The Kiwanis Club of Capital – Next Generation e-Club presents “The Game of Life:” a webinar-based event focused on college and career preparation for students ages 14-22.
The event will feature a variety of sessions on topics ranging from applying to college, navigating the financial aid process, exploring trade schools, tips for finding a job, building a resume, developing financial literacy, and more! There is a spectacular lineup of speakers from the educational system, community career services, and across industries.
This event is open to any and all high school and college students ages 14-22. We hope the event will provide motivation, education, a space to ask questions, and a sense of community for participants, and that all attendees will leave feeling prepared to tackle new challenges as they prepare to further their education and enter the workforce.
Schedule of Sessions
Registration
Register here to attend the educational workshop for individuals ages 14-22, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Capital – Next Generation e-Club.
Attendees may take advantage of sessions on a variety of important topics, including:
This is a time for you to get insider knowledge on the college admissions process from an Admissions counselor! What are colleges looking for when it comes to the essay? How can you stand out with extracurriculars? When is the best time to apply? And where can you find additional financial aid to make your top choices feasible? All of these questions will be answered during this session by Olivia Kitt, an Admissions Counselor at Randolph-Macon College.
Don’t miss an opportunity to explore the trades!
Thomas Dickinson
Choosing a career path in the trades is rewarding on many fronts. These careers are in high demand, pay well, and most apprenticeships will pay you while you are learning. In most cases you can finish an apprenticeship program with no school debt and have a skill that will allow you to work anywhere.
Creating a Resume that Tells Your Story
Scott A. Behm
We’re taught not to judge a book by its cover, but when it comes to resumes, a recruiter only spends an average of 6 seconds reading each one before deciding whether the candidate is right for the job. How can you create a resume that tells your story, and shares all that you have to offer, in just 6 seconds? This session will share some tips on how to use design, good content, and storytelling in your resume to maximize the chances of landing your dream job.
Finding a Job
Casey Haines
This presentation will go over the basics of searching for, applying for, and changing jobs. Whether it be a short-term summer job or a full-time position, there is a lot to consider. We will discuss ways to find open positions, when to apply, how to follow up, some interview prep tips, and more. We will also discuss considerations when thinking about changing jobs.
Financial Aid 101
Amy L. Proietti
In this session, participants will have a general exposure to college financial aid programs. Types of financial aid, the application process, aid eligibility, and decision-making on the offering of aid funds will be covered. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions.
Financial Planning for the Future You
Kristina Dlugozima
This workshop will go over practical ways to make financial decisions keeping the future you in mind. Making a budget, making informed choices for large purchases, how to use credit responsibly are all important parts to ensuring you are setting yourself up for success.
Applying to Scholarships – Are You Leaving Money on the Table?
Poulomi Banerjee
You would be surprised at just how many organizations and people are out there wanting to help students finance their higher education. Universities are charging more than ever and taking out loans can leave you with years of stress post graduation if you don’t plan ahead. Learn about how to find scholarship opportunities, best practices with applying to scholarships, and ways to stay organized to make sure you get the most aid possible.
Speakers
Olivia Kitt
Session: Applying to College
Olivia Kitt is a native of Roanoke, Virginia where she went to Patrick Henry High School and was first introduced to the Kiwanis Club through Key Club. She served as editor and president of PHHS’ Key Club and served as Lieutenant Governor for Division 15B, her senior year. After high school, Olivia attended Roanoke College (RC) where her love of service continued by serving as SGA President her sophomore and junior years of college and joining Alpha Phi Omega (a community service fraternity). Her passion for Higher Education grew as she was a Maroon Ambassador (tour guide), student assistant, and intern for the Admissions office at RC. Since graduating in 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, a minor in Sociology, and a concentration in Legal Studies – Olivia has worked for her alma mater as Admissions counselor, pursued law school, and is now an Admissions counselor at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, VA where she works with students from Northern Virginia and the Richmond Public Schools.
Thomas Dickinson
Session: Don’t Miss an Opportunity to Explore the Trades!
