Vanessa Gomez '10: Life After Graduation

They say when one door closes, another door opens. I finished my scholastic marathon at Berkeley College and welcomed my first summer without a single homework assignment. Since I was a fast-track student, I attended school non-stop for three years. It was definitely worth it. I took my time in relaxing and enjoying a job well done. 

I've kept a nice, steady job that employs several fellow alumni. My company is so impressed by the caliber of Berkeley College graduates that it has started increasing the number of interns it employs. It goes to show that Berkeley Pride goes beyond graduation.

It's been a year since I've graduated, and I'm already itching to go back to school. I spend my weekends nose-deep in a GMAT study guide. I loved my whole college experience and cannot wait to continue my education. Who knows? If the rumors are true (that maaaybe Berkeley is considering offering graduate degrees), then I may be making a return to Woodland Park. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping the rumors are true.

About Vanessa:

Vanessa Gomez is a 2010 graduate from the Garret Mountain campus with a B.S. in Business Administration. She is a full-time administrator in a pharmaceutical company.

Submit Your Nomination for the 2011 Berkeley College Alumni of the Year

We are accepting nominations for the 2011 Alumni of the Year!  Each year, two alumni are chosen for the Alumni of the Year Awards, which are presented at the annual commencement ceremony. One alumnus/a is selected from the New York campuses and one alumnus/a is selected from the New Jersey campuses. Each year, a panel of alumni are put together to send to the President of the College for final selection.

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATION TODAY!

September / October Message from the Director of Alumni Relations

Dear friends,

Fall has definitely arrived! Although it’s hard to believe summer ended so soon, this is one of my favorite times of the year. First, I invite you to post your Halloween pictures to our Alumni Association Facebook Page. And since this is a busy time of the year for moving and career changes, make sure to send us your updates through BerkeleyConnect, the alumni online community!

Fall is a time of beautiful colors and cool breezes, but it is also a time to look ahead to the holiday season and the new year. And we have a great year to look forward to! Berkeley College is celebrating its 80th Anniversary in 2011, and we will be celebrating with an entire year of events and programs for alumni and students. We have already launched a new series of online career services webinars for alumni, which you can read about below. Next up on our list: an Alumni Reunion Weekend in 2011!

We are in the process of setting a date, but if you are interested in participating in a Reunion Weekend, there are several opportunities for alumni volunteers. Just visit the Get Involved page on the alumni website to let us know if you are interested.

Finally, we have just launched a new initiative: online office hours. I encourage you to log in for our first office hour on Tuesday, November 16 at 3:00 p.m. It’s easy! Just follow these instructions on that date, and you’ll have the opportunity to ask a question and receive feedback instantly.

I look forward to hearing from you! |

New Alumni Online Office Hours

The Alumni Relations Department has instituted new online office hours.  No phone calls, no emails, just questions and answers!  You can log in anytime during the scheduled office hour.

Use this link to log in, and make sure to include your full name and class year when signing in.

http://connectpro97104357.na5.acrobat.com/officehour/

Berkeley College Launches Financial Aid TV

Berkeley College has launched Financial Aid TV, a great new resource about student loans and financial literacy for alumni

Tom Kokis, Director, Student Financial Literacy

Do you have questions about your student loan? Curious about deferments or if there is choice of repayment plans to make repayment more manageable?  Want to know more about loan consolidation? 

If the answer is yes to any of these questions, then Berkeley College’s Financial TV (http://berkeleycollege.financialaidtv.com) (FATV) service is available to assist you.

Does Your Resume Need Repair? Follow these quick tips to keep your resume polished and presentable!

Amy Soricelli, Director of Alumni Placement

1. Re-read your resume! Change the bullets around. Remove some of the redundant bullets and give your resume some fresh air.
   
2. Does your resume 'pop'? Are there any action words you can use to replace stagnant words? You may want to use actions words, such as: Negotiated, enlisted, mastered, projected, revamped, instructed.
   

Berkeley College Alumni Attend NYT Intern Reunion

Berkeley College graduates were among those who recently attended a reunion for the New York Times EARN internship program, formerly PDC. The New York Times welcomed current and former interns who have contributed to the program over the past 10 years, and who now are employed at the New York Times or with other organizations. “It is an honor for these interns to be recognized by such a respected industry leader,” said Berkeley College Vice President of External Affairs Kevin Hill at the celebration. 

Former New York Times interns and Berkeley College graduates
Keisha Holder '01 of Manhattan, NY, and Nancy Drepaul '09 of North Bergen, NJ.

Q&A with John Rapanos, DPS, CFP, Dean, The School of Business

John M. Rapanos, DPS, CFP
Dean, The School of Business

What was your experience before Berkeley College?

I had over 30 years of management experience within the financial services industry.  Most of my career was with Merrill Lynch.  I had management positions in a number of functional areas of Merrill, including technology, finance & administration, marketing, and human resources.  My last position at Merrill Lynch was Director of Strategic Sourcing and HR Information Systems.  I was responsible for developing recruitment strategies for the Private Client Group, as well as developing metrics to assess the firm's use of human capital. 

Berkeley College Offers New Career Webinar Series for Alumni

The Departments of Alumni Relations, Admissions, and Career Services have teamed up to offer webinars, or online learning seminars, to all alumni looking for career advancement.

Webinars are seminars hosted through your computer, making it easy to connect at any time or location. 

“Berkeley College offers great career support for all alumni,” said Michael Smullen, Director of Alumni Relations.  “Unfortunately, it isn’t always possible for our alumni to arrange an in-person visit with a career counselor.  Our career services webinars make the perfect fit for alumni who would like to advancement professionally, but need flexible hours for help and support.”