Career Day connects students with working pros

The hallways of Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway (HAFTR) High School were full of familiar faces as former students, parents, and other professionals returned to HAFTR for the school’s annual Career Day on Dec. 29. 

Begun three years ago, Career Day introduces current students to college students and career professionals in many diverse fields. Students attended one career panel and one college panel to give them an opportunity to explore prospective colleges and potential careers.

College panelists included alumni who are now attending schools such as Columbia, Dartmouth and Cornell universities, Cooper Union, Binghamton and Yeshiva universities, the universities of Michigan and Pennsylvania, New York University, SUNY Albany, Rutgers, Brandeis, the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and Queens College. 

Panelists discussed the transition from high school to college, their daily routines, their experiences with commuting or living in dorms, and Jewish life on their school’s campus. The alumni also answered students’ questions about finding the balance between school work and socializing, altering work habits to adjust to the larger workload, and how to get involved in campus activities and clubs.

The career panels were split into four categories: Technology and Engineering; Science and Health; Visual Arts, Social Media, and Publishing and Business, Legal, and Education. These panels consisted of alumni and parent panelists who have extensive experience in their fields of work. We also had Dr. Christine Veloso, the assistant director of the Science Technology Entry Program (from Stony Brook University), give an overview of careers in engineering and technology.