Earlier this month, Niagara College’s Student Engagement team wrapped up the first run of their new Speaker Series with a panel event featuring four alumni who returned to their alma mater to share their post-college experiences with current students.
Ali Ryder, Outreach and Education Advisor with the Student Recruitment team, moderated the session, welcoming panelists Laura Dodman (Human Resources Management, 2010), Lai Hock Flores (Palliative Care, 2023; Community Mental Health, 2024), Robert Francis Bernardo (Motive Power Technician – Automotive Co-op, 2024), and Javier Carranza (Business, 2024).
Launched at the start of the winter 2026 term, the series connected students with guest speakers who offered real-world perspectives on leadership, resilience, and professional growth. Each event provided an opportunity for students to engage directly with speakers, ask questions, and reflect on their own passions and career paths in a supportive and interactive environment.
The concept for the April 1 panel was inspired by the shared experience of graduating students who often find the transition after college to be both exciting and uncertain.
During the session, the alumni spoke about their journeys navigating their early careers in fields ranging from healthcare and automotive to human resources and marketing.
A consistent theme throughout the discussion, and across other events in the Speaker Series, was the value of connecting and building relationships with the right people, including professors, classmates, new colleagues and experienced leaders.
“Connections are important because you don’t know if someone will change your life in the future,” said Flores, a Registered Nurse working in the Emergency Department at Niagara Health’s Marotta Family Hospital in St. Catharines.
“It’s important to have the right people around you and to make friends who lift you up,” he added.
Moderator Ali Ryder, who is an NC alumna herself, and panelist Laura Dodman
Bernardo, a Service Advisor and Licensed Automotive Technician at Henley Honda in St. Catharines, offered advice to students that being well prepared and doing the most that you can are key ways to stand out.
“Say yes to everything and people will start trusting you and may help you advance your career,” he said.
Speakers also acknowledged the challenges, unexpected turns, and the lessons they have learned so far to keep moving forward.
“Life has a funny way of kicking you down the wrong path, but when you go down that path you learn more about yourself and you gain experience,” said Dodman, who is Vice President of Human Resources at CAA Niagara.
Dodman advised students to take every opportunity to learn to develop transferable skills. “Take roles even when they’re not promotions if they give you exposure to other skills and people,” she said.
“Your education here will be the foundation, but experience will be the best teacher,” echoed Bernardo.
Among all the insights, flexibility – both personally and professionally – emerged as the most crucial attribute when transitioning from college to career. The alumni urged students that setting goals and planning for the future is just as important as adapting when things change along the way.
“Give yourself grace,” said Dodman. “It’s okay to move to plan B …you will be thankful for the road it took to get to your next or final destination.”
Carranza, a Marketing Coordinator with SWS Warning Lights Inc. in Niagara Falls also encouraged students to “prepare to adapt” and to believe in their talents.
“Be mindful about your adaptation process into the real world,” he said.
“Also be realistic about your potential and let your work speak for itself. This is a very important mindset to develop,” added Carranza, who illustrated the community-focused book Wonders of Welland while working as a student intern with the City of Welland in 2022 and 2023.
“We are grateful to our first group of guests for sharing their insights and experiences through our Speaker Series,” said Ali Weir, Manager of Student Engagement. “Students who attended our April event shared that the alumni stories were inspiring and gave them a renewed sense of motivation as they prepare for life after college.”
Student Engagement hopes to continue the series in the fall, giving more students the opportunity to connect with industry professionals and alumni on topics that are meaningful to their academic and personal journeys.
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