Seeing the professional world up-close and personal is a
valuable asset in today’s day and age, and thanks to the Alumni Insider View Program
(AIV), our students have been doing just that.
The AIV…Program is a unique series of events that invites alumni
back to campus to give students a behind-the-scenes look at today’s
most exciting careers. These programs also take students on-site to
watch our alumni in action, giving them a true insider’s view into
their particular industry.
Thanks to the continued support of our alumni and friends, this
past semester was one of the program’s most successful.
“The Fall 2011 semester generated a record number of student
attendants – over 1,000 in total,” said
Michael R. Daniels, who joined the University last October as
Associate Director of Alumni Relations for Academic and Student
Programs. “We also featured over 150 alumni participants, so we’re
excited about the future of the program.”
One of the semester’s new events was the
Alumni Insider’s View… Investment Management Program, which
brought students to the offices of BlackRock, one of the world’s
leading providers of investment advisory and risk management
solutions. St. John’s alumni are well-represented within the firm’s
senior management structure, and many shared their stories and
insight during this special program.
“It was a terrific experience for me and the other St. John’s
alumni here at BlackRock to spend time with this great group of
students and to talk to them about our company, financial markets,
investment management and careers in the financial profession,”
said panelist Peter Pisapia ’94CBA, ’97L, Director and Counsel.
“Despite lots of requests from many different colleges and
universities, BlackRock does not often host students in its offices
for these types of sessions. The students were impressive and
represented themselves and St. John’s in an exemplary way.”
The
annual
AIV…U.S. Capital Program, which brings students to Washington,
DC to meet alumni professionals, introduced a new component this
past semester: a Pharmacy track designed specifically for students
in St. John’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
Created thanks to the support of St. John’s University Board of
Governors Members Robert Fuentes, Pharm.D. ’77P and Laura Cranston,
R.Ph. ’84P, this initiative allowed students to attend a networking
reception, tour the Food and Drug Administration and speak with a
panel of alumni who work at MedImmune, a leader in the
biopharmaceutical industry.
“This is truly a great city,” said panelist Ann Y. Lin, R.Ph. ’84P,
’86Pharm.D., Dean and Professor of the School of Pharmacy at the
College of Notre Dame of Maryland. “We have direct access to so
many individuals who influence our country’s healthcare system – an
experience entirely unique to DC.”
Other programs from this past semester include
AIV…Day on Wall Street and AIV…Phone Interview Pro –
events that taught students practical tips to succeed in the real
world while simultaneously showing them where a St. John’s degree
can take you.
It’s clear that the AIV...Program has had a significant impact on
student participants. Stephanie Coirin ’12C, who attended the U.S.
Capital Program, learned a lot from hearing alumni insight.
“The panelists opened my mind on so many subjects,” she said. “Most
notably, I learned that the majority of career paths don’t follow a
straight line. There are actually many different ways you can break
into the professional world, and the alumni helped to make that
clear.”
A number of exciting programs are taking place in the Spring 2012
semester, including
AIV…Hospitality Management, held on-site at the Marriott
Marquis in Times Square, and
AIV…New York State Capitol, which brings students to Albany to
network with alumni who hold significant positions within state
government and private sectors.
Additionally, the AIV…St. John’s College
Virtual Mentorship Program is a brand-new initiative on the
Staten Island campus that pairs up undeclared Liberal Arts students
with alumni, encouraging phone communication, e-mails, instant
messaging and Skype conversations between them on a regular
basis.
Do you want 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 to find out how you can get involved.
Your expertise will help our students get the most out of their St.
John’s education!