Bison Breakthrough: From College to Career

Welcome to the Season 3 finale of Bison Breakthrough: From College to Career. In this final episode, host Beth Gionfriddo, Career Coach at Nichols College, is joined by Charlie Robert—former Nichols Athletic Director, faculty member, mentor, and trailblazer in collegiate athletics. Charlie shares her career journey through higher education and athletics administration, reflecting on her experience...

In this episode of Bison Breakthrough: From College to Career, I reconnect with Paul Angelucci, whose career pathn highlights the value of persistence, reflection, and embracing a non-linear professional journey. Paul currently serves as an Embedded Counselor for Residential Well-being at Virginia Tech while also working as an outpatient counselor with National Counseling Group. In addition to his...

In this episode of Bison Breakthrough: From College to Career I talk with Bill Keefe, a retired police sergeant and former Criminal Justice faculty member at Nichols College. Bill has spent years helping students prepare for law enforcement careers, including conducting mock interviews and coaching candidates through some of the most demanding hiring processes in public safety. In this conversatio...

In this episode of Bison Breakthrough: From College to Career, I’m joined by Aisling Dowling, a Nichols alum and former Student Government Class Officer, who has built an exciting career in professional sports by taking strategic risks and saying yes to new opportunities. Aisling shares her journey from being a General Business major with a Sport Management concentration to starting her career in...

In this episode of Bison Breakthrough: From College to Career, I’m joined by Nicole Gawlik, an alum whose career journey spans the Disney College Program, hospitality and luxury hotels, sports entertainment, and Human Resources. Nicole currently works as an HR Manager in the wine and spirits distribution industry, where she leads people operations and recruitment.  Nicole shares how her career evo...

In this episode of Bison Breakthrough: From College to Career we talk with Nichols College alum Irving Eggleston ’18, a Senior Audit Analyst at CVS Health. Irv discusses his path into the accounting profession, what drew him to audit work, and what a typical day in his role looks like today. He shares how his early experiences after graduation helped shape his understanding of the profession and t...

In this episode of Bison Breakthrough: From College to Career I sat down with Tim Power, a Nichols alum and former Graduate Assistant who has gone on to build his career with Discover Central Massachusetts. Tim shares his professional journey after graduation and discusses how his role has allowed him to combine strategy, sales, and relationship-building while working to promote tourism and econom...

In this episode of Bison Breakthrough: From College to Career , I’m joined by Billy O’Malley, a 2011 Nichols College graduate who now serves as the Regional Director of Marketing at the Tahoe Blue Event Center in Nevada. Billy walks us through his career journey after graduation, sharing how his path evolved from early professional roles into leadership in sports, events, and venue marketing. We d...

In this episode I’m joined by Marissa Bastian, who works in the education sector and previously served as the Director of Tutoring at Nichols College. Marissa shares her career path and offers a candid look at her recent experience going through a layoff and job search. We spend time discussing practical, real-world advice for navigating uncertainty, staying organized during a job search, and appr...

In this episode of Bison Breakthrough: From College to Career, I’m joined by Oscar Chavez, a Career and Transfer Counselor, for an engaging and insightful conversation about careers in higher education, student support, and practical career development advice. Oscar shares his career path across multiple areas of higher education—including admissions, advising, and career services—and explains how...

In this episode of Season Three, I’m joined by Dom Coppola, an alum who earned both his undergraduate and master’s degree from Nichols College. After completing his graduate program, Dom worked as a Graduate Assistant in Admissions before transitioning into risk management at an insurance firm. Dom shares his career journey, what risk management work looks like on a day-to-day basis, and how his g...

In this episode, I’m joined by Amber Basso, an alum who works in recruiting to talk about what the recruiting profession looks like day to day—and what students should know if they want to stand out as candidates. We discuss her daily responsibilities as a recruiter, common mistakes she sees students make, and best practices for resumes, interviews, and professional communication. We also spend ti...

