Sophia Stil ’23 earned a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity and psychology at the University of Mary Washington before beginning graduate studies in human-computer interaction. But the interactions she’s still talking about are the ones she had through Network MaryWash.
“I’m proud of how passionate our alumni are about supporting students,” said Stil, who received tips on improving her résumé, which she hopes will help land her a user experience (UX) internship in New York City. “The website has played a significant role in my post-college endeavors.”
Launched last fall by UMW’s Office of Alumni Engagement, Network MaryWash connects students and grads seeking advice on careers, internships and graduate school with alumni already working in the field. The initiative is integral to Life After Mary Washington, the University’s Quality Enhancement Plan, which supports students with the transition from academia to professional life. The platform also complements resources that prepare students to enter the workforce provided by the Center for Career and Professional Development.
“Applying for internships and jobs without a network is the hardest way to get hired,” Colette Strawn Johnson ’97 told Stil. Working in data analytics for an educational nonprofit, Johnson offered to introduce her to a UX designer on her team.
A Mary Washington alum helped Johnson find her first job after college, and now she does the same for UMW students. Serving on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, she leads the Career Connections committee, which arranges professional headshots for juniors and seniors, plans speed networking events and invites alumni back to campus – such as Major League Baseball executive Jin Wong ’97, who visited in January – to speak about their careers.
“At each event, we’re talking up Network MaryWash,” said Johnson, who worked with Executive Director of Alumni Engagement Mark Thaden ’02 to implement the Protopia platform. The company has produced websites for the University of Pittsburgh, London School of Economics and Political Science, and Virginia Commonwealth, Duke, Northwestern and Florida State universities.
