SuffieldConnect: Jan. 21

SuffieldConnect

Suffield’s College Counseling and Development Offices hosted a college-to-career virtual discussion on January 21. The program invites Suffield Academy alums to speak with juniors in Suffield’s Leadership Program about their careers, college major choices, and experiences at Suffield. The goal of the events is to expose current students to life beyond Suffield and provide guidance from alumni professionals working in specific fields.

Jamel Torrence ’12 attended Baruch College and earned a B.A. in Digital Marketing with a minor in Business, Law, & Film. He currently serves as the Creative Strategist at CSM Sports & Entertainment where he recently received the Cynopsis Media Rising Star Award. Passionate about basketball and writing, Jamel spoke about his college journey and entrance into the field of creative marketing. He commented on the specific importance of hard work, internships, and perseverance. 

You have to be able to tell a story that connects with the consumer and that the client can feel and understand. Creativity is about connections.

“I always loved sports, but education lasts much longer than athleticism,” he noted. “In my writing and film classes I learned how to structure a narrative and that is really important to my job. You have to be able to tell a story that connects with the consumer and that the client can feel and understand. Creativity is about connections.” Offering advice to those seeking to break out into the creative industry he added, “Internships are the best way to introduce yourself as having ambition. They also put something on your resume and help build a portfolio.” And finally, to students feeling anxious about the college selection process and future careers Jamel offered, “Life never goes as planned and that’s why it’s worth living and definitely never boring.”

Juniors preparing for the college application process are heavily supported by their college counselors and alumni mentors. Selecting a college is an extremely important decision in their adolescent lives, and the mentoring sessions provide positive 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.