Remi Jones and Aleksandra Azbel in attendance
At Sophia Academy’s third annual Career Symposium, our students and alumni spent a full-day with an extraordinarily diverse group of women who visited our school. Veterinarians, architects, small business owners, engineers, medical professionals, realtors, journalists, government professionals, and others– women of color–shared their inspiring stories that reflected their own wisdom and exemplified how Sophia students and alumnae can create their own herstory.
The morning began with two panel sessions. With a fun and interactive twist, everyone used small whiteboards to write their answers to questions throughout both sessions. In session one, students remained with their classmates and assigned alumnae. Panelists joined students to form one big circle, creating a warm and open environment where everyone could feel safe, seen, and heard. In session two, students and alumnae divided into smaller circles for an in-depth career discussion based on the students’ interests.
Both sessions began with an introductory ice breaker activity, followed by panelists' introductions, an interactive game, and a student-led Q&A. Some of the student’s prepared questions included: Is your current job or career what you expected to be doing when you were in middle school? Are there things about your background, your race, or your gender that cause people to assume things about you? Do you have any advice for how we can start preparing for our futures now?
In the afternoon, five panelists hosted five different workshops for students and alumnae where they engaged in hands-on, career related tasks. The workshop were How To Make Money With Ugly Homes with Claudia Ramirez, Ready, Set, Action! with Diana Murton, Public Speaking with Shawndell Burney-Speaks, Exploring Your Identity with Sara Monteiro, and Forces of Fight with Kerri Kottman.
In their post-event reflection prompt activity of head- What did you learn today?, heart- What and how do you feel today?, and feet- What lesson did you learn that you will use in the future?, students and alumni wrote on sticky notes:
Head
Heart
Feet
2024 Panelists
Comfort Ateh
Aleksandra Azbel
Naiommy Baret
Asia Bourget
Shawndell Burney-Speaks
Genifer Bustamante
Rachel Gomes
Fallon Jean-Gilles Davis
Bailey Jenkins
Remi Jones
Kerri Kottman
Ashely Lakin
Melissa A. Long
Cathy Lund
Rebecca McGrath
Sara Monteiro
Diana Murton
Nicolette Naya
Jerika Paz
Claudia Ramirez
Courtney Rebensdorf
Anaridis Rodriguez
Christine West
