Pathways to Purpose: Shaping Careers with Impact

Pathways to Purpose: Shaping Careers with Impact is an empowering summit designed to help Scholars navigate their career journey with clarity and confidence. Through engaging keynote sessions, interactive workshops, and a dynamic panel, participants will explore how to build leadership skills, effectively search for jobs and internships, and integrate AI into their academic and professional lives. Scholars will gain practical tools to strengthen their applications, sharpen their networking skills, and prepare for tech-integrated roles across industries. With added experiences like professional headshots and access to free career-ready attire, this summit offers both inspiration and tangible support. The event also emphasizes the importance of personal branding and showing up with confidence in any professional setting.

Scholar Summit Focus 2025

1. Purpose-Driven Career Planning: Scholars will gain clarity on their personal and professional goals, explore diverse career pathways, and develop actionable plans to transition confidently from campus to career.

2. Essential Tools for Career Readiness: Through breakout sessions and hands-on workshops, attendees will strengthen key skills in leadership, job search strategy, networking, and effective use of AI and technology in academic and professional spaces.

3. Professional Identity and Industry Exposure: From headshots and curated professional clothing to guidance on industry-specific expectations and tech-integrated roles, the summit will help scholars show up with confidence, authenticity, and readiness to thrive in any workplace.

Keynote Speaker

Alfonso Guzman,

Managing Director, JPMorgan Chase

  • “In my 15+ years in the financial services sector, I have directed growth strategies, led large regional teams, and served as a dedicated and recognized champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion. At JPMorgan Chase, I currently head up our branch expansion efforts in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia, bringing our consumer banking services to new and under-resourced communities. I previously led our wealth management division in the Silicon Valley and Northern California markets, driving growth through a customer-first approach to private client engagement. I came to JPMorgan Chase from Bank of America, where I trained our sales force on effective communication and relationship management to establish authentic, empathetic connections and meet our clients’ financial goals.

    Raised by Mexican parents in the Los Angeles area, I am a leader in the Latino community and a vocal advocate of advancing diversity and expanding opportunity, access, and equity within the banking industry. I currently serve on the Board of the Latin American Youth Center in Washington, DC, and am the executive sponsor of JPMorgan Chase’s Hispanic employee resource group in the Mid-Atlantic region. Based on my current work with diverse communities, I was recently selected as the firm’s Diversity Lead Executive for the Greater DC region” .

Crafting Your Path to Success

This Year’s Speakers

Amma Felix,

President and CEO of Collegiate Directions, Inc.

  • Amma Felix joined Collegiate Directions, Inc. (CDI) in September 2017. She leads CDI's mission to close the educational opportunity gap for first-generation, low-income high school students by: providing academic and wrap-around support services to Scholars to ensure that they achieve college graduation and smooth transition into careers; and providing consulting services to high schools to support their efforts to advise students on finding their best-fit college option. Mrs. Felix also raises funds to support and sustain CDI and refines the business model to increase its footprint and deepen its impact. She works with the Board of Directors to set strategy and refine organizational priorities. Mrs. Felix sets the vision and leads the operations to execute against goals. She also positions CDI as a thought leader in the field of college access and completion.

    Mrs. Felix previously worked at the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) from 2012-2017. At UNCF, she was the Vice President, Strategy and Secretary of the Corporation for three years, having been promoted from the Chief of Staff position. During her tenure, she led the development and implementation of UNCF’s short- and long-term strategic priorities and change management processes. She also led the business planning process for the 25 fundraising offices. Mrs. Felix provided strategic leadership for the program development of UNCF’s $50 million Career Pathways Initiative, a college-to-career program. In her role as board secretary, she worked closely with the 43-member Board of Directors to facilitate the work of its eight committees that meet three times a year. She also directly managed the work of the board strategy and executive committees. Mrs. Felix also worked with the network of presidents of 37 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) on major initiatives including federal higher education policy and capacity building.

