Careers Ahead with Charlene Degregoria

On Sept. 27, The GAMarray Gazette interviewed GAM's advisor Charlene DeGregoria, GAM's Harbor Pilot leading us safely through our Home Port (NYIT).  She is also the Director of Career Service of NYIT.  She shared news about what Career Services has planned for this semester and generously advised our shipmates about how to take advantage of our club's greatest resource--ourselves.  Charlene even mentored us in the preparation of this--our very first--interview for publication.  We here at The GAMarray learned a lot.  Thank you, Charlene; and to our shipmates:  enjoy the interview.
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(G: The GAMarray Gazette; C: Charlene DeGregoria, Director of Career Services and GAM advisor)

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G:  Now GAM has more than 60 members--it is a large number, so how do you think we can efficiently manage ourselves?

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C:  We need to focus on personal connections.  Facebook, email, and Twitter are not as good as meeting people face to face.  We can use members’ personal information to connect them, so next time when we plan programs, we will know how to begin and how to involve people.

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G:  Diversity is one big characteristic of GAM, how can we have a better utilization of that resource?

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C:  People like to share their differences; they like multicultural things.  We can try to find out what people usually share:  food, music, video, art, etc.  Those things draw people in.  Although people with different backgrounds may have their own actions and ideas, we still have things in common as well.  Don’t worry about being different at the beginning.  Find out what people like and share it! Thanksgiving Day is a good opportunity; people like all kinds of festivals.

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G:  What is the value of a student association in a student's life?  What is the most important element of a successful student association?

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C:  Because students here live separately and there are a lot of distractions in N.Y., not too many students take part in a student association.  We need to find out things that attract people.  Just like flowers and bees.  Attract people easily, connect people easily.

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     To be a successful student association, strong leadership is a key factor.  Leaders must get to know people and people have to want to follow them.  Besides that, we have to set up some valuable events, not just “free food, free drink.”  We need things people value.  For example, we can hire a pop band and give people a great event.

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G:  What do you think about the relationship between different student associations, especially when these clubs have the same members?

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C:  Sometimes we need help; we can’t do everything by ourselves.  Be a partner with other clubs.  We can advance a proposal, invite other clubs to be in and ask for advice.  The core part is we need someone to propose and motivate it.  This is our work.  For movie events, for example, we can plan a Drive-In movie; each club can be a car, drive out and have a movie shown outdoors.  But remember:  email is less useful than face to face connecting.

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G:  The GAMarray Gazette is our club journal and we post it on GAM’s GLOG.  How can we attract more students to contribute?

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C:  There are a lot of things they can write, especially for new members such as:  students can share their feelings about their new life in N.Y.C.; they can also write about what kind of help they want to get from GAM; etc.  We need to challenge them with a topic share about.

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G:  How does Career Services like their new location/offices?

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C:  Beautiful!  Amazing!  Now we have enough space to have workshops, hold activities, even video conferences.  Everyone is welcome!

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G:  What is Career Services planning this semester that they would like your shipmates to know of?

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C:  Let me show you....

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[Editorial Note:  Charlene showed us the Career Services Fall 2011 brochure full of events and programs for all of us.  For your copy, we invite you to come see for yourself at the brand new offices of Career Services at 26 West 61st St., 2nd Floor.]