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Meet Alum Cal St. Denis ’08, Global Director, Environmental Sustainability MedTech

Name: Cal St. Denis

Class Year: 2008

Title: Global Director, Environmental Sustainability MedTech

Organization Name: Johnson & Johnson

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

I help to set the 2030 J&J MedTech sustainable products and packaging strategy while developing key goals and metrics for organizational alignment, business integration, global customer collaboration and critical executive stakeholder support.

 

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you? 

Dr. Michael Hallisey, an Interventional Radiologist at Hartford Hospital, a devoted alum and a good friend, reached out to the 3 Pre-Meds on our ice hockey team to gauge our interest in a summer internship. I politely declined, citing more interest in the business of healthcare versus the clinical side of medicine. He continued to support my journey and went out of his way to introduce me to friends of his in Pharma, Biotech, and MedTech. From there, I began a networking journey throughout senior spring, introducing myself to as many folks as I could and seeking every opportunity to meet new people in the industry. I have always appreciated having a career knowing that my products and the solutions I offer can help patients retore their health and wellbeing.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

I was a 4 year member of the Men’s Ice Hockey team and a Bio-PreMed major. While I have always appreciated the need to give back to the communities that I have lived, my academic and athletic schedule didn’t afford me the opportunity to join any on-campus volunteer programs. So in my sophomore year, I created Crusaders for Kids, a program built around men’s ice hockey and men’s basketball’s busy schedules that worked with Grafton Elementary school inner city students. The kids were identified by the school principal as lacking male role models (due to incarceration or single family households) and our goal was to bring these young men out to watch Crusaders athletic events on campus, have movie nights in Blackstone, or play basketball on the campus courts and just be kids. We knew it was a success when the kids would have contests for who could be the last dropped off in our shuttle vans after the events were over! Upon graduation, the program was recognized by the college and the NCAA in ways I could never have imagined, but the best part of all was that it was adopted by underclassmen and lived on as a legacy for years later. 

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

I was a Bio major with a Pre-Medical concentration. I knew early on that the clinical side of Medicine was not for me but the challenge of Pre-Med intrigued me, so I stayed the course. I always appreciated that people get hurt and need to recover or people get sick and need to heal. So healthcare was always going to be my focus out of undergrad. 

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

Listening with intent. I pride myself on listening to my teams, my customers, my leadership and others around me. It helps me make informed decisions and educates me on what others are feeling and experiencing. 

Emotional intelligence. I went on to study EI further in graduate school and feel strongly that social awareness and bringing the best out of people has profound effects on productivity and camaraderie. Holy Cross helped shape this skill and made me aware of the importance of leveraging it.  

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Enjoy. Every. Second. Every midterm, every lab, every experiment, every home game, every final can feel stressful but they prepare you for the curve balls of life. Enjoy them. I truly believe that a Holy Cross education, the rigors of late nights in Dinand and the laughs with friends on Caro Street, helps define who you become as a person, a friend, a parent, a colleague, an alum. When I asked Dr. Hallisey what I could do to thank him for his support back in 2008, he shared with me the most profound advice – “Just do your part when it’s your turn to give back”.

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Meet Alumna Maureen Lamb ’07, Dean of Academic Technology and Innovative Pedagogy

Name: Maureen Gassert Lamb

Class Year: 2007

Title: Dean of Academic Technology and Innovative Pedagogy, Latin Teacher

Organization Name: Ethel Walker School

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

I teach Latin and support faculty in their effective use of academic technology and brainstorm ideas for implementing innovative pedagogy.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?

My first employer got my name through Holy Cross connections, and that job opportunity springboarded me to the many jobs I have had since. I appreciate the alumni network that helped support me.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

So many things! I did choir and chamber choir all fours years, cantored at mass, dabbled in theater, ballroom dance, and marching band, refounded the Classics honors society, worked for the Classics department, worked in the writing center, participated in the First Year Program and Honors Program, did a silent retreat, and copy edited for the newspaper. I loved going to the many musical programs and lectures on campus. There was always so much to do!