    Previously, Mrs. Felix was vice president for strategy management for the Abyssinian Development Corporation (ADC) where she led the strategy, research, evaluation and evidence-based program planning efforts in the organization. An executive team member, she provided managerial support for a 100-person staff with a $9.4 million operating budget. At ADC, she raised $2.5 million and wrote their award-winning 2010 U.S. Department of Education Promise Neighborhood planning grant. Prior to that she served as director of capacity building and special programs at the New York City office of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, responsible for organizational development work and capacity-building grant-making activity. She managed a $1.05 million capacity-building initiative serving more than 40 community development groups across New York City. In previous positions, Mrs. Felix worked at the United Way of Central New York, managing its capacity-building initiatives, and at the Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services in Manhattan as the program operations administrator, ensuring compliance with performance-based contracts and managing a program restructuring effort that included a youth development-oriented service delivery model. Mrs. Felix also served as an adjunct lecturer at City University of New York/Baruch College’s School of Public Affairs, where she taught public and nonprofit management to graduate students.

    Mrs. Felix holds a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University, a master’s degree from Cornell University and a master’s degree in public administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse. She is an active Diamond Life member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Mrs. Felix currently serves as a member of the Syracuse University Maxwell School Advisory Board.

Codeswitching: Adapting Communication For success in Various Settings

Rachael Chestnut,

Founder/Owner of The Play Nice Agency

  • Rachael is passionate storyteller, writer, and creative marketing and branding professional with over a decade of experience working with Fortune 500 companies and small to mid-size businesses to create human-centric brands that speak to cultural moments of transition. She is the Founder and CEO of The Play Nice Agency, a DMV based marketing and branding agency that serves a diverse client portfolio around the globe.

    Rachael has been featured in Northern Virginia Magazine as one of the country’s leading marketing industry disruptors, challenging brands to break convention to speak to a new generation of consumers. She’s also been featured by Rebecca Minkoff’s fashion brand, coined as an “inherently rebellious industry leader who is disrupting the status quo.”

    Rachael’s driving mantra as a marketing industry leader is “innovate or die,” leading with an unwavering commitment to drive positive societal transformation by challenging brands to break convention, serve as Agents of Social Change, and actively support the people and communities that they represent.

Building and Enhancing Your Professional Brand

Annie Jihyo Park,

Owner of Sarah's Handmade Ice Cream

  • A former CDI Scholar (2009), Annie Jihyo Park graduated from Boston College (2013) and joined Teach For America for the Baltimore City Public Schools where she taught ESL for elementary students. As an immigrant raised by a single mother, Annie saw herself in her students and was determined to enrich their lives. She founded a musical instrument access and lessons outreach program that was adopted into the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s OrchKids program. After earning her M.S. in Educational Studies at Johns Hopkins University, she received an Ed.M. in Policy and Management at Harvard University.

    In early 2019, Annie’s mother, Sarah, called Annie for help when she decided to open a small ice cream shop in her Bethesda neighborhood. What began as a temporary endeavor turned into a full-time commitment as Annie recognized the immense potential for growth.

    Under Annie’s leadership, Sarah’s Handmade Ice Cream rapidly expanded, with two locations in Bethesda and a third shop scheduled to open in late 2023.

    The brand is celebrated for its 40 daily- and site-made flavors crafted from all-natural, high-quality ingredients. However, what sets Sarah’s Handmade apart is its strong emphasis on mentorship for all employees and a steadfast commitment to community giving. The brand has not only become popular, but has also earned accolades for its dedication to making a positive impact on the community.

Entrepreneurship 101: From Idea to Execution

Regina Robinson, M.Ed, CWDP,

Director of Career Support at A Wider Circle

  • Regina Robinson's career spans over 3 decades in the human service field starting out as a drug recovery counselor, social worker, workforce development professional, career counselor and program administrator in both the public and nonprofit sectors. She is currently the Director of Career Support at A Wider Circle located in Silver Spring Maryland and Southeast DC where she has served since 2021. Prior to her current role, Regina served nearly 9 years as Program Manager at the Department of Employment

    Services in the District of Columbia, 10 years as the Assistant Director of a WorkSource Center at the Los Angeles Urban League and an Adjunct Counselor at Rio Hondo and LA Trade Technical Colleges in Southern California.

    Regina successfully completed the e-co Leadership coach training program at George Washington University in August 2023. Her specialty areas include work life balance, capacity building and facing life transitions. She offers a judgment-free and supportive space to partner with clients through the process of self discovery, exploration and experimentation. Her guiding principles are rooted in building trust, giving

    the client full agency to find solutions to their challenges through powerful inquiry, reflection, imagery and reframing self-defeating thought patterns.

