Fourteen LSMSA Graduates Return to Campus for Connections Weekend 2024

Fourteen LSMSA graduates, representing a diverse range of careers and life experiences, will return to the campus of Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA), Sept. 20-21, to serve as panelists during the school’s annual Connections Weekend. This event offers graduates of LSMSA a chance to connect with current students and talk with them about college and career choices. Connections Weekend 2024 will be the first Connections Weekend to be held in-person on the LSMSA campus since 2019. Connections Weekend is presented for the benefit of current LSMSA students and is not open to the general public.  

 

LSMSA students share the same concerns as other high schoolers, from career-related uncertainty to the challenge of maintaining a healthy work/life balance. Connections Weekend 2024 aims to leave a lasting impression on current students while influencing their personal and professional lives in meaningful and lasting ways.   
   
“Connections Weekend is an opportunity for our students to bridge the gap between where they are and where they can go,” said LSMSA Executive Director Dr. Steve Horton. “By learning about the remarkable achievements of past graduates, they gain inspiration and a deeper sense of pride in the legacy of LSMSA.” 

 

The list of Connections Weekend 2024 speakers includes: 

 

Dr. Elias Capello (’11)
Professor, Savannah College of Art and Design
“Authentic Scholarship Applications”

 

Dr. Capello will lead a workshop on how students can create compelling narratives for college, scholarship, and fellowship applications.

 

Oliver Daliet IV (’13)
Research Engineer, Shepherd Center

"Charting Your Course: Celebrating Small Wins, Choosing Scenic Routes, and Navigating Setbacks"

 

In this session, students will learn how to make every little victory count and how taking a creative route can make the journey more exciting. Discover how to enjoy the ride, explore different paths to goals, and bounce back from detours.

 

Senior Program Coordinator for Student Engagement at Newcomb Institute, Tulane University
“Dream Big: Crafting a Fulfilling Future by Discovering What Matters”

 

Participants in this workshop will embark on a journey to identify their core values, gain clarity on what matters most, and learn to use those values to guide their educational, professional, and life choices.

 

Will Findley (’99)
Software Developer, Entrepreneur, and Educator
“Make the World Tell You ‘No’”

 

Perfectionists can have a hard time trading off competence for productivity when making tough decisions. Learning to act in these cases and forcing the world to judge if you are correct can be one of the hardest, but most useful, skills to learn. 

 

Caroline Ford (’19)
Intelligence Officer, U.S. Army
“Choosing Your Own Path”

 

In this session, U.S. Army Intelligence Officer Caroline Ford will discuss taking “the road less traveled”—and how our passions and interests can be applied to a multitude of different fields.

 

Joshua Gillett (’23)
Student, Harvard University
“Taking Advantage of Your Resources”

 

In LSMSA and in college, students are flooded with opportunities and resources that they seldom fully utilize. This session will explore how using various resources has benefited Harvard computer sciences student and recent LSMSA grad Joshua Gillett. 

 

Jamie Hipp (’04)
Author and Education Sales Professional
“From Princess to Ph.D.: Imagine the Possibilities!”

 

This session—led by an alum with a professional background in the arts, education, and sales—will address how differentiated professional experiences allow individuals to collect a variety of soft skills that will set them apart as individuals and professionals.

 

Melinda Johnson (’10)
Director of Operations, Lionbridge

“From Words to Worlds: A Career Roadmap for Linguaphiles”

 

This session will show how language, a universal connector, bridges the gap between diverse fields ranging from humanities to the hard sciences. Students will also explore the myriad career paths that are available to linguaphiles. 

 

Stephen Mackey (’03)
Compliance Officer, NatWest Markets
“Taking My Knife Roll to the Trading Floor”

 

“One of the first lessons you learn in a professional kitchen is the importance of having the right tools to accomplish your work,” Mackey wrote in his description of this session. “As you move to a new kitchen or position, you take your tools with you—even if you’re not using them to do the same work.” In this session, Mackey will share how to take one’s skills and experience from one career to another.  

Stephanie Perdue (’96)
Internal Auditor, Sysco Corporation
“The Road Less Traveled” 

 

A CPA-turned-fraud investigator will share the “many twists and turns” of her career, including time spent working as a stay-at-home mom, a small business owner, and a community volunteer.   

 

Zack Schleter (’19)
Social Media Manager, University of Louisiana at Lafayette

“'All you do is play on Facebook all day'”: How I Got Here and What I (Actually) Do as a Social Media Manager”

 

Presenter Zack Schleter will share how he translated his interest in writing and the humanities into a career in marketing and communications. He’ll also discuss his day-to-day work as a social media marketer and give tips for standing out in a saturated social media job market. 

 

Brittany Taraba (’07)
Elementary Educator, Ouachita Parish Schools 
“Make Plans So the Universe Can Laugh”

 

This session will show what happens when a “dedicated planner and avoider of major life changes” decides on a life path—only for the Universe to bring her back to reality. Attendees will learn how to prepare for life’s twists and turns, and how to move forward when things don’t turn out as planned.  

 

Madeline Trahan, PsyD (’15)
Pediatric Psychologist, University of Missouri School of Medicine
“Managing Professional Disappointments and Imposter Syndrome”

 

This session will explore how to manage feelings of imposter syndrome and other setbacks encountered along the path to professional development. 

 

LSMSA is Louisiana's preeminent state-supported residential high school with competitive admissions for high-achieving, highly motivated sophomores, juniors, and seniors. As a public school, there is no tuition to attend, and assistance from the LSMSA Foundation ensures that the program is accessible to all qualifying students regardless of financial circumstances. For more information, or to apply for admission to LSMSA, visit www.LSMSA.edu.