St. Mike’s re-envisions career event with input from students and engaging local business community

When it comes to planning their future, St. Mike’s students get a chance tap into one of their greatest (and often under-utilized) resources: alumni. 

Saint Michael’s College’s Career Connections event March 7 will bring together alumni, students, local businesses and business leaders in ways the College hasn’t done before. 

“The main goal of this event is to connect our alumni and our current students and help give the current students what they need to kickstart their careers after college,” said Sierra Leonard ’15, Assistant Director for Alumni & Family Engagement. 

Saint Michael’s students network with alumna Nicole Siciliano ’08 at a past Career Symposium event in 2018.

It’s an evolved event that takes some of the hallmarks of the former Career Symposium – which capitalized on panels and networking opportunities – but makes it more personal and approachable. Even the slightly stuffy “symposium” name has been replaced with a fresher title to reflect the new approach. 

“We’re really trying to meet students where they’re at in 2025 because it’s a lot different than it was before COVID,” Leonard said, explaining that smaller, personalized discussions seem to work better than listening to panels and relying on their own assertiveness to get a chance to converse with experts. 

“Career Symposium the way it was almost doesn’t work with this generation of students,” she said.  

Career Connections: New name, new approach 

The annual event has been shifted from fall to spring and the emphasis broadened to include students of all years. Underclassmen are encouraged to attend so they can start thinking about their future in new, practical ways and make connections that could be useful down the line. 

Student buy-in was important for reimagining the event. Students weighed in on the topics they most wanted to explore, which became the basis for lunchtime table talks with alumni experts focused on topics the students chose: Tips for Getting Your First Job & What to Expect, The Importance of Building Your Network and Maximizing Your Digital Footprint, Resume Reviews, How to Market YOUR Brand, Interview Tips, Graduate School vs. Full-Time Work, and Working in Public Health and Non-Profits. 

Students can visit tables for one-on-one or small group discussions, which can lead to personalized advice. Placing the tables in the Alliot cafeteria during lunchtime, the planning committee believes, will make the sessions more informal and accessible. 

The College is also inviting local business leaders to attend the keynote address and networking reception, engaging local businesses more directly than in recent years. 

“Our goal is to get St. Mike’s on the map with these companies and have them all show up and have a great, robust opportunity for students to connect with them at the networking event and beyond,” said Stephanie Snell, Saint Michael’s Director for Alumni and Family Engagement. 

Alum and VT State Commerce Secretary Lindsay Kurrle to provide keynote 

In lieu of an expert panel, this year’s event includes a keynote address from 1993 Saint Michael’s College alumna, Lindsay Kurrle. Kurrle is a member of the Vermont Governor’s cabinet, currently serving as Vermont’s Secretary of Commerce and Community Development. 

Kurrle has had a varied career as an accountant with international firm KPMG and as a small business owner, in addition to roles in state government which started with an appointment to the Department of Labor in 2016. 

Lindsay Kurrle ’93, will deliver the keynote address during Saint Michael’s College’s Career Connections event March 7. Kurrle is Vermont’s Secretary of Commerce and Community Development.

Kurrle said students often feel pressure to know what they want to do for a career even as they are beginning college. She wants students to know it’s okay to not know yet what they want to do and that careers evolve. She is an example of that. 

“As long as you pick something, keep learning, and stay open to opportunities, you will find success,” she said. “The beauty of the liberal arts education is that it equips you with versatile skills that open doors to opportunities you never imagined.” 

She still draws on experiences from her time at St. Mike’s and felt well prepared to use her degree in Accounting and her liberal arts foundation to try other careers, she said. 

As for her keynote, Kurrle said she is excited to share her journey and perspective with current Saint Michael’s College students.

“I want to share my perspective as a modern-day leader, manager, public servant, and previous business owner on what I and other employers wish new employees understood or approached differently as they enter the workforce,” she said. 

She hopes many students will turn out for the event. 

Importance of forging bonds between alumni and current students 

Saint Michael’s College alumni represent a vast array of fields and have ties to Vermont’s largest employers – some of which will be in attendance, including OnLogic, PetraCliffs, the Howard Center and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. 

St. Mike’s alumni are an active group, dedicated to helping students reach their goals and fulfilling their professional aspirations. They are a resource that can be mined for everything from assistance with school projects to finding a job. 

“I think a lot of our students don’t realize how accessible our alumni are to them,” Snell said. She said alumni show up in droves for these types of events, some of whom have internships and jobs to offer. 

“But, also they’re coming to this networking event just to talk – to be like, ‘I’m here for you. I was in your shoes, I’ve come out of it and here’s how my career path has zig-zagged’ or whatever else,” she said. “That’s the greatest resource we can give our students.” 

Students connect with experts at Saint Michael’s College’s Career Symposium event.

Full list of activities 

The Career Connections event begins at noon on Friday, March 7 in the Alliot Student Center where two activities will be happening concurrently. 

Alumni employer spotlight tables will be set up in the first-floor common area, which will allow organizations and students to connect directly about internships, employment opportunities and general industry information. Alumni enhance the otherwise typical job fair experience by being friendly faces invested in the success of St. Mike’s students. 

Concurrently, lunchtime table talks will be held in the Green Mountain Dining Room, featuring alumni experts. Participants have an opportunity to engage with both groups, and both activities last until 2 p.m. 

Secretary Kurrle’s keynote address will start at 3 p.m. in the Roy Room on the 3rd floor of the Dion Family Student Center. Students, alumni and the business community are all invited to attend. 

A favorite return activity, the networking reception, will round out the day. This will take place outside of the Roy Room in the Archway Lounge from 4 to 6 p.m. The reception is a chance for more one-on-one time to build relationships between students, alumni and local businesses while enjoying refreshments. Any local alums are welcome to attend and participate. 

Students and alumni can register to attend and find out more about the Career Connections event here.>> (https://www.smcvt.edu/outcomes/career-connections/)