January
16 ,
2004
Passport
to Reality: Seniors Prepare for Life After MHC
|
Photo:
Todd LeMieux
Lili Vasileff '77 teaches
students how to handle their personal finances. |
Who knows what goes on under the
hood of a modern automobile? What are the important things
that motorists can take care of to avoid trips to the mechanic?
And when the inevitable problem announces its arrival with
a "clunk," is there any way to tell a $200 clunk
from a $2,000 clunk?
Kay Mercogliano knows. On Friday, January 16, Mercogliano, an amateur mechanic
and parent of a current Mount Holyoke senior, will share her expertise with a
group of MHC seniors in A Women's Guide to Car Care. The one-time workshop
is one of six offerings in January Term's Passport
to Reality series, sponsored
by the College's Office of Student Programs. The series runs January 12–16.
"My father told me, ‘If you're going to own a car, you need
to know something about how it runs, and how to take care of it,'" Mercogliano
recalled. And so, as a young woman, she worked with her father to restore a 1960
VW Beetle. "I think I sanded every square inch of that car, hung over my
Dad's shoulder as he replaced internal parts of the engine, and asked tons
of questions. It took the entire summer to restore the
car. . . but it was all mine, and I was determined to take care of it myself," Mercogliano
said. "It didn't take me long, when I lived on my own, to learn that
auto repairmen think they can take advantage of young women, because ‘they
don't know anything about cars.' Well, they found out how wrong they
were with this woman!"
The Passport to Reality series is designed to help seniors prepare for the realities
of life after college. Consisting of several targeted workshops, the program
will offer practical life skills and valuable information to support a seamless
transition into life after Mount Holyoke.
Through workshops, students will learn how to handle their personal finances,
what "business casual" really means, what to know before signing
an apartment lease, what not to order during a lunchtime job interview, and how
to budget for the expenses that come with living alone—in addition to how
to do an oil change.
The workshops:
A Touch of Class: Dining Etiquette
Presenter: Jesse Lytle, assistant to the president and secretary
of the College
After attending this workshop, you will dine with ease at the most intimidating
interview or formal occasion. Eat lunch at Willits and learn about wise meal
and beverage choices, which fork to use, and why you should stay away from
pasta sauce. Please dress as you would for an interview in your desired field
of employment for this fun and challenging "practice session." You'll
feel ready to make a great impression during mealtime interviews when you walk
out the door.
How to Dress for Success
in the Workplace
Presenter: Azanda Seymour, assistant director of internships,
CDC
This fun workshop is designed to address your questions regarding
acceptable attire within the workplace. Discussion will focus
on the
preferred style of dress within certain industries, including
how much you can expect to spend on a professional wardrobe.
Other topics include: what to wear during the interview and on
the first day of work, what is really considered to be business
casual, what to wear at professional events and outings, and
how your personal style of dress fits into the culture of your
organization.
Home Sweet Home:
Apartment Living After College
Presenter: Jamica Love, acting codirector/housing coordinator,
residential life
Finding a first apartment and moving to a new place can be both
exciting and intimidating. This workshop will offer helpful tips
on making wise apartment and home decisions, what to know about
signing a lease, successful packing and moving strategies, and
how to find your fit in your new community.
A Woman's Guide to Car Care
Presenter: Kay Mercogliano, parent
of an MHC senior
Do you need to find a car but don't know where to start?
Perhaps you already have one, but don't have a clue about
the best ways to keep it running well. Have you ever wondered
what you should do if your car starts "getting all radical" and
making strange noises? Do you ever take your car to have someone
fix it and get the impression that the person may be taking advantage
of you, because you are a woman and presumably don't know
much about cars? Gain some simple commonsense knowledge of how
your car works, what to check, what to do to keep it running
soundly, and how to recognize when you have a problem that needs
attention.
Living on Your Own:
Budgeting, Benefits, and Understanding Your Salary
Presenter: David Machowski,
director of recruiting and employer relations, CDC
Know the difference between a 401k/403b and an ESOP? What profit
sharing is? Are you aware of the variety of benefits and how
they can differ among employers? Does region make a difference
for salary and negotiation? If living on your own for the first
time, do you really know all of the potential expenses ahead
of you? If not, this workshop can be very helpful to you as you
near graduation! Past attendees rave—this is the one workshop
that brings it all home. Understand your financial responsibilities
in order live successfully on your own.
Personal Finance Fundamentals: The Right
Start for Financial Fitness
Presenter: Lili Vasileff '77,
certified financial planner
What's your "money personality"? Are you in
a credit black hole? Need a budget you can stick to? Learn the
essentials of personal finance for women in this two-day workshop.
Participants will learn about the critical need for young women
to exercise financial planning, money "personalities," the
basics of budgeting and saving, the story on credit cards and
credit history, various ways to invest and read the stock market,
and how to maximize savings for special events and retirement.
Our course instructor is an alumna who knows that financial fitness
is vitally important for women and has chosen to present this
workshop to give MHC students the lead they need for financial
success.
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