两名保利1988届毕业生 shared advice with 上学校 students and young 校友 about setting out on a career path during the second installment of the speaker series “我是如何来到这里的10月7日. 这一行动, a collaboration between the 上学校 deans and our Advancement team, provides an engaging opportunity for our students and community members to learn more about the career pathways of some of our parents, 校友, 董事会成员. 

Jeanine Smartt Liburd, 88届，21届，24届, BET Networks’ Chief Social Impact and Communications Officer, 萨曼莎·迪根纳罗，88年, who specializes in public relations and marketing and is the founder and CEO of DiGennaro Communications (DGC) 在Zoom会议上提供建议. Sam Genatt, 21岁 主持活动. Genatt introduced the two speakers by sharing brief descriptions of their extensive professional experiences.

Liburd most recently spearheaded the network’s inaugural social impact conference, 元(媒体, Entertainment and Technology Alliance) to explore how the most influential people and platforms across these sectors could work together to positively impact outcomes for the African-American community. 在她从事通讯业之前, Liburd worked on urban and family policy at the local and national levels, holding positions at the Department of General Services under the Mayor David Dinkins administration, with the Department of Health and Human Services and the White House under the Clinton administration. She is a graduate of Vassar College and holds an MS in Urban Policy from The New School for Social Research. She was a recipient of the 2018 保利预科 校友会 Distinguished Achievement Award.

DiGennaro is the founder and CEO of DiGennaro Communications, a leading New York-based public relations and marketing communications agency.  DiGennaro’s deep understanding of business and entrepreneurship, 她的战略沟通顾问, her crisis management expertise have landed her on the speed dial of such companies as 脸谱网, Pinterest, Spotify, 和微软. 在创立DGC之前, DiGennaro honed her strategic communications skills at such global companies as Publicis’ DMB&B和WPP的J. 沃尔特•汤普森, where she built and oversaw North American and global communications teams from 1998-2005. DiGennaro earned her AB from the University of Chicago. She has served on the Poly 校友会 Board of Governors and was honored with their Rising Star Award in 1999 and the School Service Award in 2013.

之后，Genatt对两位发言人表示欢迎, DiGennaro shared that her journey to a career in public relations was not a straight line, 但却是在公司环境中开始的. She told the students,” I didn’t like what I was doing, but that is OK, as long as you are learning.” She stressed the importance of friendships made during a career, being kind to everyone you come in contact with, 和网络. DiGennaro explained that her father was an entrepreneur and his example gave her the courage 15 years ago to take the risk and start her own business.

Liburd, who earned a master’s in Urban Policy, said she thought she wanted to work in politics. Early in her career, she also worked at a PR agency and learned about “crafting a message for good.“在她与BET的合作中, 她说, she has been able to have an impact on social issues that matter to her.

Genatt asked the speakers if they had any advice for students. Liburd advised looking at the careers of 校友 from their school and staying in touch with the 校友 Office. 迪根纳罗鼓励他们建立关系网. “保持好奇，”她说，“保持开放.” 她补充说 in interviewing prospective employees, she likes to hear that a person is passionate about something they do, 他们是多维度的人. Liburd added, “Your passion may end up being your job.”

“Be open to lots of different persons with different perspectives,” Liburd said. “Lean in to a potential role at a company,迪根纳罗补充道, while stressing the importance of a first impression.

Young alumna Charlotte Watson ’17 asked how employee candidates are evaluated. Liburd told her that Gen Z candidates are “a huge asset if you know your peers” because everyone wants to know “what is Gen Z thinking?后来沃森说, “As a Poly alumna who is soon to graduate from college, this couldn’t have come at a better time. Both Sam and Jeanine had extremely useful, but also inspiring advice. Being able to hear from such successful women and feeing connected to them really reveals how Poly will play a role in your life for years after graduation. I cannot thank Sam and Jeanine enough for their time.”

Liburd, in turn, asked DiGennaro if she ever thought that running her own company ”wouldn’t work.” DiGennaro responded in the affirmative, 3月20日, 2020, 当整个世界都停止运转,” but said that the challenges in running your own business can also be exciting.  

”Entrepreneurs are built differently,” said Liburd with a smile. 她补充说, 在理想的情况下, the students might find themselves in the position where they “know what you love to do and do it in a place you enjoy.”

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