By Kristy Volmert | Staff Writer
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Next week, students have the opportunity to connect with people who were in their shoes not so long ago and have now jumped into their future careers. Student attendees will hear about the experiences of alumni as they actively live in the times that they called their “future” when they were Baylor undergraduate students.
The 2nd Annual Student and Alumni Networking Event will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday in Cashion 506. It is free for students, but students will need to register since there are limited spots. The deadline to register is 5 p.m. Friday.
Attendees will be able to hear firsthand how alumni transformed their Baylor educations into unique career paths and what the journey looked like along the way.
Amy Rylander, Career Center director, said the event will feature alumna Fiona Bond and will also include a panel discussion with alumni from different areas of study and open networking.
Rylander emphasized the benefits for students of all years, encouraging them to take advantage of the opportunity, regardless of their major or what career path they may have in mind.
“I want to make sure that our students are meeting alumni, and they’re learning about career paths, so they can go, ‘Oh, this is something that I can do,'” Rylander said.
This is a fairly new event for the Career Center, but after last year’s success, they hope to continue launching this opportunity yearly, Rylander said. She said it’s a good opportunity to bridge generations of Bears through conversations, career insight and community.
“One of the things that Baylor students are good at is taking advantage of the opportunities they have on campus,” she said. “This is an excellent opportunity.”
It can be for any student, regardless of where they stand, Rylander said.
“Freshmen can learn a lot about how to figure out what they’re going to do on campus while they’re here,” Rylander said. “The networking can be very useful for upperclassmen especially, as there will be alumni from companies who are actively hiring.”
Bond, this year’s keynote speaker, earned a BA in theology during her undergrad at Durham University in the United Kingdom,and an MBA from Baylor. Bond is now the CEO of Creative Waco. She said she is thrilled to be speaking at this year’s event.
“It’s such a brilliant idea to bring together students exploring their next steps and alumni who’ve been there, taken a few detours, have the perspective of a few more miles on the clock and the enthusiasm to support current students just starting out,” Bond said.
Rylander is excited for Bond to speak at the event this year and said she will be really fun to hear from.
“She’s gonna have a lot of fun with students and with alumni in talking about the intersection of arts and how important it is within business,” Rylander said.
Bond said she will share stories, ask big questions and invite both students and alumni alike to consider what it means to thrive and what kinds of superpowers they might already have.
In addition to the keynote, the event will feature a panel discussion moderated by John Morris, renowned sportscaster and the current “Voice of the Bears.” Among the panelists will be Kennedy Reynolds, a former journalism major who now runs social media for the Dallas Cowboys.
Rylander said every school within Baylor will be represented among the alumni so that there will truly be a place for every student who attends.
“So many times students don’t understand how their major can really benefit the world or a business,” she said. “It’s fun to hear how, no matter what you study, you can go across a wide variety of industries.”
Bond said like many Baylor alumni, she has taken a meaningful journey from undergrad education to her MBA to her position as CEO at Creative Waco, which makes for an inspiring story to share. She emphasizes to students that there is something out there for them, no matter where they are at now.
“As someone whose path has led from Baylor to a career at the intersection of arts, entrepreneurship, politics and community-building, I’m excited to help students see that not knowing exactly what’s next isn’t a flaw,” she said. “It’s a canvas of your potential.”
