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Alumni Career Expo 2008
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by Peter D. Crowe ’09
 On February 6 at 4PM, some sixty Hampden Sydney men each decided to head to the south dining room in Pannill Commons
instead of his dorm room couch. What outlandish occurrence could distract us from the comfort of our rooms? The excitement was the Career Development Office’s Alumni Career Expo, which provided an opportunity for students to meet
thirteen alumni and to learn about their respective companies and career paths.
The goal of the Alumni Career Expo was not the same as a career fair.
No resumes were handed out, but contact information and stories were exchanged. There is something unique about
meeting an alumnus from 1982 and being able to share stories about the same professors or experiences
in residence halls or the dining hall. (Current students have it MUCH better, we have been assured.)
Few schools have such a close connection between students
and alumni. Laura Neidert, Assistant Director of Career
Development, says of
such an event, “It always makes me happy to see students connecting with alumni. It’s helpful
for them to realize that they don’t have to blaze a trail on their own but can learn from those who have gone before.”
Many of the students who participated in the Alumni Career Expo were also able to attend a special dinner with the
alumni in the Board Room. After dinner, Tayloe Negus ’88 described his unique experiences after Hampden-Sydney. After
taking a year off, he decided to settle down and to find a job. Eventually
he met Ray Bottom ’51 who assisted him in finding initial employment with a
television station, hardly the job his philosophy major was supposedly
intended. The years after graduation involved various jobs and
graduate business school at William & Mary. Mr. Negus was no stranger to
corporate downsizing and had more than one company dissolve around him before he
settled into his current position at Mercer Consulting. He stressed the
importance of being constantly prepared to search for employment, "In this world
there are not too many forty-year careers," and of maintaining a positive
attitude and a firm belief that you have skills which are valuable to an
employer no matter how hard it might seem at times to find that employer.
His speech was encouraging and enlightening. Those in attendance
enjoyed both his wit and his good humor in spite of several very difficult
times.
 One of the strengths of the Career Development Office, under the leadership of Rucker Snead ’81 and Laura Neidert, is the
ability to connect students with alumni. This provides students a contact with someone who has lived the Hampden-Sydney
experience and has progressed into the “real” world. This year’s Alumni
Career Expo was, according to Mr. Snead, “the largest and best one that we have
had in the past four years.” The group of Hampden-Sydney men who attended was able to practice essential networking skills as well as meet several successful
alumni. This invaluable experience will be something which the Career Development Office plans to build upon for the future.
Tom Crowder ’78 CFO, Ascential Equity
Chris Dodson ’94 Environmental Services Manager, Timmons Group
John Dudley ’95 College Editor, Hampden-Sydney College
Ward Good ’81 Portfolio Manager, Portfolio Management Program,
UBS Financial Services
Matt Guill ’06 Investment Analyst, Cary Street Partners
John Hopper ’89 VP, Relationship Manager, Wachovia Private Banking Group
Gavin Jeffs ’82 VP, Supplier Relations, Owens Minor
Tayloe Negus ’88 Principal, Mercer Consulting
Howard Stracke ’75 Assistant Director Planned Giving, H-SC
Hugh Stevens ’97 Plant Manager, Luck Stone
David Sommardahl ’93 Commercial Sales Manager, Wolseley
Rob Wade ’91 Physician/Site Manager Central Virginia Health Services
Hunter Willis ’06 Assistant Branch Manager, Enterprise Rent-A-Car
For information on networking or career advice, please contact Ms. Jennifer Allen at
Extension 6106 to schedule an appointment
with either Mr. Snead or Ms. Neidert.
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