Carly McWilliams
Contributing Writer
On Saturday, Feb. 23, the second annual Tartan Talks will be held at Gault Recital Hall from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This event, made possible by the Mary A. Neagoy Endowed Fund, features four Wooster alumni who will give presentations showcasing their impact on the world after college, and how their unique educational experiences led to their success.
“We decided to host Tartan Talks again this year because of the opportunity to showcase our graduate qualities,” said Dana Smith, Center for Enterpreneurship Intern. “We hope to connect successful alumni with our Wooster community and highlight the different paths our alumni have chosen to take.”
This year, the featured alumni include Kïrsten Blake ’00, Sohil Parekh ’99, Hayet Rida ’11 and Greg Schermbeck ’08.
Blake is the founder of Chapter BE, an organization that, according to its website, “works to connect people to their true internalBEing as they write the next chapter of their life.” Blake graduated from Wooster with a B.A. in history and went on to earn an M.A. in education from Columbia University.
Parekh is a digital leader in directing marketing technology at Aetna. After graduating from Wooster with a B.A. in mathematics and economics, Parekh earned a M.S. in technology at Massachusettes Institute of Technology and an MBA in general management at Harvard Business School.
Rida, a senior brand strategist at FCB Chicago and lifestyle influencer, graduated from Wooster with a double major in communications studies and studio art. Rida’s blog covers topics such as fashion, body confidence, beauty, travel and home decoration and living.
Schermbeck used his B.A. from Wooster in urban studies and business economics to found SchermCo, a consulting firm offering strategic advising and other services to schools and education-focused organizations that support underserved communities.
“We are excited about the diversity of this year’s speakers,” said Smith. “They represent a variety of backgrounds, graduation years, majors, industries and are all at very different points in their lives.”
At the event, this year’s speakers share their stories of how their education at Wooster has applied to the pursuit of their passions. Students who attend will also have the opportunity to network with the speakers and other community members, as well as see musical performances by student groups Bluegrass Jam and MoonManFlo.
APEX worked to organize Tartan Talks in collaboration with several other offices across campus, and Smith says they are “excited about the final product” taking place on Saturday.
“Last year was the first time we put on Tartan Talks, so we are excited to improve upon the framework we set up last year and continue to make this event interesting and engaging for students,” said Smith.
For more information on the featured speakers or the event’s full schedule, check out the Art Wall in Lowry Center or visit the event’s Facebook page @tartantalkswooster.
(Photo from Wooster.edu)