Course speakers offer career insight to students

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. —A U.S. Olympic Committee official, the marketing director for an NFL team and the audio director for a major video game series are among the speakers scheduled in a lecture/discussion course for Purdue University's College of Liberal Arts.

The fall semester class - GS 300 LA (Liberal Arts) Influentials - offers students insight into future careers through the experiences of prominent Liberal Arts graduates.

Attending students will have the opportunity to network with the alumni and pose questions to the weekly speakers, who will talk about necessary job skills and potential career paths.

The course meets from 11:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. each Friday through early December in Beering Hall, Room 2280. It will not meet on Nov. 27. Guests are welcome as seating allows. 

The dates for the alumni speakers are:

Sept. 18. A panel discussion with this year's Emerging Voice Award winners. Panelists include:

* Akin Ayodele, a serial entrepreneur and investor and co-founder of The Dream Builders Foundation and 2001 graduate with a degree in sociology.

* Stephanie Pemberton, senior director of marketing for the Indianapolis Colts and 2005 graduate with a bachelor's degree from the Brian Lamb School of Communication.

* David Swenson, the audio director for Activision-Sledgehammer Games' Call of Duty and a 2004 graduate with a master of fine arts degree.

Sept. 25. Mark Achler, managing director of MATH Venture Partners and a 1980 graduate with a bachelor's degree in history.

Oct. 2. Laura Bukowski, vice president/director of Starcom USA and a 2000 graduate with a bachelor's degree from the Brian Lamb School of Communication.

Oct. 9. Brian Beeler, vice president and chief compliance officer and general counsel for Horizon Pharma and a 1995 graduate with a bachelor's degree in history.

Oct. 16. Sarah Kyle, vice president of budget and external relations for First Focus and a 2000 graduate with a bachelor's degree in political science.

Oct. 23. Melissa Barnes, senior vice president of Enterprise Risk Management and chief ethics compliance officer for Eli Lilly and Co., and a 1989 graduate with a bachelor's degree in political science.

Oct. 30. Hank Childers, executive director of university analytics and institutional research at the University of Arizona and a 1971 graduate with a bachelor's degree in philosophy.

Nov. 6. Megan Trainor, human resources director for the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies and a 1984 graduate with a bachelor's degree from the Brian Lamb School of Communication.

Nov. 13. Ting Gootee, chief investment officer at Elevate Ventures and a 2003 graduate with a master's degree in American studies from the School of Interdisciplinary Studies.

Nov. 20. Rusty Rueff, a member of the President's Advisory Committee for the Arts at Kennedy Center and former CEO of SNOCAP, and a 1984 graduate with a bachelor's degree from Brian Lamb School of Communication and a master's degree in 1986 from the College of Education.

Dec. 4. Julie O'Neill, team leader of Paralympic Sport Performance for the U.S. Olympic Committee and a 1994 graduate with a bachelor's degree from the School of Languages and Cultures.

The College of Liberal Arts is home to the departments of Anthropology, English, History, Philosophy, Political Science and Sociology, as well as the Brian Lamb School of Communication; the Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Visual and Performing Arts; and the schools of Interdisciplinary Studies and Languages and Cultures. 

Writer: Brian L. Huchel, 494-2084, bhuchel@purdue.edu 

Sources: Chris Sharp, College of Liberal Arts director of alumni relations and special events, 765-494-7884, ctsharp@purdue.edu 

David Reingold, Justin S. Morrill Dean of Liberal Arts, 765-494-3661, reingold@purdue.edu