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Approximately 50 甜瓜视频app students received some words of wisdom from a panel of recently minted alumni about what to expect after receiving their undergraduate diplomas and beginning their professional careers or going on to graduate school.

The fourth annual alumni panel brought back to campus five GOLD alumni (graduates of the last decade) to provide their personal insights about 鈥渢he real world,鈥� said Tenisea Higgins, WCU assistant director of annual giving for student and young alumni engagement.

鈥淲e invite students who are curious about life after graduation to join us to hear from WCU alumni as they share their journeys, challenges and advice for turning a degree into what's next,鈥� said Higgins.

Panelists at the event held Feb. 5 in the A.K. Hinds University Center Theater featured alumni with experiences in psychology, entrepreneurship, innovation and leadership, social work, marketing, political science and communications. It was sponsored by the WCU Office of Alumni Engagement and the MAPS (Mentoring and Persistence to Success) and RISE (Residential Sophomore Experience) programs.

The alumni panels are held twice a year, with the fall events taking place online and the spring sessions in person.

鈥淭his recent panel had the largest attendance of all the ones that we鈥檝e hosted in the last four years,鈥� Higgins said. 鈥淲e held a meet-and-greet prior to the panel in the UC Theatre lobby for students to mingle informally with the alumni panelists, and two panelists traveled three to four hours to present.鈥�

Panelists who participated in the session said that they were glad to meet with current students and share whatever nuggets of advice they had to offer.

鈥淢y main message to students was about changing how we think about 鈥榝ailure.鈥� I believe the word itself is negative, when in reality not achieving your desired result can be a very positive educational experience,鈥� said Shawn Smallwood, a first-generation college graduate who earned his bachelor's degree in innovation leadership and entrepreneurship in 2023 with a double major in management before going on to receive his master鈥檚 degree in innovation leadership and entrepreneurship in December 2025.

鈥淚nstead of viewing something that did not go as planned as a failure, I encouraged students to see it as a learning and growth opportunity that will improve their next iteration,鈥� said Smallwood, a Leicester resident who is project manager for community and economic development at the Southwestern Commission.

Although Smallwood said he did not take advantage of opportunities to hear from alumni during his years as a student, he was very involved in campus life through various organizations and activities.

鈥淥ne of the greatest benefits of a university campus is the diversity of students at different stages of life. For example, I am 41 and currently in my fourth career. I have been a soldier in the Army, a pastry chef and a small business owner, and now I work in public administration,鈥� he said. 鈥淩egardless of age, it is never too late to return to school or start something completely new.鈥�

For panelist Jocelyn Keen, a 2014 social work graduate from Raleigh, her key message for students at the alumni panel was to advocate for themselves.

鈥淭here are numerous unknowns in the world, and I am a firm believer that work should be a place where you feel safe and valued. It is perfectly fine to not get a job in your field or go to graduate school, but do not settle for a job that is not healthy for your well-being,鈥� said Keen, marketing manager for brand ambassadors and influencers with Advance Auto Parts.

A former member of the Catamount women鈥檚 track and field and cross country teams, Keen said she benefited from her interactions with WCU graduates.

鈥淎s a student-athlete, alumni came back to campus often, traveled to conference meets to support and gave back to the track and field program. I was able to see in real time how they made the transition from student-athlete to a professional in their career. Being able to have these relationships and hear their stories better prepared me for after graduation,鈥� she said.

鈥淚 loved being able to share my journey with current students. Being able to share the path I鈥檝e lived was extremely rewarding,鈥� Keen said. 鈥淚 could notice a sense of relief when they learned the panelists switched careers, might have not gotten the job they wanted or didn鈥檛 have a picture-perfect graduate school experience.鈥�

Other alumni on the panel:

• Caleb Cole, a 2023 engineering technology and current master鈥檚 degree student in engineering technology who resides in Cullowhee.
• Aaron Speyer, who earned bachelor's degrees in finance in 2021 and innovation leadership and entrepreneurship in 2022, a systems engineer at Stellar Solutions supporting NASA鈥檚 human landing system program at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
• Ezri Villiard, a Franklin resident who earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in psychology in 2022 and master鈥檚 degree in clinical psychology in 2025 and is a current doctoral student in psychology at WCU.

Young alumni interested in participating in future panel opportunities can reach out via email to Tenisea  Higgins at higginst@wcu.edu