The Career Pathways event, presented by the student American Marketing Association (AMA) and the Career Advancement Center (CAC) featured:

• Geoff Curtis ’97, senior vice president in corporate communicaitons at Horizon Pharma
• Charle Fern ’94, director of marketing at Level 3 Communication
• Madeline Temple, independent global marketing strategist
• Courtney Wright ’88, president and owner of Gemini Builds It

“The professionals shared their insights on creating a powerful yet simple approach to marketing and advertising, what it is like to be an entrepreneur, and the importance of clear and focused communication,” said Joe Chmura, assistant director of the CAC.

McKenzie Mac ’18, a business major and entrepreneurship minor, moderated the discussion. She is the president of the Lake Forest College AMA.

The biggest takeaway from the event for Mac was the networking tips she picked up from the experts. “They told us that you always have to stay connected with others and they provided us with the tools we should use in an interview,” she said. The tools include always research the company, understand how you can grow in the company, and decide whether you’re a good fit.

The experts also advised students to assess their own skills and explain how they can use those skills to benefit an organization. They also suggested students think about where they want to be in the future and be able to explain how they hope to get there, Mac added.

The event, held in Calvin Durand Lounge at 7 p.m. on March 27, drew a standing-room-only crowd of students. 

“We had a good mix of business, communication, and entrepreneurship students as well as people who are just interested in careers in those areas,” Mac said. “It was a helpful event.”