SuffieldConnect: Jan. 10

Suffield’s College Counseling and Alumni & Development Offices hosted another college-to-career virtual discussion on January 13. The program invites alums to speak with interested students about their careers, college major choices, and experiences at Suffield. As part of the junior-year Leadership Program curriculum, students are asked to attend at least three of eight sessions offered each academic year. The goal is to expose current students to life beyond Suffield and provide guidance from alumni professionals working in various professional fields.

Callie Aldrich Jacobs ’10 was a boarding student at Suffield for all four years of high school. Born in Chicago, Callie attended Union College and received her Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts, with a minor in mathematics. She is currently the Associate Creative Director at FCB, one of the largest global advertising agency networks. She is responsible for managing a team of designers and creatives and helps create and develop designs and materials for campaigns for her clients (currently Xfinity & NBC subsidiaries). 

In terms of choosing a college, Callie advised, “You should never go to a school only because you think it’s prestigious. You should always go there because what they’re offering is what you think is the best path for you.” She then expanded on the strong impact her first internship as an art director intern had on shaping her career trajectory, and how having a minor in a field unrelated to your degree can be hugely beneficial. When it comes to finding one’s place in a competitive world, Callie emphasized learning to have a fairly thick skin, saying, “There’s always going to be people that either are better at your job, or think they are, and so...how you handle it...will then shape what’s to come.” She concluded by giving her junior year self some advice: relax, stay curious, and don’t put too much pressure on yourself to figure everything out while still in high school.

Juniors preparing for the college application process are heavily supported by Suffield's college counselors and alumni mentors. While it is an important decision in their lives, the mentoring sessions provide insight into many unanswered questions. It is made very clear that communication is a key to success and there is more than one way to accomplish a rewarding future.