SuffieldConnect: Nov. 11

Suffield’s Offices of Alumni Development and College Counseling hosted the year’s third college-to-career virtual discussion on November 11. The program invites alums to speak with interested students about their careers, college major choices, and experiences at Suffield. As part of the junior Leadership Program curriculum, students are asked to attend three out of eight sessions offered per academic year. The goal is to expose current students to life beyond Suffield and provide guidance from alumni professionals working in various professional fields.

Denny graduated from University of Virginia in 2018 with bachelor’s degrees in media studies and American studies with a concentration in popular & visual culture. She currently serves as the Marketing Coordinator with Charlotte Football Club, the new Major League Soccer expansion team in Charlotte, North Carolina. Denny supports the Marketing, Sponsorship, Ticketing, and Communications teams by helping create everything from events to traditions to game day experiences, and as well as promoting brand awareness. 

Denny shared what her college search was like—it included looking at 22 schools all across the country. In terms of her takeaways from this experience, she said, “I would recommend not getting a t-shirt from every college you tour, or a sweatshirt or a memento, because I promise you won’t use them ever again after you pick a college. But on a more serious note, I think it’s okay to not know.” She reassured listeners that even though she chose University of Virginia, she likely would’ve had a good—but different—experience had she chosen somewhere else. When asked why she chose UVA she said, among other factors, “I started looking at really different elements of the colleges that weren't just the classroom or the majors that they offered. There is no right way to pick a college...wherever you go is probably the right place to be.”

Juniors preparing for the college application process are heavily supported by their 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.