Thomas Dickinson served two years in the United States Army after graduating high school. After the Army, Thomas Dickinson pursued a degree in teaching, while working many different jobs to put himself through. After graduating, he decided to teach in Anne Arundel County Public Schools located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
Thomas Dickinson was a Business Education teacher and Department Chair for 13 years. For the past 12 years, Thomas Dickinson has been a Work Based Learning Facilitator, which allows him to help high school students career plan by making connections with businesses and helping students start a career.
Scott A. Behm, MADC
Session: Creating a Resume that Tells Your Story
Scott A. Behm is the Associate Dean of Communications & Marketing of The Graduate School at Duke University. He received his master’s degree in Digital Communications at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. In his work, he uses digital storytelling to engage meaningfully with audiences on any platform, from email newsletters to TikTok. He began his career as a high school English teacher in Bedford County, Virginia, where he discovered a passion for using appealing graphic design, good storytelling, and effective writing to communicate any message and connect with any audience. Although he transitioned to higher academia in 2016, his two cats, Atticus and Darcy, are named after his two favorite literary characters and remind him of his roots in the English classroom.
Casey Haines
Session: Finding a Job
Casey has been involved in the Kiwanis Family since Freshman year of High School. She was a Key Club president and treasurer and a CKI vice president. She was a chartering member of the Next-Generation E-Club and was recently elected President-Elect.
Casey works as an Associate Scientist in the Analytical Sciences department at Astrazeneca. Previously, she was a Research Associate at Johns Hopkins Clinical Pharmacology Analytical Laboratory and a Biologist at NIH with the Vaccine Immunology Program.
Amy L. Proietti
Session: Financial Aid 101
Amy L. Proietti is Coordinator of Financial Aid at Greenfield Community College (MA). Student financial aid, with a focus on student counseling and community outreach, are her primary roles. She worked previously in Financial Aid at UMass Amherst, and also spent a decade in Housing and Residential Life programs at UMass Amherst, Hampshire College (MA), Quinnipiac University (CT), and Western Illinois University. In her hometown of Greenfield, MA, Amy is a member of the School Committee, and an active community volunteer. She has a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from The State University of New York Brockport and a Master of Science in Higher Education Administration from Western Illinois University.
Kristina Dlugozima
Session: Financial Planning for the Future You
Kristina Dlugozima is an accountant in the government contracting space spending the last decade working in companies with $500M-$13B in annual revenue and currently serves as the Director of Accounting Operations at J&J Worldwide in Reston, VA. She is a licensed CPA in the state of Virginia and holds a B.S. in accounting from Northeastern University and an MBA from George Mason University. Outside of work, Kristina has spent over 20 years in the Kiwanis Family serving as club and foundation treasurer for her home club of Tysons, VA for the majority of those years.
Poulomi Banerjee
Session: Applying to Scholarships – Are You Leaving Money on the Table?
Poulomi Banerjee is the Associate Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Communications at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. She’s been working in the field of development and advancement in higher education for 7 years fundraising for student emergency funds, scholarships, programs and offices on campus, and more. In her free time, you can find Poulomi with her camera photographing families and events or working on her dissertation for her PhD in Public Policy at UMBC.
Signature Service Project
The Kiwanis Club of Capital – Next Generation e-Club presents “The Game of Life:” a webinar-based event focused on college and career preparation for students ages 14-22.
The event will feature a variety of sessions on topics ranging from applying to college, navigating the financial aid process, exploring trade schools, tips for finding a job, building a resume, developing financial literacy, and more! There is a spectacular lineup of speakers from the educational system, community career services, and across industries.
This event is open to any and all high school and college students ages 14-22. We hope the event will provide motivation, education, a space to ask questions, and a sense of community for participants, and that all attendees will leave feeling prepared to tackle new challenges as they prepare to further their education and enter the workforce.
Schedule of Sessions
Registration
Register here to attend the educational workshop for individuals ages 14-22, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Capital – Next Generation e-Club.
