By Keiko Talley
MS Journalism ’16
BU College of Communication

When preparing for the real world, the one phrase that has been etched into my mind is “it’s all about who you know”. It’s a saying that gets old after hearing it for a while, yet it seems to be true in so many ways. One thing that I have learned is that networking is the key to a successful career. One of the perks of going to Boston University is the members or alumni of the school that can help you get a job when you’re ready. The professors are always willing to help and the alumni don’t stay away for too long, as they are always giving back to the place that gave their careers life.

This, as a graduate student starting to look for jobs, gives me hope for my future. I’ve only been here for a few weeks, but it is clear that BU prides itself on creating unique and enjoyable opportunities for students to meet new people and network with alumni and professors, in order to help jump start their career. One of those many opportunities is taking place this weekend at BU’s COM100 Celebrations and Alumni event.

Over the past couple of years, inspirational speeches such as TED Talks, have become a new phenomenon designed to disseminate powerful messages and ideas to the public. The topics of these talks vary anywhere from how to manage your stress to being a model. Interesting people with diverse backgrounds have participated, including Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Malcolm Gladwell and Jane Goodall.

Of course BU’s College of Communication (COM) couldn’t ignore this educational trend, so they have brought the idea to COM, with COM Talks. This Saturday, September 20th, COM alums as well as current professors will prepare 6-10 minute talks on a topic relevant to their field. Speakers include Co-Host of NPR’s Here & Now, Jeremy Hobson, Co-Host of The MOMS on SiriusXM, Denise Albert, 2014 Lawyer of the Year thanks to her dedication and advocacy to fight human trafficking, Cynthia Cordes, Senior VP of HBO, Jay Roewe, motivational speaker and former BU hockey player, Travis Roy, and current professors and authors Richard Lehr and Mitchell Zuckoff.

COM Talks, which is free to the public, will be held on Saturday, September 20th from 3-6 p.m. at the College of Communication in room 101. After the talks, all are welcomed to fun and food on the lawn where you can network with amazing people in various fields doing a variety of different work. OH, AND THERE WILL BE FREE (a grad student’s favorite word) ICE CREAM!!!

So, come listen to interesting, successful people talk about their work and get some great insight on “the real world.” I mean, come on, I think homework can wait while we spend a few hours on our futures and stomachs.