By Stephen Wilson
With nearly 1,000 alumni and 500 student members, GatewayLink is a career-centered community and networking platform exclusive to Lafayette.
Students and alumni create profiles and connect with engaged Lafayette community members in order to seek advice, build a network, and find/change a career.
Pards are leveraging the space to lend a paw … er, hand. Here are a few moments that highlight why you might sign up.
Robert Lo Giudice ’13
U.S. head, Legal Affairs, Elys Game Technology Corp.
“I use the platform so current students and new alumni can see my career progression following Lafayette and beyond. I spoke with a recent Lafayette alum who was thinking about applying to law school, so that was a topic where I was able to provide some decent advice and perspective.”
Tate Harobin ’22
Economics major
“With my internship being canceled in summer 2020, I signed up for GatewayLink to learn about different roles in the financial sector. I’ve been able to hop on the phone with nearly every alum I’ve reached out to. They all have been extremely helpful and gracious with their time and advice. I recommend GatewayLink to any student looking to gain an understanding of their industry or just expand their network.”
Marie Garofalo ’10
Assistant vice president, HR Communications, East West Bank
“I moved to California in 2010 for a job through a Lafayette connection, so it’s really important to me to pay it forward. I’ve received messages from several current students and young alumni who want to know about the world of corporate communications and how I started doing what I do. I’ve been in the comms world for 10-plus years, so I feel like I’ve learned so much and am happy to share insight. We always set up a time to talk on the phone (because I love talking), and I’m happy to share my experiences, advice, networking tips, and more. It can be intimidating to reach out to people ‘cold,’ but through this site, Lafayette is common ground and a great way to initiate a conversation.”
Aiana Shambetova ’22
Economics major
“GatewayLink helped me to connect with some alumni who have an outstanding professional background. I was able to talk to them about my career aspirations and even about different general topics, such as school life, hobbies, or even interesting stories that happened to them while working or at Lafayette. They gave me useful advice regarding what I should expect as I move further with my career path. I would encourage other students to utilize this platform because it can help you learn more about the industry that interests you and people’s various work experiences.”
Renae Tesauro ’82
President, RCB Communications
“Through GatewayLink I’ve had an opportunity to speak with impressive young people about their interests, aspirations, and goals. It felt great to share my own career journey while inspiring future leaders to unlock their own potential. It’s a wonderful user-friendly tool for tapping into the Lafayette network wherever you are.”
Tyler Zorn ’18
Staff geologist, Langan Engineering and Environmental Services
“I loved studying geology but coming out of school felt that roles in the renewable and environmental industries were underrepresented in today’s career service platforms. Given Lafayette’s tight-knit environment and inclusive atmosphere, I was excited to join GatewayLink to be able to reach out to alumni in the environmental industry while also being an outlet for current students. I have used the platform to interact with others interested in the sciences. I have also had several current and rising seniors at Lafayette reach out and schedule phone conversations to provide a glimpse into my career path thus far. GatewayLink allows for users to easily interact knowing that there is a person behind the profile and that they have experiences in common.”
Julissa Muschlitz ’13
Manager, Accenture
“GatewayLink has been a great addition to the Gateway Career Center. I have not only been able to connect to current students through the platform but also follow alumni in my field. It’s easy to use and the notifications push to my email and helps me stay on top of any messages I receive from people looking to connect.”
Andrew Chun ’12
Project environmental scientist, Langan Engineering and Environmental Services
“You can schedule through it, have direct conversations in it, and share documents. It’s almost like a little private LinkedIn. I get an email anytime I get a message. I click a link that opens right up to GatewayLink, and I can do whatever I need to right from there.”
Hannah Koch ’20
Assignment desk assistant, Sinclair Broadcasting Group
“Through GatewayLink I connected with alumni who were super helpful and eager to speak with me. During our conversation, they give me a lot of insights about a career in public relations as well as tips for starting out as a young professional. I love getting the chance to connect and learn from successful alumni, and I hope that one day I can pay it forward by mentoring a young Pard too.”
