Illuminating the path ahead
March 16, 2016
With hopes of helping students gain a better perspective about career paths and obtain advice from alumni who have been through the process, Diamond Bar High School Pathways Academy teacher Eleanor Boruah will be hosting an Alumni Fair for the academy’s juniors and seniors on March 24 in the LINC.
At the event, two alumni will be seated at every table and the students will have a set amount of time to ask questions and discuss each alumni’s career and college experiences. Then, the students will switch tables until students have had a chance to converse with all the various alumni.
“We’re hoping for the alumni to develop a rapport with our current students so they can feel comfortable asking our alumni questions about their journeys after high school,” Boruah said.
Although this is the first year the event is taking place, Boruah, a technology teacher who is in charge of the fair, hopes to continue the event on an annual basis.
The alumni, about 25 individuals in their twenties or early 30s, work in a wide range of careers, including project management at Boeing, law enforcement, marketing managing, and geographic surveying. The alumni are thrilled to return to campus to give advice to students, in hopes of helping the students prepare for the future.
“If you’re not prepared for real life, it can be very challenging. I’m excited to meet with my old teacher and talk with the students. I want to give the students ideas on how better prepare for their future,” class of 2003 alumni Russell Salinas, a police officer, said via Facebook.
Boruah has been in the Pathways Academy since its second year at DBHS. Having taught for 17 years in the Academy, Boruah knows the alumni who are returning, since many are her former students.
“It’ll be fun to see them in a different light and how much they changed,” Boruah said.
According to Boruah, the academy has had guest speakers in the past, such as Fox 11 news anchor Christine Devine who has visited DBHS on Jan. 8 and actor Kevin Porter who visited on Mar. 4, but it has never been on such a large scale. She hopes at least 20 alumni will visit and retell their experiences concerning their career, while answering students’ questions.
“Some are very excited, especially when I emphasize that this is a first time event, and some are very proud of their profession,” Boruah said.
In addition, many students are looking forward to the event, as they have various questions to ask the alumni and learn about the alumni’s experiences from college and their career.
“I’m pretty excited to see what the alumni have been doing since they graduated,” senior Jude Lopez said via Facebook.
The event will be beneficial for students who need help finalizing on career paths or colleges, as they receive a deeper insight on their preferred professions. For those who already decided on a career path, it may inspire those students.
“I already have my mind set on a career path, but [the event] will probably inspire me to really work for my goal seeing previous DB students striving to become something,” Lopez said.
