Two Alumnae Share Advice and Experience with Students

The first speaker was "25 Under 35" Honoree Alex Ehrett '12. Alex is an Associate at GBSM, Inc., a strategic communications and public affairs firm in Denver, Colorado. "From a young age, I knew I was very interested in politics, so I wanted to pursue a career that would make a difference." Alex discussed her love of travel and how fundraising afforded her the opportunity to travel to Mozambique to teach English in high school. "I was introduced to the concept of grants in college, where I applied for a grant to travel to China to conduct research, which paid off, as I was selected as a recipient," stated Alex. She encouraged students to take their Junior Professional Shadowing experience seriously, as it would help them network down the line. She stated the importance of applying for internships in college and shared that "internships allow you to discover and try out several opportunities without the commitment of a career, so take advantage of them!"

On Wednesday, students heard from Dr. Mary Kovach '96, who discussed her non-traditional path that led her to becoming a business professor at Miami University. During her discussion, she talked about spending 15 years working in Fortune 500 companies and lessons she learned along the way. She encouraged students to "practice soft skills, speak up in meetings to add value, dress for the job you want, learn Microsoft Office skills, network as it pays off and take risks. Dr. Kovach also shared that students need to understand that everyone makes mistakes but it's how you own the mistake and learn from it that makes the difference and encouraged them to find a good work-life balance, lean into your strengths and become stronger in your weaknesses, send thank you notes, strive for excellence and take a wide range of classes in college to have a broader perspective."

We are so appreciative of these alumnae who took time to encourage our young women as they prepare for life beyond the Academy!