Liberal arts students visit DC to learn about careers, network with alumni

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Nearly 50 students in Penn State's College of the Liberal Arts who are interested in a career in the federal government recently were given the chance to network and learn about the application process. The event, titled “Learn and Network in D.C.,” was held on Friday, March 29, in Washington, D.C., and allowed students to hear from and interact with 18 Penn State alumni working in the nation's capital. 

Students started their day at the Office of Personnel Management, where they attended workshops on federal resume writing and navigating USAJobs.gov, the federal government's job posting system.

Then they attended a networking reception at the General Services Administration with Penn State alumni who work for members of Congress and in various government agencies such as the FBI, CIA, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Department of State, General Services Administration, and U.S. Government Accountability Office.

Wendy Stoner, a 1989 labor and industrial relations alumna, was instrumental in the planning of the daylong event. Stoner is the chief of staff for the Office of Travel, Transportation, and Logistics at the U.S. General Services Administration. She volunteered to host the group because she knows how important it is to get in front of students during their sophomore and junior years and to showcase the federal government as an employer of choice.

“Record numbers of federal employees are retiring, and it is imperative that the federal government attract new talent with 21st-century skills to better serve the American public and deliver services more effectively and efficiently,” Stoner said.

Another alumna who became involved in the planning of the event was KerriLaine Prunella, a 2001 international politics alumna. She gave a brief networking presentation at the alumni reception. While she is currently a specialist leader at Deloitte, she has more than 15 years of experience working for the federal government.

“Regardless of graduation year, campus or major, Penn State alumni are always willing to help serve as a sounding board for ideas, to become a formal mentor, or to make additional referrals,” said Prunella. “That is so helpful as one navigates new professional roles or responsibilities at any stage of their career.”

Kevin Wulfhorst, a 1986 history and Russian alumnus, hopes that hearing the perspectives of a variety of alumni working for the federal government will help students as they navigate their future.

Katie Wysocki, assistant director of the Liberal Arts Career Enrichment Network, is grateful for the alumni support that helped make this event possible.

“The experience in D.C. for our liberal arts students was invaluable,” she said. “We are fortunate to have the support of so many alumni working in a variety of government agencies, and we hope to continue to do this event in the future with the support of the Penn State network in D.C.”

“Learn and Network in D.C.” was coordinated by the Career Enrichment Network and the Office of Alumni Relations and Development in the College of the Liberal Arts. The Career Enrichment Network provides a variety of career development resources to the students in the College of the Liberal Arts. These include one-on-one career coaching, walk-in resume reviews, employer and alumni connections, networking events, global experiences, and more. Students can schedule an appointment with any of the network's staff through Nittany Lion Careers. Walk-ins for liberal arts students are available on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.