Career Symposium welcomes snowboarding trailblazer and career panelists

Jill Charest ’04 and keynote speaker, Dan Sullivan ’87, joined Saint Michael’s for a fireside chat in McCarthy Arts Center on March 22 as part of a career symposium event. 

Charest is an Instructional Designer at Cox Automotive in Burlington. She led a Q & A with Sullivan, who is the Director of Sales at Rome Snowboards, about his experience at Saint Michael’s along with his career in the snowboarding industry and the business field.

Fireside chat in McCarthy Arts Center (Photo by Sophie Burt ’26)

“How did you end up at Saint Michael’s College? What brought you here?” Charest asked. 

“Snow brought me here, and when I visited, I loved the small, tight knit community,” Sullivan said.  

Sullivan said he has always had a passion for winter sports. He had planned to go to the University of Utah but after he visited Saint Michael’s, he changed his mind. Sullivan explained that snowboarding was not popular in New England until the 90s, and he had a prominent role in the early days of snowboarding. He said, his exploration into snowboarding began at Saint Michael’s, where he first saw a board in a ski shop in Burlington. He bought the snowboard and that is when his journey began. Sullivan’s passion for snowboarding increased as more mountains allowed snowboarders on the trails. 

“You had to meet up with one of the instructors and take an on-snow test, and then you received a certification for snowboarding,” Sullivan said. “I ended up being the first snowboard instructor at Cannon Mountain in Franconia, New Hampshire.”  

Fireside chat in McCarthy Arts Center (Photo by Sophie Burt ’26)

Sullivan received a degree in Business Administration from Saint Michael’s, and said he believes that the liberal arts course load at Saint Michael’s has helped him a lot throughout his career.  

Charest asked, “How would you say your liberal arts education prepared you for after college?”  

“All of those courses really matter, even the ones you don’t necessarily want to take,” Sullivan said. “I think anybody going into business thinks it is textbook driven, but that’s not what plays out. There are so many different experiences that weigh into your job, and the liberal arts education helps prepare you for that.” 

Sullivan said he is also passionate about the small community of Saint Michael’s College, and he believes it allowed him to gain strong skills in networking and communicating with others. 

Charest asked, “What type of advice would you give to students helping build their connections in networking?”  

Sullivan answered, “There’s not a person who stands next to me who I do not strike up a conversation with. I talk to everyone. I love to chat. That’s the biggest advice I can give.”  

The fireside chat was followed by career and industry panels in St. Ed’s and a networking reception in Dion Student Center.

After the fireside chat, there were career and industry panel discussions in St. Ed’s (Photo by Sophie Burt ’26)

After the fireside chat, there were career and industry panel discussions in St. Ed’s (Photo by Sophie Burt ’26)

After the fireside chat, there were career and industry panel discussions in St. Ed’s (Photo by Sophie Burt ’26)

After the fireside chat, there were career and industry panel discussions in St. Ed’s (Photo by Sophie Burt ’26)

A networking reception followed in Dion Student Center (Photo by Sophie Burt ’26)

A networking reception followed in Dion Student Center (Photo by Sophie Burt ’26)