July 06, 2023
Annual PC in DC program allows students to explore careers in nation’s capital
Ten students journeyed to Washington, D.C., in May as part of the annual PC in DC program. They met alumni, including former Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd ’66, ’83Hon., and learned about careers in politics, law, finance, media, the arts, and healthcare.
“When you hear that Providence College’s alumni network is great, or that ‘Friars help Friars,’ believe it,” said Carl Picerno ’26 (North Providence, Rhode Island), one of 10 students who took part in the program.
PC in DC was facilitated by the college’s Chirico Career Center and Office of Alumni Relations, with financial support from Jeff Conroy ’88, CEO of Embody. Students in the college’s Leadership Fellows Program and those with career interests in political science, law, global studies, and public policy were invited to apply.
During the four-day visit to DC, students toured the Pentagon with Brian Shannon ’93, director, integration, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration, and had breakfast at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission with Suzanne Hayes ’91, assistant director, and Michael Killoy ’10, attorney, mergers and acquisitions.
They visited the National Association of Broadcasters to meet president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt ’00, traveled to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to connect with Hayley McGuirl ’15, assistant manager, marketing, and lunched with Beth Viola ’90, senior policy advisor at Holland & Knight.
Introducing students to law careers during a lunch at Sidley Austin, LLC were Sidley Austin partners Kevin Campion ’94 and Elizabeth Marino ’99, staff attorney Dan Atchue ’14, and Andre Owens ’85, partner at WilmerHale and a member of PC’s Board of Trustees.
The students also dined with JR Cummings ’09, counsel for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and president of PC’s Capital Area Alumni Club, and Sarah Caputo ’12, senior youth engagement manager at Rescue Agency.
They took part in the Capital Area Summer Networking Night, held each year by the Capital Area club. This year’s event was held at Altria, thanks to David Sylvia ’90, senior director, government affairs outreach and programs, and featured two speakers, Major Mike Calcagni ’04, deputy staff director, Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and Nicholas Mikula ’04, senior director, Invariant.
The PC in DC program began in 2018 and resumed in 2022 after a two-year recess during the pandemic.
Students who took part, in addition to Picerno, were:
- Isabel Arnout ’24 (Providence, Rhode Island)
- Gabriel Capella Rios ’25 (Bayamon, Puerto Rico)
- Christina Charie ’25 (Cranston, Rhode Island)
- Jeremy Cumplido ’25 (Central Falls, Rhode Island)
- Antony DiSpena ’24 (Reading, Massachusetts)
- Jazzlyn Goncalves ’25 (Pawtucket, Rhode Island)
- Delilah James ’26 (New York, New York)
- Nahyr Morales Lugo ’24 (Lawrence, Massachusetts)
- Michaela Szymczak ’25 (Melrose, Massachusetts)
They were accompanied to D.C. by Liz Lombard ’18G, associate director of diversity, inclusion, and early engagement in the Chirico Career Center, and Julie Hayes ’95, assistant director of alumni relations.
