Do What Laurentians Do Best this Laurentian Weekend – Network!

Courtesy of the Center for Career Excellence

Countless St. Lawrence alumni, parents and friends will descend upon Canton this weekend to celebrate Laurentian Weekend, and the energy on campus will be electric. St. Lawrence holds a special place in the heart of every Laurentian, which is one of the reasons that our Laurentian Network is such a source of pride.

You may have seen something on social media or in St. Lawrence’s admissions materials about the “St. Lawrence Network” while you were trying to decide where you wanted to go to college. The gut feeling that Laurentians have that our network is special has been verified in recent years with a top five national ranking in the “alumni network” category of The Princeton Review. In fact, this year SLU received its top mark ever, with a second-place national ranking. While the recognition is nice, it can be hard to put your finger on something that isn’t tangible. We don’t have a physical directory that you can leaf through and make a phone call to get an internship. Likewise, an alum doesn’t magically appear at Commencement with a job offer for every graduating senior.

Students need to take an active role to access the Laurentian Network, and weekends like this one present a perfect opportunity to meet people and build relationships.

On Friday, students who earned Internship Fellowship awards (2-3 p.m.) and SLU Fellows (3:30-4:30 p.m.) will be offering poster presentations and speaking about their experiences from their summer internship and research projects. Parents and alumni will be speaking informally with students who are presenting. Students who are presenting have an outstanding opportunity to network with attendees; talk about your projects, but also get to know the people who are attending. Ask them about their careers and see if you can set up a networking conversation for a later date.

Students who are interested in learning how they can apply for our Internship Fellowship or SLU Fellows programs can ask fellow students about their experiences, as well.

There’s also an opportunity to meet a number of accomplished alumni who work in environmental careers at the 50th Anniversary of the Environmental Studies Program panel on Friday from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. at Sykes Common Room.

These events just scratch the surface of what’s available. There are numerous athletic events, including a Friday night football game and a Saturday afternoon women’s hockey contest. There’s Melon Fest at the Java Barn on Saturday afternoon, and the Scarlet & Brown Dinner on the Quad on Saturday night.

Take the opportunity to introduce yourself to the people who have taken the time to come back to campus. Alumni who do so are invested in this place, and by extension, you. And don’t forget to meet your friends’ parents while they are here, too! These are folks who might be able to directly help you secure an internship or job opportunity, or they may be able to introduce you to someone who works in the career field you are interested in pursuing.

Don’t let opportunities to meet new people and make a good impression pass you by. You never know — someone you meet this weekend may be able to open a door for you!