Industry leaders joined Lasell University students on campus this week for the School of Communication and the Arts’ ComArts Conversations and for Michal Longe ’95 School of Business Day. Experts from NBC10 Boston, PBS, the Boston Red Sox, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), and Omni Hotels & Resorts — among others — shared career advice and perspectives on current events and issues.

The ComArts Conversations paired each speaker with a Lasell student and faculty member to discuss trends in the field and best practices for success. NBC10 reporter and anchor Glenn Jones, PBS/GBH filmmaker Roberto Mighty, NBC10 Chief Investigative Strategist Kathy Curran, and ThinkArgus Chief Strategy Officer Jose Nieto talked about their career journeys, lessons learned, and how they merge strategic thinking with creative approaches to telling stories.

“Your own curiosity develops a lot of stories,” said Curran, an Emmy and Murrow award-winning journalist. She spoke to the importance of gathering information from multiple sources to ensure that the public receives correct information: “You never want to be wrong.”

A panel of Lasell alumni spoke to students about careers in filmmaking, news production, advertising, graphic design, product and project management, marketing, animation, and corporate communications.

“We have the good fortune to be in a media setting filled with award-winning storytellers and designers,” said Ken Calhoun, interim dean for the School of Communication and the Arts. “Bringing this stellar lineup before the students for inspiring conversations is certainly a highlight for faculty, students, and the visiting experts.”

ComArts Conversation Alumni Panelists and Faculty. Top Row L to R: Professor Deborah Baldizar; Professor Meryl Perlson; James Kappatos '20, associate campaign manager at Integrate; Mitchell Bolton '21, assistant media planner at Mediahub Worldwide; Michael Bueno '18, independent filmmaker; Emma Helstrom '20, graphic designer at Votary Films; and Anna King 22, marketing coordinator at MASSmedic. Bottom row L to R: Patrick Leung '14, animator II at ESPN; Spencer Kosior '18, producer at NBC10 Boston; Megan Palumbo '19, communications manager at CVS Health; and Margaret Brochu '20, graphic designer at Lasell University. 

The Longe School of Business focused its program of events on sustainability, starting with a kickoff film screening of the PBS documentary Earth Emergency followed by a panel discussion featuring filmmaker Bonnie Waltch and moderated by Boston Globe climate change reporter Sabrina Shankman.

Keynote speakers Jon Lister and Robin Pacini of the Boston Red Sox facilities management and planning team spoke on “Sustainability in the Big Leagues,” while Peter McPhee, director of renewable heating and cooling and MassCEC, and Marc Fournier, environmental sustainability consultant, spoke about making an impact with sustainable business models. Alumni panel discussions focused on life after Lasell in the worlds of hospitality, event management, accounting, real estate and sales.

Alumni panelists Michael Ketchen '05, founder of Commonwealth Collective, Allyson Chute '10, district sales manager at Vertos Medical, Professor Nancy Waldron, Aurialis Alvarez '18, associate at Urban Business Initiatives, and Kyle Ganley '05, tax director at Grassi Advisors and Accountants.

“We invited an array of industry professionals and alumni to campus to connect with students and discuss how sustainability relates to their respective majors,” said Matt Reilly, dean of the Longe School of Business. “Sustainability in business is a hot topic that Lasell students have been very passionate about. The faculty and I were extremely excited to provide these events and opportunities for them.”