In this episode of Season Three, I’m joined by two Criminal Justice alumni who have taken very different career paths—one now works as a lawyer, and the other works in Intelligence. Together, they share insights into their respective industries, what their day-to-day work looks like, and how their Criminal Justice background helped prepare them for careers outside of traditional law enforcement ro...

In this episode of Bison Breakthrough, I’m joined by an alum John Thomasina who began his career working in the finance field before transitioning into banking. Today, he serves as the President of a bank. We talk through his career progression, how he made strategic moves within the financial services industry, and the experiences that helped position him for leadership. He also shares practical...

In this episode of Bison Breakthrough, I’m joined by Janina Messerlian, who works in her family-owned jewelry business, focusing on marketing, boutique events, and business operations. Janina shares her experience on the Hill, her background in business, and how those experiences shaped her current role. We talk about what it’s really like to work in a family business, how marketing and events dri...

In the first episode of Season Three, I sit down with Devin Bailey, a professional working at the intersection of marketing and real estate. Devin shares her career journey, how she navigated transitions between industries, and the role transferable skills played in shaping her path. This episode is especially helpful for students who are interested in marketing, real estate, sales, or business-re...

In the final episode of Season 2, I sit down with Nichols alum Robby Binnall , who works in the Career Office at a State University in New York —helping students navigate the job search every day.   Robbyshares his own career journey and offers practical,proven strategies for students about to start applying forinternships, jobs, and post-grad opportunities.  In this episode, we cover: Job search...

In this episode of Bison Breakthrough , we’re joined by MaryLynn Skarzenski —Nichols alum, former women’s basketball coach, standout student-athlete, and now a professional working in financial planning . MaryLynn shares how her experience as a student-athlete shaped her mindset, built transferable skills, and continues to influence her career long after her last game. We talk about: Transitioning...

On this episode of Bison Breakthrough , I catch up with my former CPDC colleague and Nichols College alum Danielle Eli , who now works in Learning and Development at a local bank. Danielle shares how she transitioned into the L&D field, what her day-to-day looks like, and why ongoing learning is a key part of professional success—no matter your industry.  We dive into: What Learning and Develo...

In this special episode of Bison Breakthrough , we welcome back Emma Murphy and James Singletary —two Nichols alums who made the bold decision to leave New England to pursue career opportunities. We talk about what it was like to move away from home, how they handled the emotional and logistical side of relocation, and the life and career growth that came with taking the leap. Topics include: What...

On this episode of Bison Breakthrough, we sit down with Nichols alum Mario Turner, a s State Police Detective and proud veteran. Mario shares his inspiring career path—from serving in the military, working in private security, to becoming a detective with the State Police. He offers advice for students on how to prepare for careers in law enforcement and security and the mindset it takes to succee...

In this episode of Bison Breakthrough , we connect with Nichols College alum Mallory Russell, who has turned her passion into a career as an Catering Sales and Manager at a beautiful resort in Maine. Mallory shares how she pursued and achieved her dream career, the unique challenges and rewards of working in hospitality and events, and what it takes to thrive in this fast-paced industry. We discus...

In this episode of Bison Breakthrough , we chat with Nichols College alum Luke Andracki , who shares his path from college student to marketing professional. Luke gives us a behind-the-scenes look at his daily work in marketing, what excites him about the industry, and practical advice for students who want to break into this dynamic field. We discuss: A day in the life of a marketing pro How Luke...

In this episode of Bison Breakthrough , we sit down with Kasey Ayer , Nichols College alum and founder of ShowKase Events , a thriving event business she built from the ground up. Kasey shares her journey from idea to execution—how she took the leap into entrepreneurship, the challenges she faced, and the passion that keeps her going.  We dive into: How she started and scaled ShowKase Events What...

In this episode of Bison Breakthrough, I chat with James Singletary, Nichols College alum and Intelligence Analyst for the federal government. James shares the behind-the-scenes story of how he landed his role in intelligence, what the process was really like, and the persistence it takes to get there. We discuss: What it takes to work in federal intelligence The application and clearance process...