Rebecca Murphy ’14 (left) at the launch of the Common Good Professional Network in Washington, D.C., on April 1.
Students at the launch of the Common Good Professional Network in Washington, D.C., on April 1.
Editor’s note: This post was written by Rebecca Murphy ’14
On Tuesday, April 1, I had the pleasure of traveling to Washington, D.C., to attend the launch of Colgate’s newest professional network, the Common Good Network. The event, which was held at the LongView Gallery, was a wonderful opportunity to learn about careers in the nonprofit/government sectors and speak to alumni within those fields.
As an intern at Colgate’s Center for Career Services, I had been hearing a lot about the launch. Knowing that I had an interest in the areas within the Common Good Network, my supervisor, Teresa Olsen, invited me to attend the event with members of the Career Services staff. I was thrilled to be given the chance to work at the event.
Heading down to D.C. with Career Services staff members Jillian Arnault ’10 and Kelly Brant, I was not sure what to expect from the launch. However, I really enjoyed the event and believe it was a huge success. The event included a panel of three Colgate alumni who work in different careers for the common good. I found it very interesting to learn about their work — especially how their experiences at Colgate have shaped their careers.
Not only was I given the opportunity to hear the incredible panel speak about their work in nonprofits and government, but I also spoke to other alumni about their post-Colgate experiences.
For me, a highlight of the event was my conversation with Claire Putzeys ’04, who gave me great advice about graduate school and pursuing a career in international relations. Claire was both helpful and extremely approachable in our conversation.
In fact, all of the alumni that I had the chance to speak with did not hesitate to give me advice and suggestions. As members of the Colgate community, we are so lucky to have such an incredible alumni network.
Colgate’s professional networks are a great resource for students and alumni alike, and certainly something I will use in the future!