Alumni Events
You are part of a unique group! You are one of 50,000 alumni worldwide. As part of the Franklin Alumni family we hope that you will find time to stay connected with us. One way is through events. Here are some upcoming events, please check back for specific dates as events draw near.
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Upcoming Events
The Office of Community Relations invites you to join us for our upcoming event:
Nov. 5 2024 - LinkedIn Live Session
Time: Noon - 1 p.m.
Location: Virtual on LinkedIn
Are you ready to unlock new career opportunities and stay ahead of the latest industry trends? We invite our LinkedIn followers and alumni to join us for an insightful LinkedIn Live session on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at noon EST. This inaugural session will equip you with the tools and strategies to effectively leverage Franklin University's resources, empowering you to thrive in today’s dynamic job market
What to Expect:
Executive Insights:
Hear from Franklin University Executives in Residence (EiR) on ow they help bridge academia and industry expertise.
Career Advancement Strategies:
Discover how the Center for Career Development can propel your career forward—whether you're pivoting to a new field, climbing the corporate ladder, or seeking top talent for your organization.
Exclusive Access to Franklin's Centers:
Get an insider's look at our specialized Centers and learn how they can sharpen your industry knowledge and enhance your skill set.
Power of Microcredentials:
Learn how to leverage microcredentials to boost your competitiveness in the job market and accelerate your career progression.
Alumni Network Advantages:
Uncover how to tap into Franklin's vast alumni network for unparalleled career advancement and networking opportunities.
Learning Commons: Your Success Hub:
Explore how our Learning Commons can supercharge your academic performance and professional development.
Sneak Peek at Future Forums:
Be the first to know about upcoming Industry Insight Forums, ensuring you stay ahead of evolving industry trends.
Whether you're a recent graduate or an experienced professional, this session will equip you with the knowledge and tools needed to access Franklin University resources and succeed in today’s dynamic job market.
Don’t miss out!
Dec. 14 2024 - Santa and Coat Drive
Time: 10 a.m. - Noon
Location: Alumni Hall - 301 E Rich St, Columbus, OH 43215
Jan. 30 2024 - LinkedIn Guru
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Location: Alumni Hall - 301 E Rich St, Columbus, OH 43215
Previous Events
ENERGY, Chad Willett
January 25, 2022
The Alumni Engagement Series hosted national known speaker Chad Willett as he helps kickoff the new year with his program on "Energy."
This keynote address will help you begin feeding the "Dog of Courage" and the "Dog of Creativity" more often, more regularly, and more consistently. As a result, you will have increased energy levels, a more positive mindset, and increase your risk-taking abilities to begin unleashing your inner creativity and innovation in 2022 and beyond!
Black History Month: Stories of Success with Christie Angel
February 22, 2022
Franklin University’s Alumni Speaker Series celebrated Black History Month with Stories of Success, featuring guest alumna Christie Angel, President and CEO of the YWCA Columbus.
This virtual program will focused on Christie Angel’s success within government and public affairs, along with her current leadership as the President and CEO of the YWCA Columbus.
The session explored how Christie’s upbringing grew her passion for community service and set her on a road of helping others. Gaining insights on how to turn your passion into a career, tips on servant leadership and how to create and environment for others to be at their best!
Meet the Speaker:
Christie Angel
President and CEO of the YWCA Columbus
Christie Angel joined the YWCA Columbus, one of Central Ohio’s most respected social justice organizations, in 2017 as Chief Executive Officer.
Christie leverages her change management and community experience after working more than two decades in the private and public sectors of Columbus. Under her leadership the YWCA Family Center for homeless families received a $2.5 million dollar grant from the Day 1 Family Fund to provide innovative rehousing services to homeless families. Angel is now boldly guiding the agency through the COVID-19 pandemic and the current social justice movement with the transformation of the agency’s Leadership & Social Justice Department and the launch of a new racial equity training program.
