NYC Career Connectors

The Fall semester was definitely an exhausting one for me. From juggling classes and my teaching assistant position, to my job and my two positions at WTOP10-TV, I was looking forward to Winter break by mid-November. My ultimate plan for Winter Break 2012 was to catch up on all the sleep I could possibly catch up on in six weeks. I also knew that I was going to attend the NYC Career Connectors event held by the SUNY Oswego Alumni Association.

NYC Career Connectors is this amazing event that takes place during Winter break, this year it was on January 10th, that gives the opportunity for SUNY Oswego students to come down to New York City for a day and network with the various Alumni of our school. This was my second time attending this event and it was definitely a very exciting time.

One of the perks of attending Career Connectors is being able to go on a tour of a location that is pertinent to a student’s major. This year, some of the places students could have toured included Madison Square Garden, NBC Universal, KMPG LLP, Kathy Hilton Showroom, Perry Capital, and NEP Broadcasting. I was lucky enough to attend the tour at NEP Broadcasting, and it was an opportunity of a life time.

For those of you who do not know what NEP Broadcasting is, they are a company that gained notoriety for their broadcasting trucks. What they essentially do is build and rent trucks that are basically a control room on wheels. They are also known for their non-mobile studios and some of their more famous clients in NYC include The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. Unfortunately, we did not get to tour those studios, but we did get to see one that they are currently building and working on. It was definitely a great chance for broadcasting students to see how a studio is built and Tony Minecola, our guide and NEP employee, was definitely very good at answering questions that any students had about the broadcasting industry. I learned a whole lot and gained some insight as to what to do when I graduate and am seeking a job.

After the tour ended, it was basically time for us to trek on over to Fashion Institute of Technology, where the main networking event was taking place. After a speech from this years Keynote Speaker, Marcia Thompson-Young, and great networking tips from Gary Morris, students quickly lined up to speak to all the various alumni.

There were over 30 alumni who attended, and I was lucky enough to speak to three who gave me really good advice and even critiqued my resumé! It really was an amazing event and I am very glad I was able to meet some alumni and make some great connections!

Tony Minecola showing students some of the equipment

TOswego students get to tour studio currently being built

Professor Jane Winslow speaking with NEP Engineer Rob Statkus

Students lining up at FIT to speak with different Alumni!

Group picture at NEP Broadcasting! 🙂