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

I was a double major in Classics and Music and participated in the Honors and Business program. I wanted to teach Latin and continue performing music. I ended up becoming a high school Latin teacher right after graduation, and I continued playing clarinet in community bands, singing in choirs, and cantoring at masses. I also completed my M.Ed. in Latin, and I teach graduate courses in Latin and Instructional Technology.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

I learned so much about problem solving from my work as an office assistant for the Classics department. That really helped prepare me both for being a teacher and an instructional coach. I also took four years of music theory as a Music major, which is something I found very challenging, but I’m so glad I found the resilience to keep trying something that I found difficult rather than opt for something easy.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Take advantage of the many connections that Holy Cross has to offer. It has a wonderful and dedicated alumni network that is willing and eager to help Holy Cross grads.
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Meet Alum Marc Trigilio ’96, Head, Legal Crop Protection North America

Name:  Marc Trigilio

Class Year: 1996

Title:  Head, Legal Crop Protection North America

Organization Name: Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

I lead the Legal department for our US and Canada crop protection business, which requires me to develop and drive legal and business strategy, manage complex litigation and regulatory issues, protect our intellectual property, and enable our business to deliver solutions to help farmers produce food for people in an efficient and sustainable manner.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you? 

I certainly never planned on being an attorney.  I was in the pre-med program, so clearly planning out my career was not a strong suit. The unplanned event that had the most impact on my career (and life) was, at the recommendation of several friends, completing the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola my senior year. It was during that week of self-reflection and prayer that I made the pivot in my career direction.  It led me to law school (where I met my wife) and to my first employer after Holy Cross.  I feel incredibly blessed because I can always look back at my journal from that week and see the day/time entry when I made that decision.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus? 

I did a variety of activities at Holy Cross – intramural sports (soccer and football), S.P.U.D. programs with kids at local elementary schools and Catholic churches, and various internships.

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

I was a Psychology major and in the pre-med program at Holy Cross.  I also considered a minor in Spanish, but I decided against it (which was a mistake).  I ultimately chose law for a career and Psychology has been incredibly helpful working in a large, diverse multinational organization.  With so many theories in Psychology about what drives behavior, I learned to always keep an open mind to understanding others’ possible motivations and concerns, even when they differed from mine.  That has allowed me to work with diverse teams and people throughout the business globally and to manage the needs and concerns of the individuals on my team.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

The Jesuit principle of being men and women for others is something I think of every day – I view my role as helping others and helping my company in the important work of helping to feed the planet.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today? 

Have fun, work hard, make friends, and be open to new experiences and ideas – you never know what you may end up liking.  Enjoy it all because it passes really quickly.  When you graduate, stay connected – Holy Cross has a tremendous alumni community, we want to help, and we are here for you.
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Meet Alumna Nacie Pereira ’07, Director of Talent Development, Rue Gilt Groupe

Name: Nacie Pereira

Class Year: 2007

Title: Director of Talent Development

Organization Name: Rue Gilt Groupe

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

My job focuses on developing the skills, behaviors, and leadership qualities that Associates, Managers, and Directors at my company need to make the business successful AND enjoy satisfying careers.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?

I wouldn’t say I have a particular industry that I serve, I would say that I have an industry-agnostic skill set. Learning and Development, Talent, and Coaching are industry agnostic in terms of their best practices in many ways. I got into my area of work because of my first job after HC. I was a History major and didn’t know what I wanted to do after school. I took the highest-paying job I could find, which was in financial software, and realized quickly that it didn’t align with who I was and how I wanted to contribute. At HC, there is such a wonderful emphasis on contributing to the world and serving others, and being in the wrong role helped me realize the way I want to contribute and serve is through walking alongside and supporting others on their career journeys – being in the wrong job inspired me to help others grow and ensure they were in the right jobs for them! I found coaching almost by accident and have been in love with that work, and all development work, ever since.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

I was an RA in Healy for 3 years (my senior year I was the HRA). I was also involved in the Light Opera Company (long defunct, I think!).

