UD Alumni Making an Impact on the Future
SHARING YOUR SUCCESS
Alumni, share the story of your accomplishments! Take part in the conference and engage students through targeted panel discussions and workshops on how they can build marketable skills and behaviors. Sample topics covered in the conference are listed below. Interested in participating? Contact Kristal Olowolafe, Conference Co-Chair at 302-831-8838 or by emailing kristalo@udel.edu.
The Benefits of Networking - Job Search Strategies for International Students - Marketing an Arts & Science Degree -
- What Freshman & Sophomores Need to Know - Careers Outside Your Major -
- Preparing for Graduate School - Marketing Transferable Skills -
EMPLOYER PARTICIPATION
Each year alumni representatives from various organizations throughout the Mid-Atlantic region contribute to the conference in various ways. Organizations can partner with us and send UD Alumni to participate as panelists and workshop presenters. Additionally, if your organization is looking to diversify their workforce, join us by taking part in the Diversity Career Fair & Networking Event following the conference. Interested in learing more? Click here for more information.
Discover these and other ways your organization can impact the development of UD talent.
Hundreds of students attend each year… join us in making a positive impact in student's lives!
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Spring 2012 Featured Alumni Panelists |
Mary Akhimien |
Mary Akhimien is a 2006 graduate of the University of Delaware, where she majored in English and minored in Legal Studies and Philosophy. She was President of the Pre-law Students Association, Vice President of Phi Alpha Delta Pre-law Fraternity and Secretary of the University's Gospel Choir. Mary was also active in the Center for Black Culture's Each One Reach One Program, volunteered to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina in the Ninth Ward section of New Orleans, and won "Best Prosecution Team" honors in the 2004 Phi Alpha Delta Pre-law Mock Trial Conference in Washington, D.C. Mary is currently an attorney in the Business Law Group at Connolly Bove Lodge & Hutz LLP. She represents clients in a variety of areas including corporate litigation, commercial litigation and business law and has experience negotiating complex settlements and handling complex commercial and labor and employment matters. Mary always strives to find creative solutions to legal problems and achieve results that are in the best interests of her clients in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible. Mary also speaks and writes on corporate law issues and balances her time speaking in different forums about the value of mentoring. |
Tonya Avent |
Tonya Avent graduated from the University of Delaware's College of Arts and Sciences with a BA in Mathematical Sciences. While attending the University, Tonya was a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the Black Student Union. By utilizing the University of Delaware's Career Services Center, Tonya began her career as a Network Engineer for Sprint, and was instrumental in traffic design for the robust AOL network in the late 90s. Next Tonya joined Qwest Communications as a Network Operations Supervisor, managing their frame relay network. Tonya obtained her MBA from Averett University in 1999. Later that year, Tonya joined USinternetworking (now AT&T) as an Operations Manager. There Tonya discovered her true passion of Project Management and has worked on numerous infrastructure and application projects over the years, and obtained her Project Management Professional and Six Sigma Green Belt certifications. Currently Tonya manages a team of project managers spread across the country, supporting SAP implementations. Tonya is passionate about her community. She currently serves as a mentor and career specialist for homeless young adults housed at Robins' Nest in Glassboro, NJ. She is a volunteer for the Girl Scouts of America and is currently in training to become Court Assigned Special Advocate for abused and neglected children in Gloucester County, NJ. Tonya is a past board member of the Camden Repertory Theater, and past executive board member for the National Black MBA Association, DC Chapter. |
Christine Jenkins |
Christine Jenkins is a 2003 graduate where she majored in Sociology. Outside of academics, Christine ws a four year starter for the University of Delaware Women's Basketball team from 1999 to 2003. During that period the team achieved 20+ game winning seasons, the University's first appearance in the NCAA tournament(2001), WNIT (2002, 2003) and Pre Season WNIT (2001). She was also a member of Delaware's Council for Student Athletes. Christine has been in sales for every since she graduated and hotel sales for the past five years where she helped lead the sales effort for newly opened hotels such as the Staybridge Suites in Glen Mills, PA that opened in 2007, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Newark, DE that opened in 2009 and now the Sheraton Wilmington South Hotel that opened December 5, 2011. Christine has been a committee member of the UD Black Alumni Organization (BAO) for the past 5 years helping to plan, organize and negotiate contracts for the homecoming events that the committee sponsors. |
Monique N. Colclough |
