Senior Summit will offer week-long virtual programming for post-college career success

Members of the Class of 2021 are invited to join Senior Summit, which is sponsored by the Office of Career Development, for a week of virtual career readiness programming designed to prepare them for life after Salve Regina. The conference will be held March 1-5, and it is co-sponsored by the Office of Alumni, Parent and Family Programs.

Traditionally, Senior Summit has been a half-day conference on a weekend that offered breakout sessions, speakers and alumni advice on career readiness for Salve Regina’s seniors. Due to the pandemic, this year’s conference had to get innovative by keeping the main content while also making it a little more accessible to students virtually.

The result of the innovation is a week-long series of events that will give seniors a chance to learn from various staff members, speakers and alumni on a variety of career topics — such as resume building, networking, interviewing and more.

“I think we’re poised for a fantastic program,” said Michael Wisnewski, director of career development. “We’ve worked hard to come up with a format that would fit the current situation and make sure that our seniors are getting this important information before they graduate.”

Please register through Handshake for all the Senior Summit events, which are listed below in detail.

Resumes and Cover Letters
with Caitlin Bailey, associate director of the Office of Career Development at Salve Regina
Monday, March 1, at 5:00 p.m.

This presentation is designed for students who have never created a resume before or who haven’t touched up their resume in a while. The presentation will focus on how to create a resume and cover letter from scratch, as well as how to format these documents, what information to include, and how to tailor it specifically to each post-graduation opportunities someone is applying for.

To register for this event, go here.

Interviews and Job Searching
with Michael Wisnewski, director of Office of Career Development at Salve Regina
Tuesday, March 2, at 5:00 p.m.

In this interactive session, participants will review helpful tips and approaches for preparing for interviews, which will include some real-time practice for students. The discussion will wrap up by exploring strategies and resources that will help a person maximize their time when searching for jobs. Students will leave this session with increased confidence and a tool kit of best practices for interviewing and job searching.

To register for this event, go here.

Networking: Making First Impressions Count
with Jean Papalia, principal of A+ Etiquette
Wednesday, March 3, at 5:00 p.m.

It takes less than a minute to make a first impression, but it can take a lifetime to change a bad first impression. In this interactive workshop, students will learn how to make professional, lasting impressions and how to network successfully in various settings. Students will practice how to introduce themselves and others, as well as how to enter and exit conversations. As a result, students will increase their confidence and competence on how to enter a networking event with a game plan and leave with business cards.

Jean Papalia, Principal of A+ Etiquette, is a certified business protocol consultant and former career center director with more than 25 years of expertise in the areas of job search, career management and professional protocol advising.

To register for this event, go here.

Virtual Networking Reception
Wednesday, March 3, at 6:00 p.m.

Put networking skills to the test as participants join Salve Regina alumni and industry professionals in an interactive virtual networking session. Students will have a chance to ask questions and interact with panelists in small breakout groups.

Current participating alumni include:

• Maureen Philbin ’86, executive director of Fall River Deaconess Home
• Joe Burcaw ’94, owner of Bearclaw’s Academy of Music
  Trish Walker ’83, director of business development at Liberty Utilities
• Abby Gray ’19, graduate research intern at Middlebury College
• Mike DelRose ’09, director of marketing/business development at The Mike DelRose Team
• Maeve Shaughnessy ’15, ’16 (MBA), communications and marketing manager at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital

To register for this event, go here.

Commencement photo from 2019.

First Hundred Days
with Annie Tobin Fickel ’03, ‘06 (M), senior talent and organizational development consultant for MAPFRE Insurance
Thursday, March 4, 5:00 p.m.

The first three months on the job are critical for establishing oneself in the workplace, and this presentation will help students understand how to successfully launch their careers. Annie Tobin-Fickel, an experienced human resource practitioner, will share employer perspectives and strategies that will help students use their first few months as a professional to stand out for the right reasons and position themselves for long-term career success.

To register for this event, go here.

Young Alumni Round Tables
Thursday, March 4, 6:00 p.m.

This virtual discussion will feature a panel of recent Salve Regina graduates who are prepared to discuss how to navigate the transition from college to career. Students will have a chance to ask questions and interact with panelists in small breakout groups.

Current participating alumni include:

• Penny Theodoropolous ’20, third grade science teacher at Achievement First Providence Mayoral Academy
• Noel Hagenburg ’20, fifth grade teacher at Saint Margaret Catholic School
• Kayla Campanelli ’20, special education teacher at Hasbro Children’s Hospital
• Tim Mentor ’20, Americorps VISTA member at the Newport Country Boys and Girls Club
• Kyle Sada ’20, associate sales representative at Tech Data Corporation

To register for this event, go here.

Financial Literacy
with Gail Walker, director of school relations at Rhode Island Student Loan Authority (RISLA)
Friday, March 5, 2:00 p.m.

Join RISLA for a webinar that will help participants gain a better understanding of credit. This presentation will discuss credit cards, credit scores and what credit reports contain — and how that information is used to calculate one’s score. Student will learn how to build a strong credit history.

To register for this event, go here.

Featured photo is from the commencement ceremony in 2019.