Christina Mistretta ’19, a teacher and retreat director, speaks with a current Mount Saint Mary College student.
Mount Saint Mary College’s Center for Academic and Career recently Services (CACS) hosted “Alumni Perspectives: Expectation vs. Reality – Life After College” to connect current students with successful alumni.
The event brought together graduates from various decades to provide students with candid insights into professional life, career transitions, and the value of a Dominican education.
The program featured two “Fireside Chat” networking sessions, allowing students to engage directly with alumni working in fields ranging from global technology and behavioral health to education and logistics.
Alumni highlighted the critical role of campus involvement and the support of the college’s faculty and CACS. Kenneth Fusco ’14, MBA ’17, a board-certified behavior analyst, advised students to “get involved as much as possible,” on campus, citing his own time as an RA and class president as foundational to his success.
A recurring theme throughout the day was the flexibility of a college degree and the openness to changing one’s career path. Robert Cuccureddu ’18, MBA ’22, now an account manager for Mallory Alexander, encouraged students to remain adaptable.
“Don’t be afraid to change your mind,” he said. “You know, you come in [to college] with this set plan of what you think your life is going to look like, and it’s okay if that changes. Just because you start as one thing doesn’t mean you have to stay that way.”
Similarly, Christina Mistretta ’19, a teacher and retreat director, emphasized that self-discovery is a vital part of the college experience.
“It’s okay not to know what you want to do,” she said. “You don’t have to know it right out of the gate... exploring at college is the best thing you can do for yourself, and a place like the Mount lets you do that.”