Monique N. Colclough is a 1999 graduate of the University of Delaware; where she began as an Elementary Education major through ASPIRE before becoming a History major. Complementing her academic experience Monique was very active in several student initiatives and organizations: Leadership 2000, RSA, BSU, and the Impact & MLK communities. Monique's professional career includes work in the private and public sectors. Since 2004 her work has been focused in higher education, through various Student Affairs positions at The College of William & Mary, the University of North Carolina Wilmington and now the University of Delaware. Monique completed an MPA at Troy University in December 2002 and a MEd at Clemson University in 2006. She currently serves on a national committee of higher educators charged with founding the first national Higher Education Case Managers Association. |
Karel Valentine |
Karel Valentine graduated from the University of Delaware in 2000 with dual degrees in Chemical Engineering and International Relations, plus a minor in Physics. In spite of a challenging academic course load, she was a founding member of Dark Arts Performing Dance Company, was a member of the Mu Pi Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., RISE and NSBE. After graduation, Karel started her career as an Applications Engineer at Rodel Inc. in Newark, DE, which is now a subsidary of Dow Chemical and produced consummables for the semiconductor industry. In 2003, she transitioned into the pharmaceutical industry with Tyco Healthcare (now Covidien), holding various positions in the organization including Process Engineer and Project Engineer. In 2007, she relocated to Maryland, where she pursued a part-time MS degree in Project Management at George Washington University while working for MedImmune in their Global Engineering department. Karel now lives in Philadelphia, PA and works at Merck, where she leads a team in the projects group of BioSterile Validation. Her team develops and executes strategies for process, cleaning and sterilization qualification and validation for new products and facilities in Merck's vaccine division. In her free time, Karel enjoys travel, cooking and performing arts. |
Michael Jones |
Michael Jones received a Bachelor’s degree in Educational Studies from The University of Delaware and a Master’s degree in Organizational Communications from Bowie State University. He serves as the Associate Director of Admissions at his alma mater Bishop McNamara High School in Prince George's County Maryland. Mr. Jones is a certified image consultant and combined his expertise and professional experience to develop The Gentlemen's Institute, He conducts workshops that assist men in identifying their most influential professional, social and physical self. Mr. Jones has been featured in several National and Local publications including the UD Messenger. Mr. Jones hosted a monthly news segment for Fox 5 Morning News in Charlotte, NC that focused on style and imaging for men. In addition, Mr. Jones has lobbied in front of the Maryland State Senate on behalf of The Maryland Catholic Conference in relation to the needs of non-public schools. As an undergrad at the University of Delaware Mr. Jones was a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc, and won the Paul Robeson award for Most Outstanding Male Student awarded by the Center for Black Culture as well Mentor of the Year given by the Each One Reach One Mentoring program. |
Farzana McCormick |
Ms. Farzana McCormick is a 1983 graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences. She majored in Political Science with a concentration in Communications. As a student at the University she was involved in several international and multicultural programs and served as an international student advisor. She also participated in several local and national political campaigns. Farzana joined a major financial services company upon graduation where she started her career in Human Resources. She continues to work in recruitment, staffing and selection with major Fortune 100 companies as President/Owner of her own Executive Search firm, McCormick Executive Search Inc. She also provides mentoring and coaching for global companies that are challenged with diversity and multiethnic recruitment needs. She utilizes her personal experiences and her bilingual skills in achieving positive results. Farzana is involved in various community and non-profit organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club of DE and works with the Delaware Commission for Women as well as an appointed member on the Governors Healthcare Workforce Initiative. |
Brandy N. Parker |
Brandy N. Parker is a 2001 graduate of the University of Delaware. She majored in Business Administration- Marketing after a brief stint as an engineer major. Brandy slowly entered the workforce through a series of different jobs totally unrelated to Marketing. In 2004, she became a Medicaid Reimbursement Accountant at Genesis HealthCare Corporation after two years in the organization. Through this position, she was able to gain a better outlook of how healthcare is an ever-evolving industry and how it is reaching a breaking point. In 2005, Brandy entered Wilmington University’s Masters in Business Administration Program focusing on Healthcare. In 2008, she received her MBA and left Genesis HealthCare in 2011. Brandy then joined Reimbursement Technologies Inc in Conshohocken as a Payment Integrity Analyst. This role allows her to see how commercial insurance companies pay claims throughout the country. In her free time, Brandy volunteers with Above Xpectations, a track team based out of West End Neighborhood House. Brandy functions as one of the chairs of the finance committee. Her involvement with Above Xpectations, is now leading Brandy to pursue fundraising on a higher level through Grant Writing. Brandy attributes her interest in fundraising to her involvement with the Dart Arts Performing Dance Company during her time here at the University of Delaware. |
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