Alena Koshy
