When Dave Solloway looked across the Talley Student Union’s Mountains Ballroom on Oct. 5, he didn’t see the usual transactional shuffle of a college career fair. Instead, alumni, corporate leaders and students gathered for three hours of conversation about real industry challenges, career shifts and AI.
Organized by the Poole Career Center team and led by Solloway, associate director of working professional careers, the annual Sales & Marketing Symposium traded fast elevator pitches for in-depth conversations. Sponsored by Lenovo and Sonic Automotive with support from BMC, the event paired academic tracks directly with advice from working professionals.
“Our core vision was to move beyond standard info-sharing,” Solloway said. “Seeing so many alumni, employer partners and industry leaders set aside three hours after a long workday to mentor our students showed what makes this community work.”
Setting the Stage
The Career Center team skipped rigid booth setups and built the night around natural conversation points: check-in at 5:30 p.m., back-to-back panel discussions at 6 p.m., and informal networking over refreshments to wrap up the evening.
“One student told me they skipped the main career fair because it felt overwhelming, but this format actually built their confidence,” Solloway said.
Marketing: Curiosity in the Age of AI
Senior Lydia Ferguson, president of NC State’s American Marketing Association (AMA) chapter, moderated the marketing panel. Speakers Shelley Kelly, founder and principal of Elevar; Kaycee McAdams, senior director of marketing and strategy operations at Bandwidth; and Lisa Hobbs, vice president of sales at Curtis Media Group, explored how AI tools are changing daily operations.
For MBA student Molly Thompson, the takeaway was simple: core human traits still matter most.
“Kaycee McAdams said curiosity and problem-solving are the two biggest attributes to have right now,” Thompson said. “Tools change, but being curious and willing to solve problems on your own stays useful.”
McAdams also shared a story about seeing a CEO empty the office trash cans, which stuck with Ferguson as she prepares to enter the workforce.
“It reminded me that no job is beneath you,” Ferguson said. “Regardless of your title, you have to be willing to step in and do the work.”
Patrice Nealon, professor of practice in marketing, followed up by outlining Poole’s marketing programs, including the Master of Management in Marketing Analytics and the top-ranked AMA chapter. She pointed to growing roles like marketing operations, search optimization and consumer analytics.
Sales: Real Advice, No Sales Pitch
Across the room, junior Caitlyn Muniz, president of the NC State Sales Club, led the sales panel with Cheo Johnson, executive director at Lenovo; David Green, vice president of human capital management at Sonic Automotive; and Drew Bullock, regional sales manager at Valtir.
Muniz asked the panelists about common mistakes new hires make, landing on a piece of advice that redefined how she views professional interactions.
“One panelist told us, ‘Talk to everyone like they’re the person who will close your deal,’” Muniz said. “It sounds obvious, but people forget it when they start out.”
Tom Byrnes, professor of practice in marketing, then detailed Poole’s sales options, including the four-course Sales Excellence Certificate and collegiate competition teams. He also talked about starting roles like sales development reps, territory managers and client success associates across tech, automotive and life sciences.
Breaking the Ice
“I talked with Camille at NetApp, and she pushed me to look at roles I assumed I wasn’t qualified for,” Fontes said. “Her point was simple: don’t count yourself out before you even apply. Learn from mistakes and keep going.”
“Seeing so many alumni, employer partners and industry leaders set aside three hours after a long workday to mentor our students showed what makes this community work.”
Other students spent the final hour asking speakers about everyday workplace realities, entry-level rotational programs and career options abroad.
“Networking events can be stiff, but nobody felt closed-off here,” Thompson said. “You could walk up to any circle and join right in.”
What’s Next
Post-event surveys showed students left with concrete career steps and new contact information, while industry guests pointed out how prepared the students were.
For Solloway and the Career Center team, supported by Premier Platinum Sponsors Enterprise Mobility, Lowe’s and Sonic Automotive, alongside Gold Sponsors First Citizens Bank, NetApp and Toshiba, the event serves as a framework for upcoming programming.
“We want employers plugging into everything we do,” Solloway said, “whether that’s through panel nights, mentorship programs, classroom visits or informal coffee chats.”
