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Westminster to present annual Professional Networking Symposium

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Posted on Tuesday, September 25, 2018

NEW WILMINGTON, PA – Westminster College will host its annual Professional Networking Symposium for current students, alumni and friends of the College from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29.

“Networking with industry professionals is a crucial skill in opening the door to professional opportunities,” said Dr. Christie Grewe Nelson ’06, one of three founders and co-chairs of the symposium. “The symposium has a track record of connecting students and alumni with opportunities. Many have gotten jobs a result of networking. The event has also spurred alumni regional meet-ups in places such as Washington D.C., Boston and New York City with both alumni and student interns.”

More than 400 attendees are expected to attend the symposium, which was designed to help students and young alumni better understand potential paths after graduation, including career and graduate school options.

A career and networking fair will run from 10 to 11:15 a.m. in the Witherspoon Room of McKelvey Campus Center. The day also features more than 30 breakout sessions with a variety of specially designed tracks and a networking lunch.

The breakout sessions will include panelists with directly relevant experience and will be moderated by experienced professionals. Session topics include business-related careers in areas such as sales, finance, accounting, and sports management, advance practice nurses, nonprofit work, music and arts administration, retirement planning, fundraising, STEM careers, government and politics, and more.

“This unique event is a phenomenal resource for our students and alumni,” said Kara Montgomery, director of alumni engagement. “Our alumni are passionate about wanting to return to campus to help our current students and offer advice.”

Westminster is expecting representation from companies and organizations such as Alcoa, American National Insurance, Arcadia Healthcare Solutions, BNY Mellon, Cooper Thomas, Crowe, Department of the Interior, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Duquesne Pharmacy, Google, JFS Wealth Advisors, Marshall’s, Matric, Moody’s Investor Services, National Background Investigative Bureau, National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, Never Fear Being Different, Pearson, PNC, Procter & Gamble, Rutgers University, Sparq Design, Stericycle, Treloar & Heisel, UPMC and Westinghouse.

The Professional Networking Symposium was founded by Dr. Daniel Fischmar, professor of economics emeritus at Westminster College, and alumni Dr. Christie Nelson, assistant research professor for the Professional Science Master’s Program along with a Department of Homeland Security Research Center (CCICADA.org) at Rutgers University, and Benjamin Nelson ’06, vice president and senior credit officer at Moody’s Investor Services.

Registration is required. Students, alumni and guests can register online at www.westminster.edu/pns.

For more information about the schedule of events, visit www.westminster.edu/pns or contact Kara Montgomery at 724-946-7363 or montgokh@westminster.edu.