Prior to joining the YWCA Columbus, Angel was principal of government relations and public affairs for Calfee Strategic Solutions and was the deputy chief of staff and external affairs and services director to former Columbus Mayor Michel B. Coleman where she served as a chief advisor to then Mayor Coleman on government relations, business, non-profit and community matters. Christie also worked in the corporate government and community relations field for a Fortune 10 telecommunications company and a boutique consulting firm.
Christie is an active and engaged member of Columbus’ civic and business communities, serving on the boards of Campus Partners for Community Urban Redevelopment, Columbus Downtown Development Corporation, the Greater Columbus Arts Council and the Human Service Chamber of Franklin County. She’s also a member of the Columbus Chapter of the Links, Inc. and the International Women’s Forum.
Women's History Month: Stages of Leadership: Women in Leadership Panel
March 21, 2022
The Office of Community Relations celebrated Women’s History Month with Stages of Leadership: Women in Leadership Panel. Learn about the challenges, successes and key principles of being a leader from those who are at various points in their career.
Panelists Include:
- Sherry Mercurio (Moderator) - Executive Director, Community Relations, Franklin University
- Jane Robinson - Adjunct Professor, Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff (retired), Franklin University
- Heather Cassady - Senior Project Manager, Turner Construction Company
- Madeline Sweeney - Business Manager, Red Door Interactive
This session had something to offer for all our alumni, whether you’re looking for inspiration to fuel your own leadership journey or ways you can better support your colleagues, mentor team members or be a resource for family members or friends.
Transformational and Servant Leadership for the 21st Century, with Dr. Tim Reymann
April 14, 2022
This virtual session focused on the development and application of several key 21st century leadership theories as highly-effective and essential practices for today’s leaders, managers and followers alike. Specifically, the importance of understanding and applying the underpinnings of transformative and servant leadership practices in the workplace will be explained in detailed models and scenarios for attendees to benefit from this knowledge in their daily organizational behaviors and activities.
Attendees were provided with the opportunity to discuss, assess, plus, provide real-world scenarios as highly-effective leadership examples and questions. Materials provided summations of exemplary key leadership principles and practices for application.
Key Learning Objectives:
- Explain the effectiveness of transformational and servant leadership’s competencies in management.
- Demonstrate how followers are developed into leaders in today’s business operations.
- Apply the attributes and skills of emotional intelligence as a leadership practice for success.
- Discuss the range of leadership theories for narrowing into a skillset for an exemplary 21st century leader and follower.
Dr. Reymann has served as a faculty member of Franklin University for over 25 years. He has chaired the university’s Doctor of Business Administration program for the past four years and prior to that has served a Program Chair for multiple university Business Administration related undergraduate programs. Prior to joining Franklin University, Dr. Reymann served as President for multiple non-profit agencies across greater Ohio.
Dr. Reymann holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Management from Capella University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Franklin University’s Charter MBA class.
Life's a Project! Leveraging the Project Management Tools & Techniques to Accomplish More in Your Personal & Professional Life with Dr. John Stinnett ‘99
Aug. 30, 2022
Franklin University’s Alumni Speaker Series presented "Life's a Project! Leveraging the Project Management Tools & Techniques to Accomplish More in Your Personal & Professional Life"!
Being a project leader often means having all the responsibility and none of the authority! Therefore, the ability to accomplish more, faster and with better results requires a leader who exhibits strong emotional intelligence and can gain the respect and trust of his or her team. In this virtual program, you’ll learn the technique and real life application to help you become an effective project leader.
Dr. John Stinnett ‘99
Back by popular demand to lead this event is Franklin alumnus Dr. John Stinnett ‘99. John is Executive Director, Program Management at JPMorgan Chase. Dr. Stinnett has been in Business/IT Professional and “Real-world” project management for over 20 years. Dr. Stinnett is also an adjunct faculty since 2004 – Teaching Project/Program Management and Strategic Leadership. His other credentials include Senior Instructor for Project Management Institute (PMI) Central Ohio Chapter, PMP and PMI-ACP Certified, BA from Ohio State University, MBA from Franklin University and Doctorate from Syracuse University with a Research focus on Professional Development.
