“The students quickly realized the impact that attending high school at Loyola Academy had on the alumni they met, as it was verbalized in different ways by each and every graduate they came across,” says Assistant Principal for Student Services
Lauren Bonner. “Furthermore, the value of Loyola's alumni network became deeply ingrained in the students who traveled to New York for this unique opportunity. The commonality of being a Rambler built strong bonds between our students and the alumni who generously gave of their time and talents during the power internship.”
The trip began at America Media, the leading provider of editorial content for “thinking Catholics—and those who want to know what Catholics are thinking.” Its flagship magazine,
America, has been published continuously since 1909, making it one of the oldest periodicals in the United States today. A tour and workshops gave Ramblers the opportunity to see what it’s like to create a podcast, manage social media platforms, and get a sneak peek of the magazine’s next feature story.
That evening, the group attended a networking dinner at Vedder Price, an international business-focused law firm, hosted by
Josh Dunn ’99. Ramblers had great conversations with a number of young alumni including
Bobby Huffman '08,
Colleen Shaw '07,
Peter Sullivan '07,
Jackie Sershon ’07,
Tim Harvey '06 and
Jack Joyce ’07.
“I can’t even begin to tell you how little any of this ‘business stuff’ crossed my mind when I was in high school,” says Joyce, who had dinner with the group at Vedder Price. “With a trip like this, Loyola is giving its students a real, tangible opportunity to think in ways that will build a foundation they can take into college and then into their professional careers. That is huge. In essence, they’ve been given a massive head-start. And a trip to NYC only adds to the momentum.”
The next morning,
David Wagener ’72 and
Bob Case ’72 hosted the Ramblers for breakfast at the
Harvard Club, a private social club in midtown Manhattan. Alumni
Dan Cashion ’88 and
Dan Hoinacki ’88 and career guides
Olivia Weiss ’11, Will Lederer ’14 and
Kate Ansani ’12 also joined the group.
"I had the opportunity of connecting with Loyola alumni who operate at the most prestigious legal and finance firms in the country," shares
Mike Kadus '19. "These mentors gave me advice to take with me in college and the rest of my career, as well as enjoyable stories from Loyola's past."
After breakfast the group split up for career specific shadow opportunities.
Eden Kavanagh ’21,
Francesca Hill ’20 and
Grace Cutler ’20 joined
Olivia Weiss ’11, brand marketing manager, at Vogue;
Mike Kadus ’19,
Kathleen Wannemacher ’21 and
Megan Berti ’20 shadowed
Ryan Newell ’11, private equity associate, and
Will Lederer '14, analyst, at The Blackstone Group; and
Ellen Naughton ’19,
Erin Sheahan ’21 and
Catherine Power ’19 worked with
Kate Ansani ’12, sales planner, at the Bleacher Report.
Francesca Hill's experience at Vogue—meeting individuals in editing, makeup, and film and even seeing esteemed Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour—is one she won't soon forget. "The entire trip was a great success," she says. "Meeting with alumni, shadowing careers, and doing plenty of networking was not only a beneficial experience for us as juniors and seniors, but a beneficial experience for ourselves in the future."
“I was so grateful to be a part of this trip because it made me realize that Loyola has such an awesome community to rely on post graduation,” says
Catherine Power ’19. “It eases some of the stress about employment after college knowing I have people to contact and connect with.”