Seneca RED Fall 2021 Alumni Magazine - 13

PRO
FILES
Virtual fireside chats
Lighting the way
for the next generation
of Seneca grads
APPROXIMATELY 65 ALUMNI responded to a call
to participate in a series of Alumni fireside
chats, reaching more than 800 current students
with expert advice and information
on adapting to new realities at work and
school due to the pandemic.
The fireside chats were created after
many of Seneca's faculty members noticed
that the pandemic was creating a sense of
uncertainty for students and graduates
about to enter the workforce.
" Students were uncertain about the outlook
of their careers with questions like
'how can I secure a job?' or 'what does a
work-from-home environment in my area
of studies look like during these times?', "
said Paola Battiston, Chair, Biological Sciences
& Applied Chemistry.
Collaborating with faculty members,
the Alumni team planned 15 virtual fireside
chats last year comprising of informal conversations
guided by questions.
" The virtual gatherings created an
accessible and non-threatening environment
where students could connect with
alumni and gain some perspective on these
questions, " Ms. Battiston says. " The chats
also added value for faculty members to
reconnect with alumni and ensure that the
course content is in line with current practices
within the workplace. "
The Alumni fireside chats engaged current
students from the School of Accounting
& Financial Services, School of Biological
Sciences & Applied Chemistry, School of
Human Resources & Global Business,
School of Software Design & Data Science
and the Seneca International Academy.
Alumni provided valuable advice and tips
in transitioning to a career-related position,
ways to stay connected with Seneca, and
insights on job search and career navigation
in a time of physical distancing and economic
uncertainties.
" I felt the Alumni panel tips were very
helpful and led to my success. Especially
points about the soft skills, fundamentals
and practising some coding before the
interview, which all came up during my
interview, " says Ivan Ha, current student in
the Bachelor of Software Development program.
" Thank you again for running an
excellent panel and keeping the computer
programming community strong at Seneca. "
The alumni community continues to
light the way and fuel the passion of the
next generation of Seneca graduates.
To learn more about Seneca Alumni fireside chats, please
contact the Alumni team at alumni@senecacollege.ca
RED 2021
13
PHOTO: IAN PATTERSON
Seneca RED Fall 2021 Alumni Magazine

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