Strategic Career Exploration Initiative Connects Students with Industry Leaders

Meeting professionals in a variety of industries is one of the most effective ways for students to learn about college and career opportunities. For over 15 years, Cool Careers, Potential Paths has been Student Leadership Network’s flagship volunteer initiative, facilitating meaningful connections between students and industry professionals across diverse sectors. Over 200 volunteers visited our schools this year to share their educational and career paths and answer our students’ questions. See highlights of our Spring sessions below!

Discovering Career Paths are not Linear

Many volunteers encouraged students to explore different interests in high school and college, and reassured them that it’s normal to change their minds. Often, volunteers also had to adapt to life changes that impacted their academic or career directions. “I liked the work, but I didn’t like the lifestyle,” said Concetta Bencivenga, Director of the New York Transit Museum, as she described her transition from consulting to museum administration. “Consultants typically swoop in, do the work, then fly out. Sometimes it takes a lack of something for you to realize what you actually value.”

Exploring a Range of Industries and Skill Sets

Within each type of career, there are various ways to apply one’s interests and training. When practicing law, an assistant district attorney from Queens shared that lawyers can work in various settings, including fashion, sports, and hospitals, in addition to the traditional courtrooms often depicted in television shows. Even within her own area of practice, she shared, “Most prosecutors I know did not start out in this field. For many, this was not their first job.”

Cool Careers events also provide students with opportunities to practice their communication and leadership skills. “All of our Student Ambassadors complete training before each event,” shared Kristen Gordon, Senior Manager of Girls’+ Education. “They’re prepared to guide our volunteers and have practice sessions with them before the classroom visits.” Students across our Young Women’s Leadership Schools were excited to learn from volunteers working in a variety of industries, including:

Gratitude

Our dedicated volunteers make these events possible! Thank you to all the individuals who invested their time in our students, and a special shout-out to the corporate teams that volunteered from some of the following organizations:

Thanks also to the school staff and student ambassadors for welcoming our guests, and to the Girls’+ Education and Development teams from Student Leadership Network for facilitating career awareness programs year-round.

Interested in volunteering? Join our mailing list to get updates when Cool Careers, Potential Paths returns in the next school year!