Alumni Events Calendar

Join Us for a Virtual Event!

Please note: All College affiliated in-person events are postponed until further notice in response to COVID-19. The Alumni Engagement Office is actively creating virtual programming and events to support our alumni, parents and friends. Please check back often as we continue to update our engagement opportunities.

Unable to attend? All of our past webinars and virtual events have been saved in our Virtual Events Archive.

If you have an idea for a virtual event for our St. Mike’s family, we’d love to hear it! Please email events@smcvt.edu with event ideas or questions.

 

January 2021

“So Much Science in so Little Time: Understanding SARS-CoV-2 and How the Vaccines Work” with Mark Lubkowitz (Tuesday, January 5)
As we approach the one year mark of COVID-19 in the U.S., it is worth reflecting on the unprecedented rate of discovery by the scientific community and what we have learned in such a short time. Join me as I wade into the strange and intricate world of SARS-CoV-2. During our time together, I will briefly explain the biology of this virus and how this knowledge was used to develop vaccines. RSVP to attend.

“Making the Most of Your Trail Camera” with Declan McCabe (Wednesday, January 6)
This class will describe what to look for in a trail camera and how to deploy it to maximum effect. We will also include the results of several research projects completed by Saint Michael’s College Biology and Environmental Science Majors in the SMC Natural Area and at off-campus locations. You can also expect a broad selection of our favorite portraits of the 18 mammal species thus far detected on campus. A sneak peek or two at McCabe’s work can be viewed in the attached links. RSVP to attend.

“On Karen Russell’s ‘Orange World’” with Maura D’Amore (Thursday, January 7)
Maura D’Amore will lead a discussion of Karen Russell’s story “Orange World,” first published in the New Yorker in 2018. In this story, a pregnant woman bargains with a devil and things get messy one he materializes outside of her house. Maura regularly includes this story in the syllabus of her EN110 course on Fairy Tales. Story is linked above for reading prior to the class. RSVP to attend.

“Climate Reality: Impacts and Action” with Karen Talentino (Tuesday, January 12)
A brief presentation and conversation about the facts and realities of climate change. Climate issues are affecting all of us, both directly and indirectly – from changing and increasingly disastrous weather patterns, to sea level rise, to climatic influences on wildlife, agriculture and human health. Our current and future lives are threatened by global climate change. The problems are compounding, yet the solutions are also becoming more obvious. During this class we will focus on solutions and actions that are being taken around the world. The class will emphasize what is happening (and needs to happen) in the U.S. in terms of challenges, solutions and positive change in order to build a truly sustainable and equitable future where there is opportunity for all.  The slides and information to be shared include the latest from The Climate Reality Project (CRP) 2020 resources. Suggested readings include: climate change basics from NASA, economic perspectives on climate change, and details regarding the Green New Deal and the proposed resolution. For further reading, Talentino recommends signing up for the New Yorker newsletter written by Bill McKibben. RSVP to attend.

“The Customer is Always Wrong: The Airbus 220 and U.S. Trade Law” Group Case Discussion with Robert Letovsky (Wednesday, January 13)
Letovsky will moderate a discussion among participating alums on the questions found at the end of his newest case study publication. The case focuses on the events leading up to the January, 2018 ruling by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) overturning anti-dumping and countervailing duties imposed by the U.S. Department of Commerce (DoC) on imports of the CSeries commercial jet, produced by Bombardier, Inc., a Canadian company.   The decision—and the imposition of the initial duties by the U.S. DoC—fundamentally reshaped the global aerospace industry. The focus of the case is to identify the range of stakeholders involved in the entire situation and to evaluate the full impacts of the ITC ruling, both as it turned out in practice and in the event that the Commission had reaffirmed the tariffs originally imposed on the CSeries.  The case study will be purchased for you from Georgetown University Institute for the Study of Diplomacy and emailed to you within 48 hours of your registration. RSVP to attend.

“No More Time and More” with Greg Delanty (Thursday, January 14)
Delanty will read from his powerful new book, No More Time. Read this recent review about his work from Seven Days. RSVP to attend.

“No poet I know of has grappled more insistently and more successfully with the tough moment our planet finds itself in than the great Vermont and Irish poet Greg Delanty.” -Bill McKibben

Alumni Stories: Non-Linear Career Paths (Wednesday, January 27)
The Career Education and Alumni Engagement Center will host a Zoom panel featuring four SMC alumni who will share their stories about their non-linear career paths.  Michael Hill ’07, Mallory (Wood) Willsea ’08, Tayla Reo ’14, and Zaire Williams ’16 will talk about how they came to work in fields unrelated from their respective majors. Their stories highlight the benefits of a liberal arts education and how many graduates go on circuitous paths to find success in areas they never imagined as students.

The panel will be moderated by Jillian (Kasierski) Charest ’04 and is open to all SMC community members. To reserve your spot, please register here. Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link.

February 2021

Negotiating for Women 101: How to Get What You Want in the Workplace (Thursday, February 11)
As part of the College’s year-long  50th Anniversary of Women at Saint Michael’s celebration, Susan Reitano-Davey ’83 will give a talk about the importance of women negotiating for what they want and need in the workplace. Susan has built an impressive career of counseling women through a variety of career transitions. She and her partner founded Prepare to Launch U, an online educational course designed to help women return to the workforce after a long absence. Susan is a dynamic, in-demand speaker having presented on various work/life related topics to women at national conferences across the country. Join us on February 11th at 7:00 pm ET by completing the registration form here.

SMC Reads: Arsenal of Democracy (Thursday, February 18)
Our winter book selection is The Arsenal of Democracy: FDR, Detroit, and an Epic Quest to Arm an America at War by A.J. Baime. This book tackles the intricate narratives of the time from the frontlines, the political arena, and factory assembly lines. Join us for our discussion with Professor Robert Letovsky on February 18th from 5:00-6:30 pm ET by following this link. We will be sending out the link to join our Zoom call the morning of the event. If you have any suggestions for our next selection, please contact events@smcvt.edu.

March 2021

Mathematics Education Forum: Alumni Reflections and Advice (Thursday, March 18th)
Join us for this expert panel of alumni as they discuss and reflect about their mathematics education experiences at St. Mike’s and how their liberal arts education helped to prepare them for teaching and related endeavors. Panelists will offer practical advice for current students and alumni considering a career in education. Join us for this important discussion on March 18th at 3:35 pm ET by following this link.