By Hussein Ali Rifath and Joseph D’Andrea
About 50 students got first-hand advice from five Adelphi alumni who offered their professional experience in the communications field at the 11th Annual Media Career Expo on Dec. 3, 2024. The event, which was co-sponsored by the Communications Department and The Delphian, enlightened current students looking to network as they learn more about the job market they hope to enter after graduation.
The speaker panel, moderated by professor and Delphian faculty advisor Liza Burby, consisted of alumni working in the print, TV, film, web, marketing and publicity fields. Panelists spoke about their job search experiences and offered students tips to better navigate their futures, as well as what they've learned from their own search for employment. The event in Blodgett Hall also offered listeners the opportunity to network for future internships and entry-level positions. Panelists included Alexandria Faith ’15, vice president and global marketing lead at Citi; Olivia Franks ’20, ’21, hockey operations office manager for the New York Islanders; Rebecca Farina Levine ’14, a film and video producer; Stephen Levine ’14, web content producer for News 12 Networks; and Janine Perez-LaSala ’14, a freelance marketing and advertising specialist for Abrams Books.

One of the main topics of discussion was the difficulty of searching for jobs in today’s market. In the ever-evolving professional world, expectations are high, even for those just starting out after college. Franks joked about how some hiring managers are searching for “an entry-level person with five years of experience.”
Perez-LaSala emphasized the importance of having clear goals in mind and taking steps to acquire relevant professional experience. Inspired by her lifelong passion for literature, she set the long-term goal of joining the publishing industry during her sophomore year at Adelphi. She worked towards that end by completing two internships and working at a Barnes and Noble Bookstore.
Even then, she admitted, it wasn’t always easy to get experience in her field of interest. “It can be really disheartening when you’re throwing your resume and personalized cover letters into the void of the internet,” she said.
Levine stressed that having courage and confidence during the job application process is key. “Don’t back out if you see one thing in qualifications or requirements that you might not be an exact match for,” he said. “It can’t hurt if you apply to these places because you don’t know what doors that’ll open for you.”
Applying yourself after getting hired is equally as important. When a person proves their competence in an internship or part-time position, they become more likely to be selected when another job opportunity opens up, especially if they keep in touch with their employers. Franks got her new role at the Hockey Operations Office of the New York Islanders after interning for them during her junior year at Adelphi.
All panelists stressed the importance of networking. “Networking does not stop when you get your entry-level position,” said Perez-LaSala. “It’s a career-long endeavor.”
Following the panel discussion, students got the chance to speak with these Panther graduates in a networking session. Audience member Tommaso Vaccaro, a sophomore sports management major, said he gained firsthand insight into the process of applying for jobs in communications.
“One thing that I learned today is that even if you get rejected for a higher position, the more years of experience you have, the better chance you can apply for a job,” he said. “When you have more [experience] on your resume, there’s a better chance of [landing] it. If you get rejected, it’s not necessarily that you weren’t good enough; it could just be that you weren’t the right person at the time.”
Vaccaro continued “It doesn’t mean that you can’t get the work somewhere else. It shouldn’t discourage you. It feels like a bad thing, but it could be a good thing, too, because it can make you better.”
Vaccaro said he was also struck by the panelists’ motivation to go after what they’re passionate about, which might mean feeling out different jobs until you find one that fits. “A lot of people think they’re entitled to only one job but they’re not; you can have many different careers in one life,” he said. “I’m definitely looking forward to this again next year.”
Since 2013, the event has been successfully bringing together alumni, many of whom were once among the audience members, said Burby, who has been the organizer of all 11 expos.
“We have tried to focus on inviting alumni who have graduated within the past 10 years in order to give current students a more accurate view of the current job search process,” she said. “Knowing that the panelists are often the people who benefited from attending previous expos just reinforces how important it is for Adelphi students to be mentored by those who understand their situation best. I’m always impressed by how generous our alumni are with their time and information, and based on the questions our current students asked during the Q&A sessions, I know it’s resonating with them as well.”
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