The ACS-GHS Fall Career Fair was held at the University of St. Thomas on the morning of October 5th. We kicked off the morning with a keynote talk by Paige Morse from Aspen Technologies, followed by a panel discussion on Women in Industry with panelists Lisa Houston (PAC LP), Valerie Lafitte (Schlumberger), and Shreya Shah (Syzygy Plasmonics). A second panel on Professional Development featured panelists Martin Van Sickels and Larry Kremer (Global Energy Mentors), J.C. Kuo (Chevron, retired), and Patricia McHenry (Covestro). Panel moderators Nikki Nguyen and Alison Tran kept the audience engaged and asked insightful questions of our panelists, and student attendees were encouraged to network with other participants, panelists, and our participating employers (Syzygy Plasmonics, Covestro, and PAC LP) about career paths and opportunities after the formal program.
Some words of wisdom from our Professional Development panelists:
- You will often not be the smartest person in the room. And even if you are, you don't need to prove it. - Martin Van Sickels
- Networking is important, but don't forget the importance of networking within your own organization. Take advantage of any opportunities to meet with internal management and company executives/leaders. - Patricia McHenry
- You have to learn how to work for people before you can learn to manage people. - J.C. Kuo
- Find a boss that's willing to give you the credit. - Martin Van Sickels