Attendees may take advantage of sessions on a variety of important topics, including:
Session Descriptions
Speakers
Olivia Kitt
Session: Applying to College
Olivia Kitt is a native of Roanoke, Virginia where she went to Patrick Henry High School and was first introduced to the Kiwanis Club through Key Club. She served as editor and president of PHHS’ Key Club and served as Lieutenant Governor for Division 15B, her senior year. After high school, Olivia attended Roanoke College (RC) where her love of service continued by serving as SGA President her sophomore and junior years of college and joining Alpha Phi Omega (a community service fraternity). Her passion for Higher Education grew as she was a Maroon Ambassador (tour guide), student assistant, and intern for the Admissions office at RC. Since graduating in 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, a minor in Sociology, and a concentration in Legal Studies – Olivia has worked for her alma mater as Admissions counselor, pursued law school, and is now an Admissions counselor at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, VA where she works with students from Northern Virginia and the Richmond Public Schools.
Thomas Dickinson
Session: Don’t Miss an Opportunity to Explore the Trades!
Thomas Dickinson served two years in the United States Army after graduating high school. After the Army, Thomas Dickinson pursued a degree in teaching, while working many different jobs to put himself through. After graduating, he decided to teach in Anne Arundel County Public Schools located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
Thomas Dickinson was a Business Education teacher and Department Chair for 13 years. For the past 12 years, Thomas Dickinson has been a Work Based Learning Facilitator, which allows him to help high school students career plan by making connections with businesses and helping students start a career.
Scott A. Behm, MADC
Session: Creating a Resume that Tells Your Story
Scott A. Behm is the Associate Dean of Communications & Marketing of The Graduate School at Duke University. He received his master’s degree in Digital Communications at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. In his work, he uses digital storytelling to engage meaningfully with audiences on any platform, from email newsletters to TikTok. He began his career as a high school English teacher in Bedford County, Virginia, where he discovered a passion for using appealing graphic design, good storytelling, and effective writing to communicate any message and connect with any audience. Although he transitioned to higher academia in 2016, his two cats, Atticus and Darcy, are named after his two favorite literary characters and remind him of his roots in the English classroom.
Casey Haines
Session: Finding a Job
Casey has been involved in the Kiwanis Family since Freshman year of High School. She was a Key Club president and treasurer and a CKI vice president. She was a chartering member of the Next-Generation E-Club and was recently elected President-Elect.
Casey works as an Associate Scientist in the Analytical Sciences department at Astrazeneca. Previously, she was a Research Associate at Johns Hopkins Clinical Pharmacology Analytical Laboratory and a Biologist at NIH with the Vaccine Immunology Program.
Amy L. Proietti
Session: Financial Aid 101
Amy L. Proietti is Coordinator of Financial Aid at Greenfield Community College (MA). Student financial aid, with a focus on student counseling and community outreach, are her primary roles. She worked previously in Financial Aid at UMass Amherst, and also spent a decade in Housing and Residential Life programs at UMass Amherst, Hampshire College (MA), Quinnipiac University (CT), and Western Illinois University. In her hometown of Greenfield, MA, Amy is a member of the School Committee, and an active community volunteer. She has a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from The State University of New York Brockport and a Master of Science in Higher Education Administration from Western Illinois University.
Kristina Dlugozima
Session: Financial Planning for the Future You
Kristina Dlugozima is an accountant in the government contracting space spending the last decade working in companies with $500M-$13B in annual revenue and currently serves as the Director of Accounting Operations at J&J Worldwide in Reston, VA. She is a licensed CPA in the state of Virginia and holds a B.S. in accounting from Northeastern University and an MBA from George Mason University. Outside of work, Kristina has spent over 20 years in the Kiwanis Family serving as club and foundation treasurer for her home club of Tysons, VA for the majority of those years.
Poulomi Banerjee
Session: Applying to Scholarships – Are You Leaving Money on the Table?
Poulomi Banerjee is the Associate Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Communications at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. She’s been working in the field of development and advancement in higher education for 7 years fundraising for student emergency funds, scholarships, programs and offices on campus, and more. In her free time, you can find Poulomi with her camera photographing families and events or working on her dissertation for her PhD in Public Policy at UMBC.
Contact information
Have any questions about this event? Contact us at: [email protected]
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