Where Can You Take Your Major? A&S Alums Sharing Their Stories Oct. 30

Arts & Sciences students curious about how their liberal arts educations can prepare them for a variety of rapidly changing industries have the opportunity later this week to connect with College alumni eager to share their stories of how their majors translated into successful careers in tech, data and analytics.

“The College Presents: Learn from Alumni” speaker series is hosting a public conversation with three graduates of the University of Virginia’s College of Arts & Sciences at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 30 at the Colonnade Club in Pavilion VII on the Lawn. Hosted and moderated by Arts & Sciences Dean Christa Acampora and alumnus and Endicott Capital partner Mike Chinn (Economics and History, ’94), the panel will feature conversations with:

• Buck Brody (Economics and English, ’04), president and chief executive officer, ConstructConnect
• Gui Costin (Rhetoric and Communication Studies, ’89), founder and CEO, Dakota
• Caroline McCrory (Economics and Foreign Affairs, ’10), chief commercial officer, MediaRadar

“I’ve benefited enormously from people who took the time to share their experiences with me — both during school and after. If I can pay some of that forward and help even a few students think differently about their paths, it’s worth the time,” said Brody, who started his career as a financial analyst and also worked in the U.S. Senate.

Dinner will be provided at the free event for students. Online preregistration is requested.

While sharing their own specific career paths after graduation, the panelists will also discuss how data, analytics and artificial intelligence are reshaping their work and offer insights on why sales and strategy jobs deserve consideration by new A&S graduates entering the work force.

"This is such a unique time for data-driven careers, and really all careers. This generation is going to fundamentally change so many things about work as we know it,” said McCrory, whose resume features more than a decade of leadership experience across sales, customer service and operations. “Liberal arts backgrounds teach you to be a critical thinker and persuasive communicator. Those two skills are vital in sales — and really business — of any type.”

Costin worked for a number of firms in the Philadelphia area before founding Dakota, a financial, software, data and media company in 2006. He said he appreciates the opportunity to come back to UVA to connect with students who are about to embark on the same professional journey he began after graduating in 1989.

“It’s not every day you get to ask people who have made a ton of mistakes and learned a lot, what are the key things they have learned to develop into a good leader and a good career,” Costin said about Thursday’s panel discussion. “I would take advantage of that opportunity at any time I have the chance.”

Learn more about “The College Presents: Learn from Alumni” lecture series and register for the Oct. 30 Colonnade Club panel discussion here.