The Office of Community Relations is proud to bring you, Jack Slavinski, as he presents Mindset – The Starting Point for Success.
Mindset is a word and principle that has become prominent in use over the past decade or so. However, like many words, we state them but don’t take full advantage of what the principle can do for us.
Mindset is not just about behaviors, rather, it encapsulates beliefs, values, attitudes, and THEN behaviors. When we intentionally choose the mindset we must have in diverse contexts and situations, it can dramatically impact our development, performance, and results orientation.
Often mindset is portrayed as simply growth, fixed, positive, or negative. Reality is we adopt and experience thousands of types of mindsets.
This session will focus on motivational strategies and methods that we can all use to more intentionally (consciously) and proactively choose the kind of mindset we need to stay positive, be more resilient, adapt, and flourish in our respective roles.
Mindset, without question, is the starting point for success for us individually, for our teams, and for our organization.
Instead of just adding mindfulness to the list of things we need to do to be healthy, you can find ways to apply it to the obstacles related to taking better care of yourself. Learn how to apply mindfulness-related insights and strategies to eating healthier, exercising more often, and getting better sleep.
3 Key Takeaways:
- Learn a flexible, doable way to approach mindfulness practice
- Explore mindfulness as a tool for supporting other self-case efforts
- Identify a mindful habit to test in your own life for a healthier new year
Daron Larson is a mindfulness coach who guides people who seek deeper focus, self-awareness, and resiliency. He has practiced mindfulness daily since 2002 and brings his personal expertise and in-depth training to individuals, small groups, and organizations. His Attentional Fitness approach to mindfulness goes beyond breath awareness and trying to be calm when you’re not. Like a personal trainer, Daron provides personalized guidance, exercises, and encouragement to help people go beyond what they could do on their own.
- Speaker bio: https://speakerhub.com/speaker/daron-larson
- Website: http://daronlarson.com
- TEDx Talk: bit.ly/TEDxColumbusDaron
- New Insight Timer Course: bit.ly/SpyMindfulness
Watch Video Here!
Gary Lewis, Police Chief of Bexley, presents "Community and Servant Leadership."
As we honor black history month, Chief Lewis will take us through his journey of a career as a public servant. Chief Lewis will share significant insights, for anyone in any industry, on how to be a leader at any level, how to ‘manage’ upward, crisis communication, along with his personal experiences leading up to being the first African American Police Chief of Bexley.
Chief Lewis has a unique story and a versatile background that not only shares how to create opportunities and manage the responsibilities that come with them, but also will allow the audience to take away tangible insights and skills for their career.
Gary D. Lewis Jr., is the Chief of Police in Bexley, Ohio and was sworn-in as the city’s first African-American Police Chief in September 2022.
Previously, Lewis served as the Assistant Vice President of Operations and Chief of Police at the University of Louisville. His portfolio consisted of e.g. Operations, Marketing, Police Department, Physical Security & Access Control, Dispatch, Emergency Management, and Fire and served in that capacity from August 2018 to September 2022.
We celebrated "Women’s History Month with Leading as a Successful Entrepreneur: A Discussion Panel." Learn about the challenges, successes and key principles of leadership from two successful business owners around Columbus.
Panelists Included:
- Christi Cabungcal (Moderator) - Chief of Staff & Senior Vice President, Administration
Administration - Misti Norman – Owner, Heavenly Kids
- Tatjana Brown – Founder, Meza Wine Shop
- Matina Zenios - President Artina
This session has something to offer for all our alumni, whether you’re looking for inspiration to fuel your own leadership journey or ways you can better support your colleagues, mentor team members or be a resource for family members or friends.
Jeff Young, the LinkedIn Guru, takes us through “LinkedIn: What’s New on LinkedIn and Why Should You Care?” Jeff’s seminar will give key insights on how to use your LinkedIn most effectively.
