Liberal arts students get advice from alums

In an attempt to calm the nerves of anxious liberal arts students soon planning to enter the work force, the Career Planning and Placement Service, in conjunction with the College Alumni Society, sponsored the sixth annual Undergraduate Career Fair Wednesday night at Houston Hall. The fair was an informal event designed to enable College of Arts and Sciences students to discover the opportunities that await them in the job market, according to Bob Alig, a member of the College Alumni Society and the senior associate director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid at the Wharton School of Business. "Most people majoring in the liberal arts just don't realize what is out there," said Alig, who has helped run the program for the past several years. Alig said the purpose of the fair is to give students the opportunity to meet with alumni working in a variety of fields, and to prove that a liberal arts education qualifies graduates for any job. About 20 college alumni in careers ranging from health care administration to entrepreneurial management came out to support the event. Linda Seigel, a management credit policy officer at First Fidelity Bank in Center City, was among the alumni participants. "I wish they had done this when I was here," said Seigel, who graduated from the College in 1977. "The education I received while I was at Penn was great, so I am paying the school back now [by educating others]." Margaret Cronan, executive producer of news at KYW-TV, said she majored in English at the University. She explained that writing is an integral part of any profession. "The most successful and respected people I work with can write well," she said. Alumna Diane McTigue, a lawyer for Wolf, Block, Schoor & Solis-Cohen, also stressed the importance of a liberal arts education. McTigue majored in international relations with a minor in French at the University. "It doesn't matter what you major in to go to law school," she said. "It is important to take classes, though, with time crunches on the exams. They are the best preparation for law school examinations." Students said they came to the fair for many different reasons. "I'm a history major and am not sure what I want to do next year," said College senior Sabre Kaszynski. "I know that's common though." Alig said he was happy with the turnout this year, and that there were more people in attendance than last year. He estimated there were about 200 student participants.