This Wednesday, March 4th from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Loft, Molly Galler ’06 will speak at the new event series Happening Hour on the topic ‘Is There a Graduation Emoji?’ The event—a play on the words ‘Happy Hour’— will be hosted by the Alumnae/i Relations Office. Food and drinks will be provided as Galler speaks about emerging technology trends.
Galler—a double major in Sociology and Hispanic Studies at Wheaton— found her passion while working in communications. She has managed public relations and social media campaigns for a variety of clients. In addition, she is actively involved with the college as the Director of Communications for Alumnae/i Board, and as a volunteer for the Wheaton Fund’s Annual Giving Committee.
Happening Hour will be set up like a TED-talk, focusing on how technological changes in the past decade have impacted student experiences on campus and the job search process. “I hope students, faculty and staff will join the Happening Hour and engage in a conversation about the real way technology and social media are impacting our relationships. I’m also excited to hear how technology is making the student experience more connected and efficient. I’m hopeful that any students who are interested in a career in marketing or communications will attend so we can connect and discuss internship and job opportunities,” Galler explained.
The event is the brainchild of Coordinator for Alumni Relations, Hillary Shusterman ’14, who wanted a laid-back alternative to the “typical suit and tie networking event.” She stated that in order to achieve this, Happening Hour will be held in the Loft where one drink (for students over 21) and a food tab will be provided for a “causal, bar-like feel.”
According to Shusterman, the choice of Galler for alumni speaker was obvious, since she “has really put her name out there and is one of our most successful alums. She had worked with us on the alumni board of directors and immediately jumped on board [for this event].” For future Happening Hour events, Shusterman hopes to “partner with a student or affinity group on campus and bring in multiple alums to join in on the conversation.”
Happening Hour has already proved to be popular— with 35 people responding to the posters and emails about the event. Shusterman explained that since the event is in its infancy, only 40 students will be allowed to attend— though this cap could increase for future years if the location were changed. The students expected to attend come from a variety of majors, but Happening Hour will be particularly pertinent to those interested in film and new media studies.
For Shusterman, who graduated this past May, working in Alumnae/i Relations allows her to engage with students and alumni to plan creative events. “I love it when you work hard and put effort into a project and you see it blossom. You feel proud and this job is very fulfilling [in that way.] This event will tell me whether I’m doing a good job.”
Those interested in attending Happening Hour should email Hillary Shusterman ’14 by March 2nd.