Isabel Lawrence
News Editor
Students will be able to make real world business connections with industry professionals from 24 different types of job specialization on Career Night. The event, which last occurred 2 years ago, will return from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Mar. 27 at the high school. With an array of occupations being presented Career Night offers an introduction to, or further education in, areas of interest for all students.
The Career Night Committee, which has been planning the event since last summer, sees the value of providing a night such as Career Night for the student body. Co chair Julie Brand specifically recognizes how beneficial the night will be for students, and hopes students will fully involve themselves in the night. “I want them for that night to take themselves out of the present and think about the future and think about what they’re good at in school and what their talents are and how they could apply them to different careers,” she said.
College and Career Center Coordinator, Susan Carroll, similarly understands the importance of the event for students. “I don’t think that they would be disappointed,” she said. “I think kids think that they will just go on to college and get a job. But if you could take some control of your future, starting at an early age, why wouldn’t you do that? And here’s an opportunity to ask questions, there aren’t any stupid ones, of experts in the field. That’s a gift that the parent community is giving to students.”
This year especially, students will have a variety of industries to choose from due to the
increase of occupations being represented. There will also be more New Canaan alumni returning to talk to students than ever before. One such alum is Ali Ehrlich, who graduated from NCHS with the class of 2004. Today, Ali works as a producer for Good Morning America, and sees the importance of going to Career Night. “I think the value in attending next week would be to get a rare inside look at various careers to hopefully inspire students down a certain path,” Ali said. “And it doesn’t hurt to network with industry professionals for future internship opportunities.”
Actress Kate Bodenheimer is yet another NCHS graduate who will be returning to speak at Career Night. “Attending career night will offer you honest advice, insight and opinions of the career you’re interested in from professionals who are living it right now,” Kate said.
Casey Dolan, who is a producer for MSNBC’s “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell,” will also be presenting. According to Ms. Dolan, Career Night is an event students should take advantage of. “An opportunity like Career Night is definitely not one to pass up,” she said. “No matter if you are a freshman or senior – it’s never too early to start thinking about what you want to be when you grow up. An event like NCHS career night will open up your eyes to so many different professions – maybe some you didn’t even know existed – and this can have a huge impact on your plans for college. You might go into career night convinced that you want to be in business but might leave with a heightened interest in writing. Therefore a good fit for college might be a university where you can major in business but minor in English. Attending Career Night could be a turning point that dictates your future plans – it’s an event that you absolutely should not miss.”
For more information about Career Night, visit the event website
