Roberta Leonard

Roberta Leonard, Vice President for College Advancement, was the featured speaker at the January 21 Ruth A. Miller Senior Business Seminar. Roberta guided the class through an etiquette dinner, highlighting the dos and don’ts of dining in a business situation. After dinner, she shared a bit about her background followed by a presentation on networking and interviewing skills.

“For class on January 21st, Roberta Leonard joined us to discuss the importance of dining etiquette while also sharing valuable insights on professionalism and career development. She began by providing an overview of her background and the path that led her to Thiel College. Roberta is a graduate of Greenville High School and continued her education at the University of Pittsburgh.” Giovanna Franz ’27

“Roberta explained how she had been a military brat and how moving around a lot gave her the skills to not be scared or nervous about meeting new people and trying new things.” Lorene Byler ’26

“I found it interesting that she originally came to Thiel as a stepping-stone but ended up loving her work here.” Priscilla Ehrensberger ’26

“Roberta explained that she finds fulfillment in her role because she feels she is truly making a difference and contributing to positive change. She emphasized that as long as there is room for improvement and growth, she is motivated to continue her work. Hearing her speak made it clear how passionate she is about her career and the lasting impact she has on both Thiel College and its students.” Giovanna Franz ’27

“Something Roberta continually reinforced was the concept of a ‘Thiel Story.’ While hers started rocky, I think it was interesting and unique that she is now able to share so many. While it is impressive that she has worked at Thiel for twenty-five years, it is more impressive her ability to remember so many alumni.” Kendall McLaughlin ’26

“After she finished with her background, Roberta and Professor Witosky began speaking over a presentation made by Mr. C. William (Bill) King. The presentation covered almost anything a young graduate or upcoming graduate may need to know about entering the workforce and landing a job.” Trey Grazier ’27

“The first slide of the PowerPoint, titled ‘Finding Your Purpose,’ stood out to me the most. While the presentation focused on practical career skills, it also served as a reminder that during this stressful stage of our lives, it is important to remember why we are pursuing our careers in the first place. It reinforced the idea that passion and purpose should guide our professional paths.” Giovanna Franz ’27

“The PowerPoint provided very useful information about starting our careers after college. We reviewed what contributes to your brand, the purpose of a resume, and how and where to network. While discussing resumes, we went over specific details on what to include and what to exclude.” Raegan Nelson ’26

“In this presentation, we learned that finding a job isn’t just an application process; it is a marketing process. They highlighted the importance of building a strong professional brand through resumes, LinkedIn, networking, and communication skills, along with developing high-demand job skills for 2026, such as critical thinking, adaptability, and experience with technology. In their presentation, they stressed that networking is the most effective job search method. They also provided us with practical tools like elevator speeches, interview strategies, and relationship- building techniques to increase career success.” Lindsey Pearce ’27

“Also, learning about the Elevator Speech made me realize I should always be ready to talk about my values. My experience as an international student at Thiel is a big part of my personal brand, and I want to use the flexibility and skills I have gained here to show my strengths in the future.” Eunseo Lee ’26

“The biggest one that stuck out to me was to sell your benefits, not your features, and the question, ‘Why you?’. That question resonated with me and had me thinking for a while about my own benefits and why I am special in comparison to someone else in a similar position.” Trey Grazier ’27

“I have gone to plenty of interviews for small part-time jobs, and I never asked questions, but when I went to interview for my internship at Thiel in the marketing department, Richard Orr asked if I had any questions, and I said ‘no.’ That was the most valuable lesson I ever learned because he then said, ‘Oh no, that’s the number one rule, always have a question to ask.” Priscilla Ehrensberger ’26

“In Korea, many students do not usually use LinkedIn when seeking their first job. They typically rely on resumes and portfolios. However, one of my friends told me that professionals actively use LinkedIn and often provide recommendations through it. I had some awareness of LinkedIn, but this lecture helped me understand its real power. I decided that I should create an account and develop it seriously.” Miyeon Lee ’26

“I never knew there was a proper way to ‘set up’ your LinkedIn. When I first set mine up, I went into it blindly and just thought to put whatever, but now I know what main points to hit on.” Priscilla Ehrensberger ’26

“Roberta also helped me understand how to network and the right ways to go about it because I wasn’t sure how to connect on LinkedIn and what connecting with someone really meant.” Brett Channell ’27

“I learned many things spending the evening with Roberta, but with everything she said, I think the most important thing is to be kind and build connections because you never know when you may need them.” Makenna Oswalt ’26

“As we graduate, some of her advice will be very applicable. As previously mentioned, she emphasized the idea that we will spend most of our lives at work. As such, it is important that we like our co-workers. I can relate to some of the advice she gave on not taking a job if you do not think you will enjoy the people you work with.” Kendall McLaughlin ’26

“Roberta emphasized that making and keeping connections with people is what helps us grow and prosper within our respective fields. One thing that I love about Roberta is how much she cares for every person she meets.” Makenna Oswalt ’26

“I also liked that she and Professor Witosky emphasized that we, too, would one day be sharing our ‘Thiel Story.’ It puts into perspective how little time we spend at college, and how much time we spend in our professional careers.” Kendall McLaughlin ’26

Lessons Learned

“Your purpose is something that you love, something the world needs, something you are good at, and something you can be paid for.” Raegan Nelson ’26
“Employers value transferable and future-ready skills.” Lindsey Pearce ’27
Don’t be scared to be confident in expressing why you deserve a job.” Lorene Byler ’26
“Be your brand” Trey Grazier ’27
“Your resume is not a job description. It is your marketing brochure.” Miyeon Lee ’26
“The elevator pitch is also very important for networking and before the interview.” Brett Channell ’27
“Always overdress for an interview.” Giovanna Franz ’27
“Using STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Results) in an interview.” Priscilla Ehrensberger ’26
“Sell your benefits, not your features.” Miyeon Lee ’26
“Find what makes you different than other applicants; differentiate yourself.” Giovanna Franz ’27
“LinkedIn is a key to connecting and networking.” Preston Lefkowitz ’27
Do not order any sort of pasta at a workplace dinner unless you want to embarrass yourself by trying to wrap two spaghetti noodles around your fork at a time.“ Lindsey Pearce ’27

Dinner “Dishing”

“We had a very delicious spread that included French onion soup, chicken parmesan, and, for dessert, a brownie sundae. I was seated next to Stacy Butera, who took our photos before dinner, and she was a joy to converse with because you could tell she was eager to talk with us as well.” Lorene Byler ’26
“Going to dinner was a very special and educational experience for me. It was my first time formally practicing Western dining etiquette, such as using specific spoons and forks in the correct order. Although I was a bit nervous about the proper sequence, learning these rules made me feel more comfortable in a professional social setting.” Eunseo Lee ’26
“Dinner was a wonderful experience! We had food you should never order while at a business lunch or dinner. I truly believe that the chefs did an amazing job, and I am excited for what will be made for the next dinner.” Raegan Nelson ’26
“I had a great time at dinner and had the opportunity to sit right next to Roberta and hear about her life and pick her brain a little. The food itself was amazing, and by far the best meal I have had here at Thiel.” Trey Grazier ’27