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

I was a History major and I loved it. The History Department at Holy Cross is my happy place. It impacted my career decisions by encouraging me to think big picture, to synthesize information, see themes, and make connections that might not be readily obvious. All important qualities in a coach!

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

Asking questions with genuine curiosity and bringing a service orientation to everything I do. The Jesuit philosophy of being an engaged, serving member of your community has helped me approach my work with warmth, helpfulness, and enthusiasm.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Allow yourself to slow down in the experience of being at HC; at times, college can feel like a vehicle taking you to whatever is next in your life. But HC is a truly special place that allows you to explore and develop your whole self, not just as a student but as a human in the world. Embrace that, and give yourself permission to go slow enough to savor as much as you can.
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Meet Alumna Katie Flanagan ’19, Copywriter at Superbolt

Name: Katie Flanagan

Class Year: 2019

Title: Copywriter

Organization: Superbolt

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

I work with different clients across industries to write advertising copy for their Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok channels, as well as the occasional webpage and blog!

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?

Like many English majors, I initially wanted to go into publishing (and eventually become an author). When I was searching for internships my junior year, I had such a hard time both finding publishing internships outside of NYC and also even just getting interviews since it’s such an overcrowded field. I had never really considered copywriting (to be honest, I didn’t even really know it was a thing!) until my mom sent me a copywriting internship job posting. I applied, accepted, and ended up loving the craft and day-to-day of copywriting.

I got my first job after Holy Cross – a junior copywriter position at Rue Gilt Groupe – with the help of another HC alum! When I applied, I searched for HC alumni at the company on LinkedIn, connected with one, and she turned out to be the hiring manager for the job I had applied for! She helped me get my foot in the door and learn more about the company, and after a *long* interview process, I was hired!

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

I was a stage manager for Alternate College Theatre, played for the women’s rugby team, was a Calculus Workshop tutor (random for an English major, I know, but I just really love calculus), worked for the Office of Alumni Relations, and was a Peer Career Assistant for the Center of Career Development!

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

I was an English major, Computer Science minor, and had a concentration in Creative Writing. After graduating, I was deciding between pursuing writing or pursuing computer science. I ultimately chose copywriting, because I love getting to be creative and write every day.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

This sounds stereotypical, but it’s absolutely true – having a liberal arts background I truly believe prepared me better for advertising jobs than people with an advertising or marketing degree. English/Creative Writing and Computer Science are two sides of the same coin – in both, you have to be highly analytical, pay attention to the details, and have enough creativity to think of outside-of-the-box solutions. Getting to explore and strengthen those skills in two different mediums at Holy Cross made me stronger overall.

And of course, the high-stress, high-pressure nature of Holy Cross academics prepared me SO WELL for the deadline-driven, super fast pace of working at an advertising agency.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Don’t pigeonhole yourself based on your major or previous experience or what you wanted to be when you were younger – be open to all the different possibilities and career paths you may have never even thought of!
Also, believe the hype when people talk about the HC alumni community – every alum I’ve reached out to on LinkedIn has given me invaluable career advice and even helped bring my resume to the top of the pile when I was job hunting. (And I’d love to pay it forward – please reach out to me on LinkedIn if you ever want to talk copywriting!)
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Meet Alum Michael Cole ’16, Community Relations Coordinator

Name: Michael Cole

Class Year: 2016

Job Title: Community Relations Coordinator

Organization Name: Office of Mayor Thomas McGee, City of Lynn

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail? 

As Community Relations Coordinator for Mayor McGee, my job is to manage all questions or concerns residents have and to connect them with the appropriate resources or city department.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?

One event that connected me to my industry and my first employer after graduating from Holy Cross was Working for Worcester. Through Working for Worcester, I established a relationship with Tim Garvin, CEO of the United Way of Central Massachusetts, which led me to my first job after graduation as a Community Relationship Manager at the United Way. I decided it was a good fit for me because I knew the work being done within the non-profit/political sector had a direct impact on people’s lives every day. The entire process of Working for Worcester, from the planning stages to the annual Build Day, provided me with a glimpse into what that would be like to work in an industry that directly impacts it’s community on a daily basis. Working at the United Way allowed me to further see the importance of this kind of work being done every day throughout Worcester. Even though I have moved on from the United Way, I still work in a position with the goal of positively influencing our entire community.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus? 

