Undergraduates Explore Careers, Network with Alumni, During Food and Beverage Trek to New York

Georgetown McDonough undergraduate students traveled to New York City in November to explore career opportunities and network with alumni in the food and beverage industry. Hosted by the Undergraduate Career Development Center, the Fall 2019 New York City Food and Beverage Trek was a collaboration with Georgetown alumni who currently work in the field. 

The trip allowed the students to explore an industry that many were unfamiliar with previously.

“Before this trip, the food and beverage industry was not on my radar; however, this trip showed me the unique positioning of business within this market,” said Trinity Johnson (B’22).

Students met with alumni from InBev/Anheuser Busch, Dos Toros Taqueria, and &pizza. For Katrina Huang (B’22), it was particularly helpful to see where other Hoyas landed after Georgetown. “It was exciting to meet and hear from so many Georgetown grads who had found their homes in these amazing companies,” she said. “They made me want to apply to all of these companies, because I knew that working with them would be a very valuable and engaging experience.”

Speaking with numerous Hoyas about potential career opportunities made the trek a more engaging experience than a single event, said Ilona Emory (B’22). “It was much more about getting to know the company and the alumni rather than attending a conference and having the task to network after. I enjoyed the fact that we were able to be informal with the alumni, connecting in a very simple way, laughing and learning,” Emory said.

For Francesca Canovi (B’22), the trek provided the opportunity to learn about industries she never would have discovered without traveling to New York. “My biggest takeaway from this amazing day is simple,” Canovi said. “There are so many career options and different industries that can lead to one’s dream job. All we have to do is discover them.”

That exposure to fields outside of the more traditional banking and consulting industries was at the heart of the trip’s purpose, said Talia Schatz, director of the Undergraduate Career Development Center, and its success has encouraged her to plan similar career treks in the future.