ALION FOR LIFE | Women’s Event Recap
Alumnae Unite in Support of Young Women Throughout the Academic Commons and Querbes Hall, the Saint Viator and Sacred Heart of Mary Alumni Association hosted its first-ever Women’s Event for current students on February 15th. The primary goals of the gathering were to display the range of careers that alumnae thrive in while empowering young women to engage in conversation that inspires them to pursue their passions with confidence. The Women’s Event clearly exhibited the extensive networking opportunities available in the Saint Viator community and demonstrated the benefits of learning outside the classroom in a collaborative environment. “I came to the event out of curiosity and began to see what my life could look like after I started my professional career. I craved a community of women to look up to,” said Bernadette Mercurio ’22. “As a freshman, I don’t know exactly what career I want to pursue, so an event like this was a perfect opportunity to start narrowing down my interests,” said Ainslie McKenna ’25. The evening kicked off with a comprehensive panel discussion featuring eight graduates of Sacred Heart and Saint Viator. Panelists included members of the Sacred Heart Class of 1979 and others through the Saint Viator Class of 2015, each sharing their thoughts on what it takes for women to be successful in industries such as social work, veterinary medicine, consulting, entrepreneurship, journalism, engineering, and economics. The students then spent an hour interacting with more than 25 graduates in one-on-one breakout discussions with groups covering careers in business, health sciences, social sciences, and non-traditional fields. The alumnae involved in the break-outs spanned graduating classes from 1969 to 2016, many of whom emphasized the importance of networking and opportunities in different career fields. “As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of our school, this event really demonstrated our Lion for Life commitment,” Alumni Relations Manager, Krystal Harris ’15 said. “We believe in having a strong community that welcomes and nurtures students from our first contact while they are in elementary school until they are alumni who are well-established in their careers.” “Thinking back on the event, the main thing that still has my heart so full is how impressed I am by our current students at Saint Viator,” said panelist and Biomedical Engineering PhD Candidate at the University of Michigan, Lauren Madden ’14. “Every student I talked to was wonderfully chatty and curious, and it fills me with so much joy that these ladies will be part of the next generation of women to enter the workforce.” Those in attendance were also able to have a professional headshot taken for use in their college and career pursuits. While the school year winds down, the Alumni Association finishes the year by hosting Lunch & Learn workshop sessions for the students and a Career Day on May 27 that complement the inaugural Women’s Event atmosphere. Lunch & Learn topics include building a resume, mobile marketing, and personal branding while the Career Day offers all students the chance to explore and hear from more alumni in a variety of careers. To assist with future networking events or to speak to students about your career, please email alumni@saintviator.com.
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