Women’s Summit Alumnae Share Secrets of Success

Seven years into her broadcasting career, Sapna (Sklyer) Srivastava ’04 (Journalism) had an “Aha moment.”  After winning three radio awards, Srivastava began to see herself not as a struggling young journalist, but a capable professional who learned from her mistakes and acquired the skills she needed to succeed.   Her self-confidence bolstered by the industry recognition, Srivastava thought, “I might be good at this.”

Having faith in one’s ability to learn and grow was a key message of the March 1 Women’s Leadership Summit, which brought alumnae and thought leaders to campus to share professional advice, answer student questions and empower the next generation of New Paltz graduates.

Srivastava, now a news anchor for NBC 2, joined fellow alumnae Luz Avila-Kyncl ’96 (Psychology), Jessica Gardner ’00 (Journalism) and Debbie Lesperance ’96 (Black Studies) at an afternoon breakout session for College of Liberal Arts & Sciences students.  Nancy Johnson, a professor of English, co-moderated the event with Hannah Phillips, a student in the English master’s program.

Gardner, a former journalist for the Times Herald-Record, honed her marketing skills at three Hudson Valley companies before founding her own full-service marketing firm, Media Solstice Marketing and PR.  Gardner championed the value of a strong work ethic and advised students to strive for continuous self-improvement.  “Don’t focus on what you don’t know,” Gardner urged. “It’s fine to be just where you are while you fight to make it better. … When in doubt, put your head down and get to work.”

Lesperance transitioned to higher education administration after working for two years with at-risk youth. She sought to become an admissions director, and quickly moved up the administrative ladder.  Now the director of admissions at Columbia School of Social Work, Lesperance advised students to set goals, “communicate to the person in the role you want to be in in the next few years and follow up with professional development opportunities.”

All of the panelists stressed the importance of having a professional mentor.  Avila-Kyncl, a self-employed nutrition coach and wellness counselor, took it a step further, advising students to find three.  “Look for someone 10 years behind you, someone at the same level, and 10 years ahead of you,” said Avila-Kyncl, who remains in touch with her college mentor while she herself mentors others seeking career guidance.

Beyond modeling success and offering inspiration, the alumnae shared several concrete tips for students seeking a leg up in the job market.  Students should scrub their social media to present a professional image to potential employers, network with people in their fields of interest, take advantage of internships and join professional organizations.

And how can women succeed in male-dominated fields?  Lesperance recommended having “tough skin” and recognizing that a woman’s role in an office is not “for everyone to like [her].”

Gardner urged women to not think in terms of limitation, then changed the conversation.   She cautioned the mostly female audience to resist envying other women’s success.  “Someone else’s success is not your failure,” she said. “Someone has walked a path that you can now follow.”

The Women’s Leadership Summit was presented by the SUNY New Paltz Foundation.  For speaker profiles and other information, visit the summit’s website.