Career Services, Priority One and First Year Experience have teamed up to host the fourth annual “What’s Your Story” event to be held on campus today and tomorrow. “What’s Your Story” consists of five panel sessions with speakers of professions from various industry specific fields.
“Professionals will be speaking about how they started their professional careers in respect to their education and training, as well as what skills and attributes are needed to be successful in the workforce of today,” Assistant Director of Career Services at The Woodlands Center Cenaiyda Carranza said. “The event is open to all students, [but the] target audience includes our freshman students from the University 1301 cohorts.”
When the event first started four years ago, it consisted of just one panel of speakers. This year there are five panels divided into a two-day period.
Each session will include student moderators from Priority One, SHSU’s student ran public relation firm. The Priority One members will facilitate dialogue with the panelists for the student audience. During the last 10-15 minutes of each panel session, students will be allowed Q&A with the panelists.
“I’m excited to work with Career Services and What’s Your Story,” Priority One member Conner Roberts said. “It gives all students a great perspective on the jobs they will soon be pursuing, and gives them a chance to ask meaningful questions to professionals that could provide jobs or internships.”
There will be two panels today and three panels tomorrow.
Today, the first panel session will be Public and Governmental Service at Hazel B. Kerper Courtroom in the Criminal Justice building room A260 from 1:00-1:50 p.m.
The speakers include Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Victim Liaison Tamera Young, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent (FBI recruiter) Elvis McBride and Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Warden Captain Jonathan Heaton.
The second panel held today is the Business and Community Relations panel. It will be in the Lowman Student Center room 320 from 2:00-3:20p.m.
The speakers include Ameriprise Financial Associate Vice President J.D. Davis, Anadarko Accountant I-Audit Coordination Travis Flipse, Global Center for Journalism and Democracy Executive Director Kelli Arena and Third Coast Bank Vice President for Commercial Lending Adam Trevillian.
“This is an amazing opportunity for students to hear from real professionals who have immense experience,” Priority One member Taylor Shepard said. “I have heard lots of students talk about the event and hope to see a lot of attendance.”
Thursday’s first session is the Education and Social Services. It will be in the LSC room 320 from 11:00 -12:20p.m.
The panelists include principal of Collegiate High School at College of the Mainland Sandra Belcher, Assistant Superintendent of Academic and Human Resource Services Rick Kershner, principal for Spring Branch ISD Julie Baggerly, principal for Sullivan Middle School Kelly Cook, school counselor for Sullivan Middle School Veronica Sandoval and licensed profession counselor Julia Ayraud.
Thursday’s second panel is the STEM and Health Sciences panel. It will be in LSC room 320 from 2:00 -3:20 p.m.
The speakers include Director of CGI Federal Global IT and Business Process Service Provider Robert B. Walter, SHSU nursing faculty Judy Tolleneare, registered nurse and SHSU graduate Nicole Rodriguez and physical therapist Christa Ikard.
“These professionals have insight that only people with such experience have,” Shepard said. “They are really interesting and the highest in their field.”
The third panel Thursday will be the Communications and Public Relations panel in the Dan Rather Communications Building Studio B from 4:00- 5:20 p.m.
The panelists will be Executive Communications Advisor for Shell Oil James Appleby, who was also the personal aide to President George H.W. Bush, and Associate Director of External Communications for M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Julie Penne.
“What’s Your Story” is for any student interested in learning about their future career field.
“Our hope is that students will gain a better understanding of various career paths and options that are available to them,” Carranza said. “We also hope that students will become more informed in respect to education, training and skills required and needed to successfully transition into the workforce of today.”
