Connect Conference

Friday, February 23, 2024

9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Each year a diverse group of impactful, accomplished College of Arts + Sciences alumni, who are leaders across industries, return to campus eager to interact with current students.

Explore the power and range of your liberal arts and sciences education by participating in group sessions and networking, gathering insight into various industries and soaking up knowledge of the professional world. Make sure to cheer on your peers as they compete for prize money and give their pitches to a panel of judges in the Connect Challenge.

Registration

This is a free conference, but please register so we know you’re coming!

Schedule of Events

Friday, February 23, 2024 • Tree Suites at the Indiana Memorial Union

Conference check-in is from 9–11 a.m. in the Tree Suites Lounge at the Indiana Memorial Union. Please also check into the room when you arrive for each session.

The conference is hosted by the Walter Center for Career Achievement. Career coaches and staff will be present in each session throughout the day. Should you need something, flag them down!

9–10:15 AM

Watch Connect Challenge finalists compete!

Finalists: NiCE: Name on Rice, Drushya Musham; The Toy Box, Grace Estes; The JOENI Project, Jamey Guzman; Mother Load Bingo, Molly Radecki

Watch finalists give their pitches! The main objective for ideas in this category is to create or manufacture something. The idea can, but does not need to, generate revenue or solve an overt issue.

Finalists: BloomSwap, Carina Wang; History Engagement and Review or H.E.R., Damon Gaddis; Future Black Leaders, Inc., Chase Iseghohi, A.B Sako, Wodsander Maxime, Jadon Edmonds, Talayeh Marshall; From the Grounds Up, Katie Bernfeld; SnapStyle, Josephine Mora, Tanya Pidimarry

Watch finalists give their pitches! The main objective for ideas in this category is to address a problem faced by humans or the planet, typically generating revenue not from the sale of goods or services but from donations, grants, membership fees, or public funding.

Finalists: Lovin’ Your Creative, Rahul Guhan, Rohan Ayyar; Podscape, Brayden Schwartz; Natural Power LLC, Brian Rosen; Ek Tohfa, Palak Jindal

Watch finalists give their pitches! The main objective for ideas in this category is to address a problem and generate ongoing revenue through the sale of goods or services.

11:30 AM–12:15 PM

Mocktail Party for Networking Practice
Frangipani Room | Led by Walter Center Career Coaches
Practice networking in a true-to-life setting with your peers and Walter Center staff over appetizers and mocktails. You’ll practice building connections, then we’ll talk about how it went, share tips, and you’ll have a chance to ask questions. Finally, we’ll end with another chance to practice so you’ll feel confident and capable as you meet alumni, faculty, and other industry professionals throughout the conference.

RSVP

12:15–1:45 PM

Networking Luncheon
Frangipani Room | All are welcome!
Connect with your fellow conference-goers over a free lunch. Please plan to stay for the duration of the session. College of Arts + Sciences Executive Dean Rick Van Kooten will give remarks, and Connect Challenge winners will be announced.

Register for Luncheon

2–3:15 PM

Join our alumni guests for a panel session in the afternoon.

Panelists: Christen Carter, Michael Husain, Martina Jackson, Gideon Pine

There are lots of ways to create! While these alumni have different careers, creativity is at the center of all of them. They’ll share how they forged their own path in the arts.

Panelists: Julie Duhon, Sierra Naomi Erb, Jimmie McMillian, Britt Sutton

If you’re driven to make a difference in your community, find joy in serving others, and want to create change and find meaningful work in your community, this session is for you.

Panelists: Michelle Calcagni, Joel Lash, Mohammed M. Mahdi, Gary Stark

Are you a dreamer and a doer? A go-getter and a problem solver? This session is for you if you want to work for yourself, launch a business or product and put your name out in the world!

3:15–4 PM

Networking Reception
Tree Suite Lounge | All are welcome!
Have lingering questions? Want to know more about a particular subject? This extended time allows you to continue conversations and networking with alumni and fellow conference-goers.

Alumni Guests

Joel Lash

B.S. ’92, Mathematics

Director, Engineering Science Center, Sandia National Laboratories

Dr. Lash joined Sandia in 1996 and has held numerous technical staff and management roles. He currently leads a large R&D organization conducting high performance computational simulation integrated with hazardous physical testing of engineered systems. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Nuclear Science form the University of Michigan.

