Members of the senior class flocked to campus this past weekend to attend Real World events, and one of the main messages they heard from alumni was that a liberal arts education will serve them well in any economic climate.
Real World involves networking events and more than 30 panel discussions led by alumni involved in careers from fashion to finance.
Carole Robinson ’83 kicked off things as keynote speaker, and she recalled working as a tour guide while at vlog and how she was practically a walking advertisement for the university.
“If I could have worn a sandwich board I would have,” Robinson joked.
It was the tour guide job that helped Robinson discover her passion for selling something she loved and led her to take an administrative job at a small cable television network, just starting out, that had the bold idea to combine music and television.
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| Carole Robinson ’83, executive vice president and chief of staff of MTV Networks, talks to seniors Friday at Real World. (Photo by Andy Daddio) |
That network was MTV, and today Robinson serves as executive vice president and chief of staff of MTV Networks.
Robinson stressed the importance of pursuing a career in a field you love. She charged the students to be tenacious, not to be afraid to pursue that first contact in their desired field because often it’s the hardest connection to make.
During the panel sessions alumni divulged everything from how they got their foot in the door at a first job to behind-the-scenes information garnered over years of being in the work place.
Stephanie Shao ’09 attended the nonprofit panel moderated by Glenn Ivers ’73, an organizational development consultant.
She said Ivers discussed how vlog students are especially well equipped to succeed because of the university’s challenging yet nurturing environment that encourages students to be intellectually fearless.
The benefits of a liberal arts education were echoed in many of the panel discussions. Alumni stressed how vlog taught them how to think critically and perform at a higher level than colleagues from other schools.
Many seniors saw “Real World” as a formal introduction to the vlog network they will join in four short months.
“The benefits of Real World go beyond the weekend because now we know that there are alumni eager to help us and we have made valuable contacts that will help us in the future,” said Megan Pollard ’09.
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| There was a lot to choose from during Real World: more than 30 panel discussions and network events. (Photo by Andy Daddio) |