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English Alumni Panel Supports Undergraduate Mentorship Plans

January 7, 2015

English Alumni Panel Supports Undergraduate Mentorship Plans

Photo of Alumni Panel Event

Originally Published November 25, 2014

Last Wednesday, the Department of English hosted its eighth semi-annual English Major Alumni Panel. Designed to highlight the exciting work and achievements of Columbus area alumni and to introduce current English majors to potential career fields, the Fall 2014 panel included a buffet dinner at The Blackwell Inn here on campus. More than 100 undergraduates, 20 faculty and staff, and 15 undergraduate alumni gathered together for food and informal conversation before Department Chair Debra Moddelmog kicked off the hour-long panel discussion.

The panel featured Jarod Anderson, Operations Manager with the Columbus State Community College Foundation and an alumnus of the Ohio State Newark campus; Alyssa Denisky, Field Team Leader for Alliance Data’s Retail Services group; Faith Durand, food writer and Editor of The Kitchn, a daily web magazine focused on kitchen design and home cooking; and Khalila Hayden, Marketing and Communications Specialist for the Girl Scouts of Ohio Heartland.

Photo of Panel Participants
Tanguay and Friedman have hosted semi-annual alumni panels since 2011; however, this was the first panel that included a sit-down dinner and drew a large number of English faculty and staff. “We decided to go all out this fall,” said Friedman. “We wanted to give everyone—our undergraduates, alumni, faculty, and staff—the opportunity to sit down together; to find out about one another’s careers and career interests; and to lay the foundation for a more vibrant, engaged, and engaging community moving forward.”

In an effort to build more and stronger connections between alumni and current undergraduates, the Department of English plans to fully launch the Buckeye English Alumni Mentoring (BEAM) Program in January 2015. This program pairs alumni with current English majors for once monthly communications in person, via email, or over the phone. Current majors and English alumni from around the world are invited to participate in this program. If you’re interested in serving as an alumni mentor or undergraduate mentee, please contact English advisor Ruth Friedman.