Alumnae mentor undergrad women

Featuring alumnae who spanned 50 years of graduating classes and a myriad of career fields, the Council for Women's "Beginning the Journey: Leadership Skills and Career Advice" offered undergraduates a wealth of information to guide their journeies into the career world.

The event, held last night in the Murray Room of the Yawkey Center, catered to almost 110 junior and senior women undergraduates who were given the opportunity to converse with 13 visiting alumnae in a round-table setting.

"I really liked the round-table discussions as opposed to last year's panel set-up," said Kristen Kelley, a member of the Council's student advisory board and A&S '09. "They were much more conducive to discussions."

The tables were divided up into career groups such as nursing, business and finance, media and communications, and education. After speakers briefly introduced themselves and offered some general pieces of advice, students were given the opportunity to engage in small group discussions with the professional of their choice for 20-minute allotments.

The alumnae represented a variety of career paths and interests, but all shared a dedication to Boston College and a desire to give back to the BC community.

"It's a gift to be asked to come back," said Donna Morrissey, director of public relations and corporate affairs for the Northeast division of the Red Cross and BC '90. "I feel very strongly that [alumni] have a responsibility to help undergraduates and recent graduates."

This connection formed between alumnae and undergraduates is one of the Council of Women's most important goals. "Beginning the Journey" is one of its largest efforts in achieving that goal. There have been over 20 events of this kind that have catered to over 1,000 alumni and undergraduates.

The Council for Women also has a growing community of women to offer services to. With an alumni network that is almost 50 percent women and an undergraduate class that is 53 percent women, BC is becoming increasingly concerned with catering to women and their unique needs and problems.

"Having women as part of the equation changes the equation and affects the impact that BC is going to have on the world," said Paula Ebben, WBZ-TV anchor and BC '89.

Women have not always been accepted in all parts of the University. When Ann Finck, BC '66, began her career at BC, women were only allowed in the School of Nursing and the School of Education.

"When we were in the same spot, we wished we had this sort of network," Finck said.

Since then, Finck has sent five children to BC and appreciates the "ages and stages" of advice that the alumnae can offer to the undergraduates.

In the case of "Beginning the Journey," alumnae were also able to offer advice that was specifically directed toward the struggles of women.

"I thought it brought a lot of different perspectives. They focused on issues that are important to me," said Nidia Fevery, A&S '10.

Speakers discussed such issues as being a woman in a male-dominated workplace and the difficulties of raising a family and holding a job.

"The fact is that a vast majority of the women here will someday have a child," Ebben said. "It might not be in the forefront of their minds right now, but it's something to think about in the long haul."

The balance required for having a family and job was a common point of discussion throughout the night, with many women enumerating the benefits of taking time off and then returning to the workplace. A different perspective was offered by Wendy Murphy, BC '83, an attorney who focuses her practice on women and children who are victims of violence. Murphy shared her experience of inducing labor in order to make a court date.

Ebben had an equally interesting perspective to offer undergraduates, as she joined the work force after getting married, having two children; she waited nine years, and yet she was still able to forge a successful career as a television news anchor.

"I really appreciated [Ebben's] story," Fevery said. "It shows that if you have the skills and the talent that you can wait nine years and still have the world at your fingertips."

Undergraduates gained various types of advice from the speakers, whether it had to do with interviewing, getting internships, or just finding a way to do it all.

"They really spoke to our generation," Kelley said.

Using an experienced alumni network and a warm setting where women could put it all on the table, the Council's "Beginning the Journey" offered female undergraduates a chance to build on the paths of former generations as they prepare to take on their own careers.