GORHAM, Maine  –   In its fourth year of programming, the Huskies' Athletic Department and the University of Southern Maine's Career and Employment Hub are sponsoring the first Husky Pack Chat of the 2023-2024 academic year in tandem with the University's 2023 Homecoming & Family Weekend, October 13-15.
 
A professional development series, Husky Pack Chats provide a path for USM student-athletes at all stages of their collegiate careers with an opportunity to prepare the varied facets of the job hunt and build a connection with USM's Career and Employment Hub.  Tying in with the festive atmosphere of the weekend, the 2023-2024 academic year opening Husky Pack Chat is a Mocktail Hour and Networking Event slated for Friday, October 13 (4-5:30 pm) in the USM Ice Arena. 
 
During this event, student-athletes will have the opportunity to put into practice networking concepts and take advantage of the opportunity to engage with a variety of University alumni, and lay out a plan to continue to develop a career plan. 
 
With a blend of student-athlete alumni and visiting employers from a variety of professions and industries, student-athletes in attendance will be able to enjoy festive mocktails crafted by USM coaching staff and practice their networking skills.
 
University of Southern Maine Department of Athletics is excited to welcome back a number of former Husky standouts from men's soccer, field hockey, women's soccer, men's basketball, softball, women's track & field, men's ice hockey, and baseball.  Among the notable Husky student-athlete alumni in attendance are former track & field National Champion and LEC Field Hockey Player of the Year Peyton Dostie Collins '15, Human Resource Manager at cPort Credit Union; and two-time Little East Conference Men's Soccer Player of the Year Sinisa Bajic '10, Global Digital Producer at IDEXX Laboratories. 
 
Among the several visiting employers in attendance are BerryDunn's Senior Campus Recruiter Bryn Carlson; Systems Engineering Director of People & Culture, Jen Hughes; and Sigourney DiRisi, Early Career Talent Advisor with UNUM. 
 
Kicking off the event, two current student-athletes Rona Scott (Beverly, Mass.) and Tanner McClure (Buxton, Maine/Bonny Eagle), successful Husky Pack Chat participants themselves, will address their peers on the advantages of the Career Employment Hub and utilizing the programming offered by USM Athletics. 
 
Scott, a member of the Huskies softball team and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee officer, and McClure, a member of the men's ice hockey team and co-founder of USM's Best Buddies Chapter, have both successfully used Husky Pack Chats and the Career and Employment Hub to kickstart their future careers through internship placement, interview prep, and resume building resources. 
 
"This is a tremendous opportunity for our current student-athletes to learn from their peers, our university and student-athlete alumni, and to ask questions about starting their career search from individuals who have had similar experiences while embarking on the beginning stages of their own career paths," said Associate Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator Kimberly Turner.
 
USM's Career & Employment Hub is a resource to multiple audiences, serving University of Southern Maine students, business and community partners, and faculty and staff.  Assisting students in connecting to their future through career exploration, self-assessments, interviewing skills, internship searches and more, the Career & Employment Hub also connects community partners to USM's greatest resource – its students and faculty – to help develop workforce connections, fill service-learning experiences, internship, and volunteering opportunities as well as traditional employment. Located on the Portland Campus on the second floor of the newly opened McGoldrick Center for Career & Student Success (Room 2010). in Luther Bonney Hall, interested parties can learn more about all the activities, workshops and one-on-one guidance opportunities at https://usm.maine.edu/career-and-employment-hub
 
2023 Husky Pack Chat Mocktail Networking Event
Visiting Employer & Student-Athlete Alumni Attendees

• Al Bean, Director of Athletics, University of Southern Maine (Baseball)
• Sinisa Bajic, Global Digital Producer, Idexx Laboratories (Men's Soccer)
• Jason Batchelder, Commissioner, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (Men's Soccer)
• Rachel Caiola, Nurse Manager, Maine Medical Center (Women's Soccer)
• Bonny Brown-Denico, Head Field Hockey Coach and Scheduling Coordinator, USM (Field Hockey)
• Bryn Carlson, Senior Campus Recruiter, BerryDunn (Visiting Employer)
• Marcus Christopher, Financial Representative, Northwestern Mutual (Men' Basketball)
• Peyton Dostie Collins, Human Resource Manager, cPort Credit Union (Field Hockey, Women's Track & Field)
• Greg Cox, Client Relationship Associate, R.M.Davis (Men's Soccer)
• Sigourney DiRisi, Early Career Talent Advisor, UNUM (Visiting Employer)
• Todd Dominski, Director of Construction & Property Management, East Brown Cow (Men's Soccer)
• Megan Dougherty, Vice President, Operations, Tate Ficker Insurance Agency (Visiting Employer)
• Sarah Drury, Teacher, Gorham High School (Women's Soccer)
• Jaime Everhart, U.S. Compliance Testing Analyst, TD Bank (Men's Soccer)
• Jen Hughes, Director, People & Culture, Systems Engineering (Visiting Employer)
• Brianna Johnston, Athletic Trainer, St. Joseph's College (Softball)
• Tyler Mathieu, Mechanical Engineer, Microwave Techniques, LLC (Men's Ice Hockey)
• Dean Murray, Chief Operating Officer & Vice President, Electric Insurance Company (Men's Soccer)
• Allison Pillar, Director of Brand Compliance, Cousins Maine Lobster (Softball)
• Stan Skolfield, Owner, Skolfield Sports Performance (Baseball)
• Sophia Slovenski, Marketing & Development AmeriCorps VISTA, Strong Girls United (Women's Track & Field)
• Gabby Winslow, Teacher, Edna Libby Elementary School (Field Hockey, UMaine Farmington)

 
 
 
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