University at Buffalo School of Management

24 Buffalo Business Autumn 2019 Alumni Impact Aer switching majors into the School of Management as a junior, Steven Silberman, BS '09, re- members feeling a little out of his element. "It was daunting," he recalls, "but I decided to attend the school's Network New York event to see, realistically, what I might be doing in two years and how I could use my degree." At the event, which brings together alumni and students planning to work in the New York metro area, Silberman sat down next to footwear designer Peter Grabow, BS '81, and in just a few hours received a crash course about the big city. Through networking with other alumni and résumé critiques, Silberman gained the confidence and insights he was looking for. Two years later, Silberman was back at Network New York as a recent grad, sharing his career advice with students. He particularly remembers discussing the interview process he had just completed to land his first job—a success story he attributes to Network New York and the career planning class he took from Michael Paolini, senior associate director in the Career Resource Center (CRC). "I tell everyone who will listen: That was the most important class I took at UB and, combined with Network New York, really helped me secure my first job," says Silberman, vice president of sales and marketing at Five Tier. "I literally remember the chief operating officer saying during my interview, 'Wow, your résumé looks amazing. I've interviewed a lot of students, and you're the most put-together.'" Network New York celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2019—two decades of connecting dedicated, enthusi- astic alumni with talented students to help them prepare for careers in the Big Apple. Created and managed by the CRC, in collaboration with the School of Management Alumni Association, the event welcomes about 55 alumni and more than 125 students each year. "Network New York has become an annual tradition for me," says Jennifer Rinaldo, BS '95, MBA '97, vice pres- ident of commercial development and business strate- gy at Intra-Cellular Therapies. "It is one of many ways to give back to the School of Management, which gave me so much." The event kicks off with a presentation about the re- ality of living and working in the concrete jungle. For the past few years, Kitt Pizzutelli, BS '13, portfolio manager at M&T Bank, has shared her insider's view of Manhattan social life, rent and other differences students can expect between New York City and Buffalo. Then, aer a student dinner and alumni social, stu- dents and alumni mingle in small groups based on in- dustry or functional area, and alumni critique students' résumés for design, organization and content. Empire State of Mind Network New York celebrates 20th anniversary

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