On campus I was a Kimball Captain, involved in Working for Worcester as the Director of Site Development and a Site Manager, Study Abroad in La Coruña, Spain, SPUD, Spring Break Immersion, Club Golf, Intramural Basketball and Soccer.

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

I was a double major in Political Science and Spanish. In my current position, I have the unique opportunity to be utilizing both of my majors in my job. Not only do I gain experience working in a mayor’s office from a political science perspective, but the City of Lynn has a large Spanish-speaking population as well. Every day I am speaking Spanish to residents over the phone, in the office, or publishing the Mayor’s social media posts in both English and Spanish.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

Two of the most important skills I developed at Holy Cross are the ability to multi-task and to analyze large amounts of information on a variety of subjects from multiple angles. These are incredibly vital in being able to effectively communicate the takeaways from my conversations with residents or other colleagues back to either the Mayor or fellow staff.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

I would advise today’s students to first and foremost, appreciate all the time you have at Holy Cross, nothing in the real world compares to our Holy Cross experience. Also, it is ok if you are uncertain about exactly what career you want to pursue. I know I, along with many of my friends, walked across the graduation stage unsure of what our futures would hold, but Holy Cross will prepare you to figure things out along the way. Follow your passions, be open to new challenges, embrace different ideas and never stop learning.
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Meet Alum Dr. Marco Clark ’89, President at Holy Cross College at Notre Dame

Name: Marco Clark

Class Year: 1989

Title: President

Organization Name: Holy Cross College at Notre Dame

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

President and CEO in Catholic higher education

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?  

With an interest in education, Dean Joe Maguire assisted me to take education classes at other colleges in the Worcester consortium. He also aided me to get an internship in the Auburn and Oxford public school system working with at risk youth in a program called Project JOBS/Project COFFEE. As well, since I played football at Holy Cross, I had an interest in coaching. Between my desire to coach and the work I did with at-risk youth, I was offered a position as a guidance counselor and coach following graduation. It was a great fit for me. One thing I recognized through my interview process is that I would have great mentors to learn from in my early career. After spending the past 34+ years in Catholic education, I often reflect on how it all began. I really just wanted to be a high school or college football coach. God clearly had other plans, and for that I am thankful.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

Football, intramurals, SPUD

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

Psychology. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with the degree until I did an internship working 1:1 with at-risk youth (see above).

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

Writing/communication skills, public speaking, critical thinking, viewing everything through a lens of equity and justice.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Take it all in. The days can be long, but the years go fast. Also, find a mentor and don’t hesitate to reach out for guidance and direction, including possible spiritual direction. As you seek to discover more about your interests and career path, think with a vocation mindset, pray, and discern what God is calling you to. The spiritual writer Frederick Buechner stated, “Vocation is when your deep gladness meets with the deep needs of the world.” Be in search of that deep gladness and have the competence to see and the courage to act on the deep needs of the world and you will have found your vocation.
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Meet Alumna Sarah Palmieri ’08, Sr. Advisor, Federal Program Manager at Dell Technologies

Name: Sarah (Tagg) Palmieri

Class Year: 2008

Title: Sr. Advisor, Federal Program Manager

Organization Name: Dell Technologies

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

As a Federal Program Manager, I lead programs supporting the Federal Services business at Dell – primarily focused on enabling our Services Sales and Online portfolios.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?  

