The LA College Counseling Office hosted a Career Panel for students in Grades 11-12 on Jan. 25 in the Berry Performing Arts Center. The panel, which included an alumna, LA parent and friends of the school, was moderated by Ms. Sarah Honan, Director of College Counseling, and Ms. Alayne Birnhak, Associate Director of College Counseling.
An accomplished group of five professionals sat on the panel: Moushmi Culver, parent of LA students Dharren ’26 and Josh ’29, is Vice President, Head of Manufacturing Strategy, Business Development and Alliances for the Merck Manufacturing Division. Michelle Liu, an alumna from the Class of 2008, currently serves as a recruiter at Good Shepherd Services, a leading social services agency. Joe Altenau works as the Head of Event Production for the New York Road Runners and oversees the team responsible for coordinating logistics for road races in New York City. Kashif Chand serves as the Chief of the New Jersey Division of Law’s Data Privacy & Cybersecurity Section. Shawn M. Jenkins leads Einhorn Collaborative’s Bridging Strategy, which aims to position Gen Z to develop the skills to be the next generation of bridge builders.
“We could not have been more honored or excited to host such an impressive group of panelists,” Ms. Honan said. “The pressure of choosing a major, or honing in on a future career, is one that we know weighs heavily on our students navigating the college admissions process. I think the panel did a fabulous job lowering the temperature of that conversation by demonstrating to our students through their own lived experiences that the pathway from college to career is rarely a straight line and there are myriad ways to find success.”
The program began with the introduction of the five panelists, who answered questions posed by the moderators including summarizing a typical day at work and what they love and find most challenging about their jobs. Many noted “lots of meetings and emails” filling up chunks of their day. The panelists also reflected on their journeys and how their college majors and fields of study may or may not have affected their career trajectory.
“With wisdom, candor, and heart, these accomplished and dynamic professionals shared powerful stories illustrating many ideas that inform LA's College Counseling philosophy,” Ms. Birnhak said. “By reflecting on the courses they have charted and their aspirations going forward, our panelists conveyed the importance of approaching the future with both intentionality and open-mindedness. Students heard firsthand why having some direction rooted in self-awareness is essential, as well as how opportunities – the ones that they embrace and the ones that they create – can lead to outcomes more wonderful than they could have envisioned.”
“I really valued the emphasis that the major you choose does not determine the rest of your life, “ Samina Aziz ’24 said. “One of the panelists was a chemistry major, but was not happy. He went down a new path that led to an amazing career in law. Just hearing that story, and the many others from the panelists, really gave me comfort about going into college.”
Students asked questions including how the panelists see their careers progressing in the future and how they manage the stress of their respective jobs. The panelists replied with candor and wisdom, recommending balance, breaks and exercise. Many of the seniors in the audience have already been admitted to colleges and some have made their commitment official. The juniors, along with some seniors, still have decisions to make.
“The process of choosing a career is not unlike choosing a college,” Ms. Honan said. “The most important thing is understanding yourself, knowing what kind of environment you need in order to thrive, and keeping a flexible mindset when faced with challenges.”