College alumni offer career tips

Nestled between the three pre-professional schools, the College of Arts and Sciences provides an extensive liberal arts education. But as graduation approaches and the dreaded word "employment" looms over seniors, a History degree may seem less useful than a Chemical Engineering degree. Wednesday night's career fair in Houston Hall's Bodek Lounge aimed to remove the doubts some College students might have about their future job prospects. The College Alumni Society sent 26 representatives from 17 different occupations in the Philadelphia region to meet with students in informal discussions. They answered questions ranging from how certain majors can be used in the job market to what classes are most helpful. Most alumni in attendance were quick to point out that fields of study don't necessarily correspond with future occupations. 1988 College graduate Amy Rosinsky, who works for WPVI-TV's marketing department, dismissed the importance of a student's major to his or her career. "It's your academic reputation, personality and internship experience," she said, admitting that as a history major, she did not take a single marketing class at Penn. Another History major, 1984 graduate Lenny Linsker, echoed those sentiments. As a merchant and investment banker at the American Maple Leaf Corp., Linsker looks for students with diverse interests and backgrounds when hiring. "Granted, analytical skills are important, but you don't necessarily need a Wharton degree to obtain them," he said. "The key is the ability to communicate well. Eighteen finance courses and a finance degree is worthless in my firm if that person cannot express himself." While allowing students to network with Penn alumni, the fair also tried to show how a liberal arts education can be integrated into the workforce. "It's exciting to meet people actually at work, showing us how transferable the skills we obtain at the University are in the real world," said College of General Studies senior Anastasia Dodson. Various alumni advised Dodson on job search techniques, internships and the other "how to" aspects of finding a job after graduation. For College sophomore Brandon Riegg, the fair gave a face to all the different industries he finds interesting. But College senior Silvia Mestre said the fair did not adequately represent the diverse occupations available to University graduates. "There really is not enough variety," she said. "I wanted to see more advertising -- it's relatively limited." The fair reflects only a part of the College Alumni Society's objective. Since 1835, the Society's main goals have been to support the College, keep alumni in touch with the University and offer academic explorations. The Society's president, 1951 College for Women graduate Sandra Kuby, described the fair as a service from the alumni to the students. "The alumni are able to offer some insights on what is in their future and let them in on some practical realities that cannot be obtained in classes," she explained. For Linsker, volunteering at the fair was a reciprocation for what he got out of the University as a student.