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Members and alumnae of color from Bentley's Coming Full Circle group gather on stage during a panel event
Students, staff and alumnae from Bentley's Coming Full Circle group gather for a career development panel event. Photos by Caleb Gowett.

Alumnae and students from Coming Full Circle, a group for Bentley faculty, staff and students of color, recently came together for an authentic conversation that included valuable career insights on how to navigate barriers and cultivate personal and professional success. The program included an interactive panel discussion and Q&A with Monique D. (Young) Jefferson ’96, chief people officer at Community Preservation Corporation; Yoanna Rodriguez ’19, recruiter at Wellington Management; Nichole Kaba ’21, economic and valuation services associate at KPMG; and Estefani Orellana ’17, owner of Estefani’s Restaurant (with a second restaurant scheduled to open in 2024). The group shared their professional journeys and individual experiences.  

“It was very inspiring and motivating to hear from successful women of color in a variety of fields,” says Isabel Zica ’25, a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion major with a minor in Gender and Sexuality Studies. “Nichole Kaba brought a very important perspective on prioritizing your mental health when you begin your job post-graduation. I also thought Estefani Orellana kept it real and made her story relatable when talking about how she got into entrepreneurship to make her passion for food and entertainment into a career by opening a restaurant with an in-house DJ and performers.” 

Women of color panelists on stage at Bentley Coming Full Circle event

Dayana Gamboni ’24, a Marketing major with a minor in Psychology, found similar inspiration. “Listening to the four successful alumni and their path through their careers gave me a sense of motivation to go above and beyond even when the odds are against me. Given that there isn’t a universal route to success, every woman on the panel thrives in diverse industries and has navigated unique journeys to get to where they are. Although the panelists did not align with my specific career path, I took a piece of each of their stories that I can apply in my future as a woman of color in business.”

Bentley students and alumni networking during a women of color panel event hosted by Bentley Coming Full Circle
Bentley students and alumni networking during a women of color panel event hosted by Bentley Coming Full Circle
Bentley students and alumni networking during a women of color panel event hosted by Bentley Coming Full Circle

It was a message of self-advocacy that resonated with Management major Biana Matias ’27: “I liked Monique Jefferson’s saying ‘closed mouths don’t get fed.’ It spoke to me because it shows everyone that speaking up is a very valuable aspect to have in the work industry — and in anything really — and it showed me that we are our own advocates.” 

Judaea Whittingham ’24, a Computer Information Systems (CIS) major with a minor in Marketing, shares, “I learned about the importance of having a mentor — and not just a financial mentor, but a life mentor, a marriage mentor, a work mentor and any other one deemed necessary.” 

The audience listens to w0men of color panelists at program sponsored by Bentley Coming Full Circle

Being surrounded by mentors had an impact on Namratha Metra ’24, who helped plan the event with fellow Coming Full Circle e-board members Gamboni, Matias, Whittingham, Zica and others. 

“It was inspiring to hear all the stories of the panelists, as all four of them had such unique career journeys, but all started in the same place: Bentley,” says Metra, an Economics-Finance major with a minor in Law and CIS. “I know that they touched so many girls who attended and we were honored to be in the presence of such successful women of color.”

Coming Full Circle is funded and managed by the Bentley Multicultural Center.

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