By Gina Ortiz & Tyresa Jackson:
Throughout high school, I recall teachers advising that it is not what you know, but who you know. So I’d often wonder, did that mean I was going to school for nothing? And if that was the case, where was I supposed to meet this game changing friends and professionals? Why did I need people to draw upon my own successes in order to get ahead?
Now a soon to be graduating Masters student, I better understand the power of networking. While networking may serve as a planted seed for some organizations, networking may serve as a professional development tool for individuals in other contexts. I personally enjoyed attending John Jay’s networking events such as the occasional social hour, because I was in search of new friends and contacts within the public administration field. I have served in the criminal justice field and have many contacts within the field. Networking beyond my professional circle allowed me to meet some really great friends who I stay in contact with regularly and encourage each other. For many young professionals, networking goes beyond friendships or a line of encouragement. There is certainly a lot of potential in networking because after all, success is essentially a team effort.
Women in The Public Sector at John Jay College of Criminal Justice held the WPS Spring 2018 networking event to bring students, faculty, staff and professionals within and beyond the John Jay College community together for the opportunity to learn more networking tools as well as meet other professionals in the public sector. Over seventy five students, faculty and staff attended and engaged in a host of exciting activities! These activities included professional simulations of pay negotiations, listening to the experiences of senior-level in the public sector, along with learning how to promote yourself through a 30 second elevator pitch! These exercises were beneficial to all because it in turn, they helped to enhance their negotiation skills, public speaking, and confidence in networking.
Amazing Professionals in attendance were:
- Will Simpkins, Ed.D., Senior Director of the Center for Career and Professor Development, who also moderated this event.
- Ashley Emerole, Adjunct Lecturer at Metropolitan College and Deputy Chief Clerk at the New York City Board of Elections (BOE)
- Alaina Gilligo, John Jay College Faculty Member, Deputy Comptroller
- Bill Jorgenson: Director of Outreach and Investigation at the Department of Investigation,
- Laura Ginns: Vice President for Policy and Strategic Initiatives at John Jay College of Criminal Justice,
- Linara Davidson: Managing Director for Development and External Affairs at East Harlem Tutorial,
- Stephen Rolandi: Adjunct Lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal of Justice
- Sergine Louis: Nonprofit Management Executive.