You have a LinkedIn account, but they have changed everything – NOW WHAT? LinkedIn LOVES to change things!
- Where did the “Introduction” button go?
- What’s all this business about hashtags?
- How do you find what you need on LinkedIn?
- Where did they move all my stuff?
If these are questions you have asked yourself, then come to a presentation where you can get answers and learn some excellent tips and techniques from a well-known LinkedIn expert. The final 15 min will be an open Q&A to see how you can best leverage LinkedIn for maximum results.
Meet Jeff Young:
As a Professional Networker and #TheLinkedInGuru (Teacher), Jeff Young has provided nearly 200 free LinkedIn workshops in the last 3 years. He has been on LinkedIn since May 13, 2004 (one of the first 600,000 members to join). He does not provide one-on-one training or consulting. His focus in on free seminars.
Jeff is a former Director and Account Manager with Intellinex, an eLearning venture of Ernst & Young, LLP and has helped manage and mentor thousands of people in many different organizations. Since his retirement from OCLC, where he worked as an Enterprise Project Manager, Jeff has been deeply involved in community service by volunteering for and helping manage several local non-profit organizations.
Most recently, Jeff has been devoting his time to being a Professional Networker, teaching Networking and LinkedIn and he has trained thousands of professionals in how to maximize their networking skills and best utilize networking tools. Please see the links in Jeff's Featured Section for a schedule of his presentations and tips on how to use LinkedIn.
Watch Video Here!
Franklin University's Aliecia Stathopoulos takes us through a great conversation around Diversity and Inclusion.
The Power of Human Potential for Growth and Learning - with Dr. Joel Gardner
We live in a time of information overload. We are overworked and under pressure to improve and perform at our best. With all these forces working against us, it can be difficult to sustain personal growth toward our greatest priorities and purpose in life. In this presentation, Joel will help you reignite your motivation for positive change in your life and contribution to the organizations and people you serve. You will come away from this presentation with:
- Inspired motivation to continue forward in your own growth and development
- Clarity on what is most important to you in your life right now
- Focused direction on your own priorities
The Authentically Fulfilled Leader - with Maurice F. Martin. Embrace the new year with a commitment to your healthiest, most authentic self. Tailored for business leaders navigating burnout and imposter syndrome, this workshop harnesses the power of personal growth to produce exceptional professional growth. We foster a culture where authentic leaders embody their truest selves while applying principles that cultivate thriving teams, reviving the work environment. Renew your leadership journey and step into the new year with authenticity and vigor. |
Black History Month Celebration with Oyauma Garrison (MBA ’01): A Journey to Success – How to be Ready for the ‘Moment!’
Big moments can come at any time in your career, including times when you least expect them. Oyauma will share how he prepared himself for that 'moment' as he guides us through the journey that led to his current position as president and CEO of Maryhaven. In this presentation and Q&A Oyauma will share tips and insights on how to prepare for senior and C-suite roles, and how to position yourself for a nonprofit and/or for-profit board seat.
Join our online session to learn:
• How to be a mentor and coach
• Ambassadorship
• The secret to seizing every learning opportunity
• How to align yourself with company objectives
• Staying true to your career path
• How to take appropriate risks
• How to navigate moments of sacrifice
• How grit contributes to growth
• The keys to learning about people in your journey
• How to be ready for ‘the moment’
The explosive growth of generative AI and its integration into communication tools creates unique opportunities and challenges for leaders. Leadership in the digital age requires a nuanced understanding of when and how to leverage new tools in communications, and as we honor March as Women’s History Month, we'll uncover how the unique strengths of women leaders can be applied in the age of AI. This a great event for everyone to attend as you can show support to your female colleagues, while learning more on the insights of AI.
During this exclusive workshop you'll discover the secrets to optimizing your LinkedIn profile, networking effectively, and leveraging the platform for career success. Welcome and we hope this opportunity helps you take your professional brand to the next level!