Career Development Blog

March 14, 2023

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.

March 14, 2023

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.

March 14, 2023

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!)

February 16, 2023

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.

February 16, 2023

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.

February 15, 2023

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.

February 15, 2023

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.

February 15, 2023

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!

February 15, 2023

Meet Alumna Sarah Kane ’16, Regional Director of Content at Arcis

Name: Sarah Kane

Class Year: 2016

Title: Regional Director of Content

Organization Name: Arcis

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

I manage the social media, website, branding, PR, and event coordination for 15 Golf Courses in Arizona (9 Public Courses and 6 Private).

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

I participated on the Women’s Softball team for all 4 years. I was the Captain my last two years. I was also a Member of the Janssen Leadership Academy. I was the Co-Chair of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

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

I majored in art and education. When I graduated from college, I was substitute teaching and I also had a job as a Receptionist at a high-end Jacksonville rooftop club in Jacksonville, FL (my hometown I networked with quite a few people here and landed a couple more jobs in the hospitality industry, which really let me take my creative personality to the next level. While I’m not working in an actual Art Museum or have my own Art Studio, I am still working in programs like Photoshop and Premiere Pro where I am able to edit photography and videos, expressing my creative outlet. I also feel that a successful Social Media page requires artistic intention with the correct staging of photos, and clever/creative captions to match.

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

I feel like I have become just a better human in general, and I feel like I have gotten to where I am today from what the Holy Cross community and standards preached. When people ask me about my college experience, I always tell them, “it was the best decision I ever made.” And I truly believe that. My teammates, friends, professors, and everyone in between were incredible mentors and motivators in my life and I think back and reflect on that often.

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

Two things. One: Be kind. This goes such a long way. If you’re not a master at something but you’re kind, people are going to want to help you. Also, in the world we live in today, it’s so important to say hi to a stranger or express a compliment that you’re feeling. I feel like there is a lot of pressure on a lot of people, and that probably stems from after-effects of Covid, but kindness never harms anyone. The second: don’t be afraid to be still. We move so fast in the world today. It’s a very competitive world, and also a very fast-paced world, where I find that people struggle with patience. When you’re in line at the grocery store and the person in front of you is taking a long time, be still. When you’re driving, don’t be in such a hurry. You’ll get there at nearly the same time anyways. When you feel like you have to run a million errands on the weekend, take your time. Life goes by way too fast to not appreciate the small stuff. Tough times always pass. Have an open mind and only look towards the future.

November 16, 2022

Meet Alum Dr. Robert Molt Jr. ’07, Senior Scientist at ENSCO; U.S. Air Force

Name: Dr. Robert Molt Jr.

Class Year: 2007

Title: Senior Scientist

Organization Name: ENSCO; U.S. Air Force

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

I do research in chemistry and physics for Department of Defense and U.S. National Laboratories, especially in the fields of the quantum many-electron problem, nuclear engineering, IR spectroscopy, and chemical thermodynamics.

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 employment, following being a graduate student, was as a professor at IUPUI University in Indianapolis, which was a logical extension of my love of teaching and scientific research. In my current position, I research with the U.S. National Laboratories and Department of Defense. The plan has always been to spend my life learning as much as I can about science; my current employment also allows me to contribute positively to my community at large. I have managed this amidst the unplanned adversities of losing the ability to walk from a spinal injury (I’ve recovered) and 2 blood clots due to genetic illness. However, adversity is that from which we advance, and not the story itself. Any job which allows me do scientific research on important problems and adore my wife is a good job.

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

Ballroom dancing, ROTC tutor in calculus/physics

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

I studied chemistry and physics, as I always knew I wanted to be a career scientist.

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

The greatest skill I learned at Holy Cross was what NOT to do, i.e., making the stupid mistakes of a young man, growing from them, and learning to be more professional.

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

The greatest advice I would offer is to balance theory/ideology with empirical reality of what it takes to solve problems in the present. Do not try to solve problems by being righteous/morally superior. It is far too easy to hate and be priggish; life is better lived finding common ground with your fellow man ( or woman).