“I am so proud of our alumni, especially our young alumni, for the excellent career opportunities they are securing,” said MUW President Dr. Claudia A. Limbert. “Not only are they doing well for themselves, but they are setting an outstanding example for our current and future students.”

Megan Hoag, a 2002 culinary arts graduate, is employed as a consumer food assistant with Kraft Foods in Chicago where she writes recipes and package directions, advises photo shoots and serves as a food professional for brands such as A.1. Steak Sauce, Bull’s Eye and Kraft salad dressings.

Hoag said The W was instrumental in getting her to where she is in her career.

“The W was the best school to prepare me for my career,” she said. “With the help of the culinary arts professors and staff, I obtained an internship with Kraft during my sophomore year, which ultimately lead to my full-time position.”

A 1992 broadcast journalism graduate, Mark Largent is a graphic designer for the design studio of a large printer in Dallas, where he primarily designs “point of sale” pieces for Coca-Cola.

He said probably the highest profile piece he has designed is a poster and campaign for a Coca-Cola production with the San Diego Chargers. His newest assignment is to create a series of more than 100 illustrations for kindergarten textbooks.

He also has done some freelance work for Lowe’s, been involved in a couple of animated projects through ad agencies, briefly ran a business designing websites and has self-published three comic books with fellow alumni Mark McCrary (`90).

“I credit many of the faculty for helping to push myself and giving me the opportunities I probably wouldn’t have gotten at a larger school, most especially the opportunities I had at The Spectator (university newspaper) and the radio station,” he said.

Regan Challinor, a 1994 graduate with a degree in microbiology and a minor in chemistry, is a genetic counselor at Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, making her one of only five in her state.

As a genetic counselor, she counsels families with high risk pregnancies, coordinates a pediatric clinic for children who are suspected to have an underlying genetic condition and works with families who have strong family histories of cancer to provide a cancer risk genetic assessment and counseling.

“As I made the decision not to go to medical school, Ms. (Nora) Howell presented me with information on genetic counseling and knew that would be a good fit for me,” she said. “I immediately knew that was the path I wanted to follow, but may never have known about it had she not been aware of it and presented it as an option. It was thanks to her and the encouragement and support of other faculty that led me to where I am in my career.”

One of several W graduates working in Mississippi Gov. Ronnie Musgrove’s office, Shanta Elizenberry Davis, class of 1993, serves as policy and planning coordinator.

She began working in the Governor’s Office in October 2000 as scheduling coordinator. In her current position, she is responsible for processing the paperwork for the governor’s policies in education, health and economic development and coordinating special events, such as the upcoming Mississippi Women’s Conference 2003.

Davis said that she learned a lot at The W that prepared her for her current position. She said she particularly appreciates her professors who “helped me develop, plan and work my dream to be successful.”

After graduating from The W in 1995 with a degree in social sciences, Julie Hussey received a J.D. from the University of Alabama and now is an attorney at Watkins & Eager in Jackson, the oldest law firm in the state (1895), where she does trial work primarily in the areas of automotive defense litigation, medical malpractice defense and products liability.

Hussey believes that the examples set before her by W professors and graduates were a good influence for her.

“Seeing female professors who had accomplished amazing things in their careers and having successful alums come back to homecoming with such enthusiasm about The W and about their careers provided a great series of role models as well as networking opportunities,” Hussey said. “The network of W grads never ceases to amaze me. We are everywhere, and we are consistently willing to help one another as well as the school.”

Joey Vallarian, a 1993 graduate, is using his journalism/public relations degree as the communications manager for the Pittsburgh Public Theater in Pittsburgh, Penn.

He said one of the best parts of his job is getting to meet famous actors, including Marlo Thomas, F. Murray Abraham, Tom Atkins, Juliet Landau, Phil Donahue and Bob Newhart.

He gives The W credit for laying the foundation for the successful career he is now enjoying.