STEM Society Career Night

Written by: Abhijith Chitrala (‘26), Pranav Soleti ('26), Dishant Palkar (‘27) & Dhanush Suresh (‘28)

Deciding a career and major becomes a major obstacle in the path of a highschooler. Students are expected to have a perfect outline of their future profession, college, and career path; however, is such a goal truly attainable for highschoolers. Students often find themselves switching between majors, unable to decide a career for the rest of their lives. The Lawrence High Schools “Career Night” event, organized by the STEM Society of Lawrence, provides students the opportunity to connect with professionals and field experts in jobs the students hope to pursue. Helping guide students in finalizing their career choice, and create long term connections that may benefit students toward their future careers; how exactly is the Career Night event able to achieve such detrimental goals?

Career Night succeeds because it brings together real professionals directly to students. Organized into 5 virtual breakout rooms over Google Meet, the event offered fields ranging from engineering and data science to medicine, environmental research, and clinical science. This structure allowed the students to explore specific interests while also asking targeted questions to individuals who built real careers in those fields.

The Engineering room featured experts like John M. Demeter, an Associate Fellow at Lockheed Martin specializing in aerospace, mechanical, and systems engineering; Margaret Thoresan, a mechanical engineer and licensed EIT at Syska Hennessy Group; and Dessy Dusichka, a backend software engineer at HubSpot. Their journeys showcased the complexity and variety within engineering, from designing aircraft systems to building large scale software.

The Data and Computer Science room included Victor Krapivin, a former alumni of LHS and Head of Data Science at Treater, whose path from Rutgers to a Stanford PhD highlighted how physics and computation can be intersected. Alongside him were Jim Buchanan, a valuation actuary at Fortitude Re, and Matt Oyer, a principal software engineer with a background spanning IT, cybersecurity, and automation. Students interested in math, AI, or programming were able to see how these fields translate into real-world problems and high-impact careers.

For those drawn to the natural sciences, the Astrobiology and Geochemistry room featured Rachel Harris, a NASA Postdoctoral Management Program Fellow whose research spans methane biogeochemistry and the search for life beyond Earth, primarily on Mars, and Zahid Aziz, an environmental scientist focused on geochemical systems and policy through NJDEP. Their insights showed students how scientific research extends far beyond textbooks into planetary science, ecosystems, and space exploration.

The Clinical and Biomedical Sciences room brought perspectives from laboratory science and academic medicine. Shabana Ather, a Senior Director of Clinical Science at Bristol Myers Squibb, shared her experience leading Phase 3 clinical trials and shaping regulatory filings. Katie Kapp, a Stanford postdoctoral scholar, and Apil Mahat, a microbiology researcher and medical school applicant, described what it means to work at the intersection of chemistry, biology, and human health.

Finally, the Medicine & Healthcare room allowed students to engage with patient-focused professionals, including Jackie Ritter, a Physician Assistant with over twenty years of clinical experience; Dhakshayini Suresh, a medical student at Rutgers NJMS and former EMT; and Mica Andahazy, an EMT-in-training with a background in marine science and community engagement.

Although the professionals had vastly different careers, across every room, one theme emerged: careers are rarely straight lines. Professionals shared stories of switching majors, taking internships that changed their direction, discovering passions later than expected, and embracing uncertainty. Students left with a clever sense that career paths don't have to be set in stone, that they are flexible, ever-evolving, and deeply personal.

Career Night ultimately works because it replaces pressure with a world of possibility. It shows high school students that choosing a career is not about having a perfect plan and knowing what to do from day one. It is about exploring, asking questions, and learning from those who have walked the path before them. Through authentic conversations and long-term connections, the event empowers students to make informed, confident decisions about their own future.