There’s a famous saying that when it comes to success, it’s not what you know that is important, but rather who you know. At the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, we believe both are equally important.
Our faculty provide the skillset needed to find future success every day, and the O’Neill School’s Career Hub and Office of Development and Alumni Relations collaborated to help foster connections during the inaugural O’Neill NetWORKed Career Day on March 6, which brought together a host of O’Neill alumni who boast vast leadership experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
The day featured panel discussions, career chats, and a networking lunch.
“Building connections while in school is incredibly important, and the O’Neill alumni community makes that especially meaningful for our students,” said Jennifer Schepers, director of career services at the O’Neill School. “Events such as NetWORKed show just how willing O’Neill alumni are to give back by sharing their experiences, offering advice, and taking the time to help students explore the many professional paths an O’Neill degree makes available to them. Those conversations help students see possibilities they may not have realized existed and see more clearly how their education can translate into real-world impact.”
The panel discussions included such topics as “Networking and Landing Your First Job,” “To Work or Not to Work Yet: Deciding Between the Job Market & Graduate School,” “Economic Development Careers Across the Sectors,” “From O’Neill to Impact: A Career Roadmap for Nonprofit Professionals,” “Policy in Practice: Building Your Public Service Career,” and “Public Finance Pathways,” providing mentorship for students facing a variety of scenarios.
Students also had the opportunity to meet one-on-one with more than 15 alumni to learn about their career paths and connect on a personal level. The event concluded with a lunch in the O’Neill School Atrium, where students continued to build their network in a relaxed setting.
“The alumni were thrilled to return to Bloomington to meet with students and interact with them in such a meaningful way,” Director of Advancement Becca Bogenschutz said. “When debriefing with some alumni in the afternoon, they were very excited about the event and hoped for its return and other similar opportunities. They described it as a chance to reconnect with their purpose, reflecting on their experience in O'Neill and in the workforce and being reminded of their ‘why.’”
Schepers encouraged students to take advantage of events like this one to network with both alumni and classmates early in their college careers and continue fostering those relationships through the years.
“The connections students make with each other are one of the most valuable things they will take from their time at O’Neill,” Schepers said. “Their classmates are the future colleagues, collaborators, and partners they will need as they address the public and environmental challenges the O’Neill community cares so deeply about.”
Alumni interested in providing mentorship to students at the O’Neill School are encouraged to reach out to the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at oneillar@iu.edu.