Sierra Naomi Erb

B.A. ’18, Fashion Design

Applied Community and Economic Development Fellow, Stevenson Center at Illinois State University

Sierra Naomi is a flexible, interdisciplinary professional motivated by a deep commitment to ethical and sustainable practices. Combining capacity-building AmeriCorps service with professional design experience at a corporate and specialized brands level has led them to amass a broad and versatile skillset in product, community, + economic development. Sierra is currently leveraging this experience to inform her research exploring the intersection of design + social impact as a Graduate Fellow at ISU.

Gary Stark

B.S. ’91, Psychology

Founder & CEO of Valio

Gary is the Founder & CEO of Valio, a cloud-based platform that connects hospital supply chain leadership with physicians and sales reps. Gary launched Valio after a successful career in medical device sales leadership with Medtronic, the world’s largest medical device company.

Martina Jackson

B.A. ’09, Biology

Entrepreneur and Tech Founder, Drea & Co.

Martina Jackson is an entrepreneur, and the founder of Drea & Co., a photography and digital marketing company. She spent her early career in the pharmaceutical industry as a regulatory affairs associate at companies including Eli Lilly, Cook Medical and Exelead Biopharmaceuticals. After ten years of work in the regulatory field, she transitioned into more creative endeavors, becoming a published photographer. Most recently, Martina founded the tech startup, CaptureNoire, a mobile photography app optimized for diverse skin tones.

Michelle Calcagni

MBA ’10, Kelley School of Business

Founder and Managing Director, PhoneBox Group

Michelle Calcagni has a proven record of creating strategies that drive growth, profitability, and engagement across industries and geographies. Her “power of perspective” approach was honed through global leadership roles and expatriate assignments in Europe, Asia, and South America. Michelle is a volunteer and board member for a range of organizations.

Mohammed M. Mahdi

BA ’06, Psychology

CEO, The Mad Optimist

Mohammed M. Mahdi, co-founder and CEO of The Mad Optimist by Soapy Soap Company, is a trailblazing entrepreneur reshaping corporate norms. With expertise in various domains, he brings a unique perspective to his role. Mohammed gained national recognition on ABC’s “Shark Tank” and is dedicated to questioning and improving business practices.

Britt Sutton

BA ’12, Art History; JD ’16

President and CEO, ArtMix Inc.

Britt Sutton is the CEO of ArtMix, a nonprofit organization that provides accessible art classes and artistic employment to individuals with disabilities. Sutton is a lifelong disability rights advocate and proud person with a disability. In 2023, she received the LEAD Community Asset Award from The Kennedy Center for Performing Arts for making cultural arts more inclusive and accessible to people with disabilities. In addition to her role at ArtMix, she currently serves as adjunct faculty for the Butler University Arts Administration program, teaching the next generation of disability rights advocates and arts administrators.

Michael Husain

BS ’87, Telecommunications and Political Science

President, Good Vibes Media

An Indiana native, Michael has created over 200 hours of non-fiction television programming and several independent films. His work has been recognized with multiple Emmy Awards, and includes stories for ESPN, A&E, Discovery Networks, MTV Networks, PBS, and more.

Julie Duhon

BA ’06, Mathematics

Co-Founder, Tandem Community Birth Center and Postpartum House

Julie is a mother of 3, a world traveler, an informaticist, problem finder, problem solver, trauma survivor, and entrepreneur. She is a co-founder of Tandem Community Birth Center and Postpartum House, a new 501(c) (3) that provides equitable and accessible whole-person care from puberty to menopause.

Christen Carter

BA ’95, Comparative Literature with a film focus

Founder and President, Busy Beaver Button Company

Christen started Busy Beaver in Bloomington in 1995. She was in a punk band and was part of the DIY community and wanted to bring back the use of 1-inch buttons in that scene. Now, Busy Beaver is in Chicago with around 20 employees and serves customers all over the country and world.

John Armstrong

B.F.A ’02, Musical Theatre; M.F.A ’07, Acting

Co-Founder, Pigasus Pictures; Development Director, Constellation Stage & Screen

John is an actor, producer, director, and coach with over 20 years of diverse experience in the entertainment industry. John is the co-founder of Pigasus Pictures, an Indiana-based, independent film company. At Pigasus, John produced several films including The Good Catholic (Danny Glover, John C. McGinley) and So Cold the River, the film adaptation of Michael Koryta’s novel of the same name.

Connect with Alumni Online

Use the Walter Center Success Network to follow up with alumni you meet at the Connect Conference, and find more College of Arts + Sciences alumni interested in connecting with students.

About the Walter Center Success Network