In an auditorium of actively listening undergraduates, a panel of five UNC alumni offered advice and answered questions about their globally-oriented careers at a networking event co-organized by the UNC Curriculum in Global Studies Wednesday evening.

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The alumni, whose work experience varied from positions in sales and consulting to nuclear security and investing, answered questions from both the moderator and audience members about the paths to their current careers, the value of networking and the skills every undergraduate should have. Zach Ward, student services specialist, moderated the event.

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The evening’s first question, why the panelists desired a globally oriented education, led some to share personal stories.

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Kathryn Hewitt, a federal contractor with the National Nuclear Security Administration, said her love of politics and the desire to get her hands dirty led her to join the Peace Corps after graduating.

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“I think after you live abroad for a few years and see what else is out there, doing anything except globally-oriented education seems kind of silly,” Hewitt said.

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The alumni also spent a large part of the evening talking about the value of a college education.

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Liliana Gregory, a senior consultant at The Hackett Group, said that the interdisciplinary curriculum of college teaches students how to interact with people in different ways.

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“If you’re in these classes and you’re taking the same subject matter, but you have a totally different audience, a totally different lens that you’re supposed to write it through, that is my job every day,” Gregory said. “So, highlighting your ability to think critically from a number of points of view about the same topic is crucial, it’s something that every employer, no matter what industry, looks for.”

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 After an hour, the audience was prompted to ask their own questions. Some topics included how the alumni spent their last semester at UNC, the challenges they faced in reaching their positions and traits they considered unattractive to employers.

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James, a student majoring in global studies and peace war and defense, who did not reveal his last name or graduating class, asked how to network while remaining authentic.

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Derrick Surratt, a manager in government sales at British Airways, responded and advised the undergraduates to ask open-ended questions.

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“You’ll find that people do appreciate you asking about their careers,” Surratt said. “Most people are very happy to talk about that, so don’t find that you’re bugging somebody or something like that.”

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As the question and answer portion of the event concluded, attendees filed out of the auditorium to grab food and network with the panelists. Some students stood around tables discussing the event.

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Araseli Valverde, a senior majoring in global studies and Italian, said she came to the event to learn more about working abroad.

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“I really want to know what kind of other positions and opportunities are available as opposed to just the limits within my own mind,” Valverde said. “Being a first-generation college student, a first-generation American, all those good things, I feel like I still have a lot to learn with what opportunities are available.”

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Valverde said she would have liked to see more diversity in the panel but that she could still relate to the alumni’s discussions. Valverde said she hoped other students, who were not global studies majors, could do the same.

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Tatiana Farmer, a senior majoring in global studies and psychology, said she enjoyed the panel, but that she would have liked to see someone in a humanities concentration speak. Farmer also said one particular anecdote stood out to her.

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“The lady who talked about going to Rome and got robbed and everything,” Farmer said. “I like that, that’s relatable.”

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Yuna Yoshida, a junior majoring in global studies and Japanese, said she too would have liked to see a humanities perspective on the panel, but that hearing the alumni speak about their unique experiences was reassuring.

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“I was like, ‘oh, I need to get into a good job after college,’ but them saying it’s OK, you’ll explore and you’ll find your passion, that was very good,” Yoshida said.

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