SuffieldConnect: Oct. 21

Suffield’s Offices of Alumni Development and College Counseling hosted the year’s second college-to-career virtual discussion on October 21. The program invites Suffield alums to speak with interested students about their careers, college major choices, and experiences at Suffield. As part of the junior Leadership curriculum, students are asked to attend three out of eight sessions offered per academic year. The goal of the events is to expose current students to life beyond Suffield and provide guidance from alumni professionals working in specific fields.

Dan Bennett graduated from Suffield Academy in 2016 and attended New York University. He graduated in December 2019 with a B.S. in Media, Culture, and Communication. Along the way, Dan was a VP for the Stern-Tisch Entertainment Business Association (STEBA), studied abroad at NYU London, and interned for television shows like The TODAY Show, LIVE with Kelly and Ryan, and Saturday Night Live. Dan is currently at ViacomCBS as a Production Coordinator, Multiplatform Production Group - Kids and Family. In this role, Dan directly supports the production of on-air promos, still photo shoots, social media content, and more for the Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. brands.

Dan spoke first about why he chose to attend NYU, and what students should look for in a prospective college. “It’s really about, where do you think you as a person are going to fit in best with the community and where do you think you'll be able to be the best version of yourself.” He also touched on finding your community in a big city like New York, mentioning that he’s found some of his best friends in classes, during internships, and through his dorm experience and confirming that “you make friends through getting out there in those experiences in school... You find your niche within the larger group.” His final piece of advice to Suffield juniors was, “Trust the process. The right opportunity is going to come to you when it’s meant to.”

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