On Nov. 3, St. Margaret’s students discussed career options, higher education and women in the workplace with more than 40 professional women, many of them St. Margaret’s alumnae.

Students chose four sessions to attend based on their interests in medicine, social work/ministry/non-profits, business, the arts, education, engineering/science/architecture, law and communications. Participants included a veterinarian, associate magazine editor, naval engineer, college president, small business owner, painter and Peace Corps volunteer, with multiple representatives for these and other fields. Students had an opportunity to ask additional questions and talk one-on-one while seated with these professionals at lunch.

While the professions changed from session to session, women from each field expressed the importance of loving what you do and finding a work/life balance. Participants also discussed the importance of being able to support yourself, manage your own finances and negotiate a salary. Many of the industries represented, including law and medicine, were once dominated by men but have continued to see a large influx of women entering the field.

English Teacher Tobey Taliaferro and Assistant Head for School Life Cathy Sgroi coordinated the days events, which took several months to plan.

“Find what you love because you’re doing it all the time,” said Annie Tobey, editor of V Magazine for Women. “You don’t want to have a job that’s drudgery even if you’re paid a lot of money.”

Tobey noted that her enjoyment of writing and reading literature in her high school English classes helped her identify her strengths. Mary Foley, author, speaker and co-owner of HumanR, an organizational development company, advised students to be mindful of what their interests are and purposely try many different things related to those interests. In high school, she was the yearbook photographer and participated in band and school plays. Today, Foley connects those experiences with her love of communications and performance.

Alumna Sarah Copeland ’04, now the Athletic Director at Aylett Country Day School, advised students to actively participate in activities. Copeland was a peer leader and an athlete while at St. Margaret’s. She noted that her many activities, as well as her knowledge of how to study and write well, prepared her for college and beyond.

“Your experiences at St. Margaret’s stay with you throughout your life in a positive way,” Copeland explained.

Former faculty member Natalie LaPrade Fallon, who owns The Northern Neck Gourmet with her husband, enjoys getting positive feedback from customers on their food and events. She also loves the creativity and freedom that comes with owning a small business.

“The ability to control our time schedules to work around our family life is very rewarding,” she said.

St. Margaret’s Senior Nancy Brauns noticed that participants were passionate about what they are doing. While she is interested in nursing, she really enjoyed listening to the professionals in the business session. She said Career Day helped keep her mind open to all of the available options.

Twenty-one alumnae, including 10 former day students, participated in the day’s events. Day student alumnae included Rebecca Coggins Hubert ’79, banker; Kelly Wawner Cooke ’86, elementary teacher; Tara Pirtle Garner ’96, school administrator; Mary Stuart Haile Snyder ’96, nurse; Dr. Stephanie Pirok Shelley ’96, dentist; Tina Hopkins ‘97, middle school teacher; Cameron Sgroi ’00, social worker; Katie Farmer ’00, nurse; Kelly Proctor ‘02, environmental journalist; and Sarah Copeland ’04, athletic director.