Ten College of Science students visited Coca-Cola’s Atlanta headquarters for the inaugural Summer Science Career Trek organized by College of Sciences Career Educator James Stringfellow and Director of Alumni Relations Leslie Roberts.
“When students connect with those in the corporate world, they can better envision themselves in a professional setting,” says Stringfellow. “Interactions between industry leadership and our students promote internship and full-time employment opportunities and help them expand their networks and gain valuable industry connections. Plus, the benefits go both ways as employers meet talented students from the College of Sciences.”
The event featured a tour of the Coca-Cola campus, panel discussion, and networking session — hosted by Georgia Tech alumni working at Coke. Throughout the morning, the Yellow Jacket alumni shared career advice, job search insights, and personal stories about their career trajectories.
“As a Georgia Tech student, I used to look across the street from the Skiles Building and wonder: what do they do over there at Coke? I could never have imagined one day I’d actually work there as the head of Behavioral Science,” said Cerita Bethea, who earned a master’s degree in engineering psychology from the Institute. “I think it’s critical for those of us in industry to give students exposure to the application of their degrees and help build their network.”
Participating students praised the chance to speak with alumni and learn about working at the beverage giant:
- “It was encouraging to see alumni with biology backgrounds working in different areas outside of the traditional research pathways,” says Yanatan Amsalu, a fourth-year undergraduate majoring in biology.
- “I’m starting the job search process and their advice is extremely helpful. “They provided great information about the importance of networking, particularly with Georgia Tech alumni, and shaping a strong pitch to appeal to industry and recruiters,” adds Mert Duezguen, a fourth-year biomedical engineer.
- “I found it inspiring. It was a great opportunity to speak to alumni, especially women, and hear how they built their careers,” says Wa Yang, a fifth-year chemistry major.
Yellow Jacket alumni panelists included Cerita Bethea, who recently retired from Coke; Anthony Diaz (EAS 2001, MBA 2013), senior director HR Planning and Project Management Office; Allison Maloney (BIO 2015, MBA 2021), director, Bottler Capability Development; and Kelliann Chevalier-Morrisey (BSBA 2015), director, North America Portfolio Strategy and Human Insights. Additional panelists included Fernanda Martins, senior director, Functional Ingredient Platform; and Rachel Odolski, associate flavorist.
Double Jacket Diaz enjoyed the opportunity to connect with current students:
“Meeting the Georgia Tech College of Sciences students was an incredibly rewarding experience. Sharing my journey from Tech to Coke generated lively discussions and hopefully helped open doors to exciting new career paths. It was a joy to see their enthusiasm and to contribute to shaping our future leaders!”
Roberts and Stringfellow look forward to continuing their efforts to give students in-depth and personal experiences with industry leaders — and provide alumni an avenue to engage with the College of Sciences and Georgia Tech. Upcoming events include a Shadow Day where students visit local industry, the annual College of Sciences Student and Alumni Leadership Dinner, and another Career Trek to a global industry leader.
“Yellow Jacket alumni are one of our most valuable and impactful resources,” says Roberts. “Stay tuned for future career/alumni collaborations.”
