Do you know what you want to be when you grow up? Many Hackley students have ideas about what professions they would like to enter, but don’t know what those jobs are like in a practical day-to-day sense. To help students prepare for the professional world, Hackley hosted the Young Alumni Reception on January 9, which allowed current seniors and young alumni to connect with working professionals. Through this meeting, Hackley students learned about networking and the professional world. The reception featured a discussion revolving around the panelists, Hackley graduates, and their experiences which they wanted to share with the rest of the Hackley community.

Students and young alumni who attended were eager to learn from the experiences of the distinguished panelists. Gabby Mezzacapa ’14 said, “I am really looking forward to hearing about what some of the past graduates are currently doing. It’s really cool because I still remember some of these people from school when I was younger, and seeing what they are currently working on and their jobs interests me.”

The panelists came from a diverse range of fields including law, theater, public relations, technology, finance, marketing, and sports management. These diverse and esteemed alumni shared a common goal of helping Hackley seniors and young alumni to build a legacy for the future. Michael Makinde ‘03, an associate at O’Melveny and Myers LLP., said, “ I wanted to make sure that I reconnected to Hackley after being away… It was a way to reach out to the faculty, the administration, and the students.” Mr. Makinde wants to give back to the Hackley community and said that he will be back as a panelist at future alumni receptions.

The event focused on the panelists’ experiences. Peter Barrett ‘11, a current senior at Gettysburg College and moderator of the event, introduced each speaker. He talked about their diverse and dynamic activities at Hackley and their respective colleges. Each speaker talked about his or her experiences and provided advice about resumes, interviews, and his or her professional field. For example, Mr. Makinde emphasized making a five year plan to help reach and accomplish goals.

During the meeting, the panelists stressed networking, making and maintaining relationships throughout high school and college. Many panelists got their first jobs through successful networking. Mr. Makinde said, “it is important to keep in touch with your peers because they are a very valuable resource.”

Hackley’s Alumni & Development Department has always focused on connecting young alumni with professionals. “We call this the Networking Initiative… We help young alumni get jobs and help them find out about different careers,” said Marjorie Ford, Alumni & Development Associate. The Alumni & Development Department has recently become involved with senior projects. Administrators like John Gannon, Director of Alumni Affairs & Development, contacts professionals to arrange internships for Hackley students.

English teacher Michael Caterino ’03 benefited from Hackley’s Networking Initiative. After graduating from Lafayette College, Mr. Canterino wanted to go to graduate school and become a fiction writer. Before he went to graduate school, Mr. Canterino contacted the Alumni & Development Department to learn more about the life of a writer. The Alumni & Development Department connected Mr. Canterino with Steve Kluger ’70, a professional fiction writer. Mr. Canterino said, “speaking with someone who had experienced what I am currently going through reassured me that I was building toward my goal.” After graduate school, Mr. Canterino contacted Hackley again to get referrals for a job, and ended up applying for an English teacher position at Hackley. Mr. Canterino now teaches English 9 and Middle School Writing Lab, and writes in his free time.

More alumni news, including profiles on some of the featured panelists, can be found at http://www.hackleyschool.org/Page/Alumni/Alumni-News.