ALUM-TO-ALUM CAREERCENTER EVENTS STAYCONNECTED ALUMNICOUNCIL NEWS MEMBERBENEFITS

Tova Schwartz '06

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Which on-campus activities were involved in as a student? How did those activities assist you in attaining your career goals?

I was involved with many organizations while I was a student at J&W. I was the founder of the Jewish Student Organization, assisting students in getting involved religiously in partnership with other colleges in Denver. I was on the board for Campus Activities Board and helped create and lead many of the campus wide programs throughout the year. I was a state representative for Phi Beta Lambda as well as participated with the local Denver chapter and competed in differnt events each year. Every year, I volunteered during orientation as an orientation leader and helped the campus get ready for the entering freshmen class. Finally, I was also a part of the Collegiate Ambassador Team, helping with various fly-in’s on campus and providing my college experience to prospective students and their families.

Participating in these different activities allowed me to get involved on campus as well as create relationships with various fculty and staff. This exposure and those relationships opened many doors for me while I was a student at J&W. My sophomore year I was offered an internship at a financial company that had been brought to the attention of one of my profssors. That internship gave me valuable experience that I was then able to use as leverage to achieve my senior year internship and full-time job following the internship. Not only did these experiences help shape my current professional work experience, but it also helped shape the person I am now that I am out of college. I am still actively involved with my religion and keep in touch with many of the students currently attending the university, and it helped me become more social within the Denver business community.

Please detail your career accomplishments. How will your career path help you be successful in the position that you are being nominated for?

In my final year at J&W, I accepted an internship with Turner Media Group, in their sponsorship sales department. My boss was also an alumnus from J&W and we became very close colleagues and friends. He shared his experience with me and helped me gain employment with the company after an extended 6 month internship. I moved into the interactive advertising department and became a project coordinator for the group. It was an amazing experience and I got to work with my own clients on their interactive advertising needs as well as create te research and analysis processes for the company. This technology was up and coming, so to be a part of this new industry was very exciting. While with the company I managed the supporting sales software, which helped lead me to my current career. The company closed this past summer, due to some financial problems, but because of the software experience I had I was able to quickly find a job without any lapse in time. I am now working for WideOrbit Inc. as an implementation specialist for their sales proposal software. I work with television stations all over the country and train the account executives on how to use the software. Not only do we train them on how to use the software, but we are also able to provide media buying experience and help them on best practices within the industry.

My professional experience will prove to be useful as the Denver Alumni Representative because it is important that this positin has a strong professional background and can be a role model to current students that are looking to enter the business community. I understand the struggle from moving from college to the working world, and I can provide guidance on different ways to go about it, as well as resources that I was able to use in helping me make the transition.

Please list what skills and/or qualities you will bring to the council to help take the council to the next level.

One skill that I have is an excellent knowledge of the Denver community. Born and raised in Denver, CO I am very connected to the community in many ways. I am familiar and passionate about the area and love expressing my feelings. I am also very close to the university, in terms of location and attitude. I have many friends that currently work for the Denver campus and I have continued to stay involved since graduating. Last year I was working with Joel Spicola, another Alumni, to help plan some summer programs for J&W and the alumni, and I also served on the Alumni committee for the Denver campus. I have experience with event planning and logistics that will be helpful in this role and I have close relationships with man of the young alumni still living in Denver. I graduated with the current J&W Denver campus Manager of Alumni Relations, so I believe we would be able to work well together to try and get even more events coordinated for the Denver Alumni Chapter.

What are your vision/goals for the council for the next two years?

I would like to build an overall stronger relationship with Alumni near the Denver campus. It would be nice to see the Denver group be more involved within many different aspects. They should be more engaged with activities that occur for current students, helping them network and providing experience to the next generation of J&W Alumni. It would be helpful to have the council support all the Denver initiatives and contribute experience from their own successful alumni projects.

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