By Jessica Dillon
News Assignment Editor
Over 150 St. Bonaventure students seized the opportunity to build relationships and network with alumni Friday.
Bonnies4Bonnies, the annual networking event hosted by the Career and Professional Readiness Center, looked to be “even bigger and better” in its second year, according to Pamela Ferman, assistant director and employer relations coordinator at the CPRC.
With representatives from the likes of the Buffalo News, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Nestle Waters North America and Audi of North America, the event provided students interested in a vast array of post-baccalaureate employment opportunities with countless networking possibilities.
Ferman noted that many students fail to fully utilize those opportunities, however. She said she hoped students would “think outside the box” when networking at the event.
“A lot of students are very linear,” Ferman said. “I don’t want them to think that way. Students will hear about a representative from Salesforce and think, ‘Oh, they must be in sales. I’m not interested in sales, so I won’t talk to them.’ But they probably have an accounting department, and they probably have a journalism department. It’s much more integrated than what students think.”
Stacey Valimont, a senior environmental studies major, said that despite her attempts to network with entities that typically wouldn’t be associated with her field of study, she did not have much success at the event.
“I didn’t think that it was super helpful,” Valimont said. “I talked to UPMC and Wells Fargo and both the guys there said they would help with my resume but they didn’t really know anyone related to anything environmental. They said I probably wouldn’t get a job at either company, which is a little discouraging even though I already know I’m not getting a job at a place like that.”
Cynthia Rich, a senior sociology major, described a much different experience.
“I thought it was really fun,” Rich said. “It was cool to meet so many people who are willing to be so helpful, especially when they have no idea who you are.”
Rich also said the snacks were on point.
“That artichoke dip, I’m sorry man, but it was the bomb,” Rich said.
Rich said that although she felt medical representation at the event was lacking, she found potential opportunities for future employment.
“I met a Franciscan who thankfully knew a dentist,” Rich said. “That’s the field I want to go into. It sounded very promising. He gave me his cellphone number and his email and told me to contact him so he could get his friend’s information and connect us.”
Ferman called this “the power of the Bonaventure connection.” She said that connection is what truly sets Bonaventure students apart, giving them an edge on competition when applying for jobs and internships.
“I know that people work hard on their own and I know that with great effort you could potentially achieve these things by yourself,” Ferman said. “But if you could have the help of an alumnus who has been through it, who could potentially put your resume on top of a stack of other candidates, why not?”
dillonj15@bonaventure.edu