I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do when I graduated. I had majored in English because I enjoyed that subject, not because I had a particular career path in mind. I applied to various jobs during my senior year through the Career Planning Center and ended up accepting a Sales position at a publishing company. I knew Sales was not what I wanted to do long-term, but it was a way to get my foot in the door and gain some experience. I spent 5 years at that company, making a couple lateral moves until I found the area I was interested in – project management. At this point, I also realized I was more interested in the tech industry than publishing. So, I left for a position as a project manager for a website translation company. I stayed there for a year and a half and eventually ended up at EMC Corporation, which was later acquired by Dell. I have been at Dell for about 8 years now and am very happy in my current role.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

Summer Internship Program, SPUD, Women in Business

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

I was an English major with a minor in Philosophy.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

Critical thinking is fundamental to my role as a Program Manager. I need to be comfortable with ambiguity and changing priorities every day. I use my best judgment to make decisions on my programs to have a positive impact on the business. Communication and interpersonal skills are also key to success as a Program Manager.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Take advantage of the Holy Cross network and the Career Planning Center. Attend as many career events as you can – you may learn about career paths you never knew existed. If you don’t know exactly what you want to do upon graduating, that is OK! Find an area that aligns with your interests and get some experience. You can always try something new if it doesn’t work out.
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Meet Alumna Carolyn Dunderdale ’22, Clinical Research Coordinator

Name: Carolyn Dunderdale

Class Year: 2022

Title: Clinical Research Coordinator

Organization Name: Massachusetts General Hospital

 

 1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

I manage all the daily activities, like meeting with patients and handling data, for research investigating heart disease in people living with HIV.

  

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?  

The alumni networking nights showed me how many recent graduates found success in gap-year research, especially at Mass General Hospital. I individually spoke with these alumni, and what they gained from their research years was the same as what I was looking to accomplish.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

Although my favorite group was SPUD, I also was part of the American Medical Student Association, Biology Student Advisory Committee, and XCHROM.

 

 4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

I was a Biology major, and class laboratory work showed me the importance of research in becoming a better physician-scientist. Last year in lab, I got to work with the same virus that effects the patients I see today.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

How to listen thoughtfully to others, so I can better respond to their needs. If you want to understand someone, first truly listen to them.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Balance your life! The best way to stay motivated for studying is knowing you have something fun planned with your friends after.
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Meet Alumna Madison Brenchak ’22, Private Banking Analyst at JPMorgan

Name: Madison Brenchak

Class Year: 2022

Title: Private Banking Analyst

Organization Name: JPMorgan

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

My job is client facing, which involves creating decks and pitchbooks, executing trades, and proposing investment ideas all to help individuals and families plan their wealth to achieve their goals.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?  

 Planned events that helped me include: Finance Club and HCSIF, especially Finance Bootcamp with visit to NYC and touring firms, active networking, and attending workshops at HC.

Unplanned events that helped me include: Attending JPMorgan’s women’s initiative event for students, which led to early round interviews.

I knew it was a great fit at Finance Bootcamp when we visited JPM Private Bank my sophomore year. The floor we visited and met alumni on as a group, is in fact the exact floor I work on now!

I made the most of my summer internship which really helped me decide it was a great fit! After the initial learning curve and adjustments, I felt I enjoyed the work I was producing and that was affirmative in my decision to accept the full time offer.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

I was involved in HCSIF, Finance Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters (SPUD), Spring Break Immersion, Society of St. Peter and Paul, alter serving, and the Pre-Business Program.

I worked in Campion in the chaplain’s office at the front desk!

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

I majored in Economics, which helped me develop perspective on the world and markets that provided a great foundation for pursuing Finance. However, I felt behind with my investment knowledge.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

Connecting with people: putting myself out there, networking, and interacting with lots of different people helped me develop speaking skills that are extremely helpful at work. Whether talking to a client on the phone, or presenting my thoughts on the market to my boss, it is helpful to be able to speak and hold conversations with different people.

Independence: learning to schedule my day to be most productive helps me be efficient and multi-task at work. You have to be the one responsible with follow ups and communicating with various people on a multitude of tasks. You need to prioritize by urgency and complexity which can be a challenge.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Do not delay in networking or simply put minimal effort to “check it off the box.”

If you don’t leave a coffee chat or phone call with an action item, it is a waste of everyone’s time. Be intentional about your questions and be enthusiastic. Make sure to keep up consistent dialogue with alumni, don’t just reach out once.

It is all very overwhelming, so take it one step at a time. Always know there are upperclassmen and young grads who have just been in your shoes and are happy to help!