"The world is always changing, and the only way that you can be prepared for that is to get the best skills and the best contacts you can have," said Scott Schiller '81, executive vice president of Digital Media Sales, NBC Universal and chair of the Cornell Arts and Sciences Career Connections Committee, to a group of students and alumni at a networking event Sept. 10.

At the Career Connections Reception in the Physical Sciences Building, College of Arts and Sciences alumni gathered to help students think about and practice how they present themselves to potential employers.

Each liberal arts student prepared a 30-second "pitch" that they presented to the alumni, who then gave them tips on how to improve their presentation.

Peter Lepage, the Harold Tanner Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, who had three sons attend Cornell, encouraged the students to take advantage of the large Cornell alumni network. "I am stunned by the impact that the network of Cornellians has had on [my sons'] lives," he said.

Schiller spoke on the value of a liberal arts education, and said that in interviews, employers want to know what the interviewees can do for them; what they know about the industry, company and interviewer; and what they have done that separates them from other applicants.

One example of a pitch practiced at the event came from Joyce Wu '13, a government major interested in political reporting. "I am a senior and government major in Arts and Sciences," she told an alum. "Academically, my interests are where policy and media intersect, but careerwise I am looking for a job in TV broadcasting. ... I think that there is a lot of room for improvement there because it's really important for voters to make good decisions and have the best information."

Tim Minton '79, CEO and co-founder of Zazoom, stressed that students not only should do research about a company, but also demonstrate humility about how they will fit in at a company. This shows the employer that you are willing to learn, he said.

Minton also suggested that students' resumes should include outside interests to show how the students are unique. He emphasized the importance of a clean Internet history, because employers can see everything that has been posted by or about an interviewee.

The alumni at the event came from widely varied fields, from finance and consulting to arts, entertainment and media.

"I learned that it is important to network with a lot of people from different industries because even though you might not have the same interests, they can still provide connections for you," said Wu. "I also learned just how big Cornell's alumni network is and how willing everyone is to support you."

Lepage concluded his talk with an invitation to the students participating in the event. "I hope when you have graduated and you've gone and built your career that you'll consider coming back to campus just like the alums today, helping future generations of students figure out how to relate their liberal arts education to living an exciting life," he said.

The event was held in preparation for the Sept. 11-12 Career Fair.

Julian Montijo '15 is a writer intern for the Cornell Chronicle.