    The most gratifying part of this passion work is building collaborative partnerships with the client and witnessing them uncover their inner resources, gain new and healthier perspectives and envision a life that best serves self, their family and community.

    Regina’s primary life assignments are balancing motherhood of 2 adult children and one teenager, nurturing her extended family and helping to improve the lives of her neighbors in the larger community.

    She’s an avid walker, gym junkie, dog lover and a music enthusiast.

Mastering the Art of Interview Preparation

Agenda

  • Join us for a morning networking session over breakfast, where you can also get professional headshots taken. Sign up for a slot to enhance your professional profile with a high-quality photo. Slots are limited and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, so be sure to register early to secure your spot. Don’t miss this opportunity!

  • This session will empower you to see yourself as a leader now, not later, and show how confidence, initiative, and growth mindset can shape your journey.

    By the end of this session, scholars will be able to:

    • Recognize leadership qualities that employers value in early-career professionals.

    • Understand how to develop and demonstrate leadership through school, internships, and service.

    • Gain motivation from a real-life leadership journey and apply key takeaways to their own goals.

    • Reflect on their unique strengths and how to position them during job and internship interviews.

  • This is a break for scholars to walk over to the breakout sessions and grab some snacks and or any bathroom breaks.

  • Landing the Opportunity: Internship & Job Search Strategies for Students and Recent Grads

    Searching for internships or jobs after college can feel frustrating especially when you’re not hearing back. This session will provide students and recent grads with practical tools to find opportunities, strengthen applications, and build a strong network. We’ll also discuss how to stay motivated and resilient through rejections and delays, helping you move forward with confidence.

    Learning Objectives

    By the end of this session, scholars will be able to:

    • Identify effective strategies for finding internships and entry-level job opportunities.

    • Understand how to tailor a resume and cover letter for specific roles.

    • Learn the importance of networking and how to leverage campus resources, LinkedIn, and alumni connections.

    • Develop techniques for staying positive and resilient during the job search, especially when facing rejection or delays in hearing back.

    • Create a simple action plan to stay organized, motivated, and focused on long-term career goals.

    How to Effectively Use AI in Career

    Learning Objectives:

    • Develop the awareness and understanding that one's subsequent step post-education does not always necessitate an immediate commitment to a specific career path.

    • Gain an in-depth understanding of the various post-undergraduate school options available.

    • Explore the value and relevance of obtaining certificates during the transitional phase from college to a career.

    • Develop informed decision-making skills to choose the most suitable option based on individual goals and aspirations.

  • Connect with fellow scholars and professionals to form meaningful relationships. Discover our Career Closet, where you can select professional attire and accessories to enhance your career journey.

  • Your outfit is often part of your first impression and knowing what’s expected in different industries can boost your confidence during interviews and internships. This session, in partnership with A Wider Circle and My Career Closet, explores how clothing choices can reflect professionalism in various settings, from nonprofits to corporate offices to creative roles. The goal isn’t to change who you are but rather it’s to help you feel prepared and empowered to show up as your best self. After the session, you’ll have the chance to browse a curated collection of free professional clothing to help you build a wardrobe that works for you.

    Learning Objectives:

    By the end of this session, Scholars will be able to:

    • Understand how clothing can support confidence and communication in professional settings.

    • Explore how dress expectations may differ across industries and company cultures.

    • Identify ways to express individuality while aligning with professional norms.

    • Select clothing from the curated collection that supports their personal career goals and needs.

  • You don’t have to be a coder or major in computer science to have a future in tech. In fact, there’s an IT angle in almost every field from healthcare and nonprofits to media, design, and beyond. This panel will break down the real-world roles in IT that aren’t always covered in the classroom and help you see how your degree, interests, and background can lead to exciting careers with a tech twist. You’ll hear from professionals across industries who’ve used IT to make an impact in surprising ways.

    Learning Objectives:

    By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

    • Recognize how IT skills and roles show up in various industries, including health, nonprofit, and creative sectors.

    • Learn about different, lesser-known IT-related career paths beyond traditional tech jobs.

    • Understand how to leverage their current field of study in roles that include technology or data.

    • Gain insight into how to prepare for tech-integrated roles, even without a technical major.

  • We're excited to announce that we'll Wrap up the day, share your takeaways, and celebrate with prize giveaways