Suffield’s College Counseling and Alumni & Development Offices hosted the second college-to-career virtual discussion of the year on October 27. 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 fields.
Jasmine Brooks ’14 is a Boston-based freelance theatre director and producer. Most recently, Jasmine was the Associate Director on Joe Turner’s Come and Gone at The Huntington Theatre and Producer on Thirteenth Night at New York Theatre Festival. Jasmine received a BFA in Theatre Arts from Boston University.
Jasmine started off speaking to Suffield’s juniors about her decision to switch colleges after her first year, going from the smaller Providence University to the larger Boston University, and what the reasons for that were, saying, “I realized I wanted to have a program that was a little more focused, a little more tailored to my needs.” She also touched on the process of getting internships, recommending to “stay close to professors that you really enjoy learning from” and also going to their office hours to talk about learning more about the things you find exciting or interesting. She added, “There are a lot of resources on college campuses so don't be afraid to take advantage of them.” She also made sure to say, "The connections you build at Suffield really do last, and they sometimes can get you jobs and connections and you can meet great people and good friends. So definitely stay with those Suffield connections and hold on to them, if I have any advice!”
Juniors preparing for the college application process are heavily supported by Suffield’s college counselors and alumni mentors. While their college choice 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.