Work hard, follow your passion, and you will find your way to a successful career. This was the top advice given to over 100 Communication Arts students during the annual department event: Life After College. Students gathered around the Faculty Club to hear and connect with past alumni speaking about their experiences in college and post graduate.
“Our alumni are one of a kind. The way they speak about our major and are able to connect with the students is remarkable. I am so glad we got to hear from our alumni and see what they have been up to after graduation,” said Nicole Alvarez, Communication Arts student and Lambda Pi Eta president.
The panel was created last year in conjunction with Communication Arts’ Lambda Pi Eta, in an effort to prepare graduating students for their future. Alumni shared details about their journeys, successes, failures, and lessons learned along the way. The panel also gave students a glimpse of the career paths past alumni have taken, and provided advice from alumni as to how to better prepare for the workforce.
This year’s panel featured recruitment coordinator Daniel Herrero from West Kendall Baptist Hospital (’13), Event Coordinator Yordana Mesa from The James L. Knight Foundation (’15), and Olivia Alvarez from J. Fuego Cigars (’13). Each alumnus answered a variety of questions, including why they chose Communication Arts, how their degree has helped them excel in the workforce, and what advice they have for graduating students. Most importantly, the guest panel addressed what most graduating students have on their mind: how they obtained their first position after graduation.
Traditionally, Lambda Pi Eta plans two panel events a year, Life After College during the spring semester and Graduate School 101 in the fall semester. The panel events are moderated by Elena Nuciforo, faculty advisor for the organization. Lambda Pi Eta is the National Communication Association that rewards outstanding scholastic achievements while simulating interest in the communication discipline. Since 2013, FIU has hosted a university chapter of the honor society in recognition of students with a high level of academic excellence in the communication field.
