This article was originally published in Kaleidoscope‘s Spring 2025 print edition. It is being published as a separate online article now for easy access.
What does it really take to wear a white coat or stand in front of a judge? To get a glimpse, more than 70 Ward Melville students crowded through typically empty after-school hallways on a Monday in the middle of May — all thanks to the third annual 3V-IAB Career Speaker Series. The event brought three healthcare professionals and four professionals in law to the school cafeteria. There, they shared insights into their professional lives with Ward Melville High School students.
Behind the scenes, the Three Village Industry Advisory Board, often shortened to the “3V-IAB,” coordinated the event. Efforts started in February, and required months of after-school meetups to fully create. Sammy Grzhibek, a member, called it “a cool event to organize,” describing how the team reached out to speakers, confirmed logistics, and handled the details. Board member Gianna Giancaterino led other students in a setup session beginning ninth period to ensure a smooth and informative afternoon.
To create an organized setting, the student-led board set up a divider in the cafeteria, placing law professionals on one side and healthcare speakers on the other. Sophomores Sammy Grzhibek and Jeren Chi moderated the discussions, making sure pre-written questions were covered while encouraging live student questions as well. Faculty advisor Ms. Littman said the goal was to give students “a real picture of what these careers are like, beyond just the highlight reel.” Outside of the scheduled panels, students asked speakers casual questions, ranging from daily routines to what surprised them most about their careers. The result was enlightening to attendees of all backgrounds and interests.
Students considering medicine heard both inspiration and caution. “One of the doctors said you should only go into medicine if you can’t imagine doing anything else,” said Sarah Wu. “That really stuck with me.” Board member Zaina Khan echoed the sentiment, noting the doctors’ honesty about the long hours and emotional demands: “They didn’t sugarcoat it, which made it feel more real.” Just across the divider, students drawn to law were exploring a very different — but equally demanding—professional path.
The law panel offered a broad perspective on legal careers. “I didn’t realize how many types of lawyers there are,” said Caroline Qian. “From litigators to family lawyers — it was more diverse than I expected.” Even students not aiming for law found value. Giancaterino appreciated how candid the attorneys were: “They talked about how demanding it is, but also how you learn to manage and find balance over time.” Hearing how professionals navigated burnout and found fulfillment helped students better understand the long arc of these careers — not just the starting line.
For many, the frankness of the conversations was eye-opening — far different from what’s shown on TV dramas or college brochures. Ms. Littman emphasized how important firsthand exposure can be: “A lot of students choose majors just because they sound impressive, not because they actually know what the career involves.” Events like this help students make better-informed decisions by showing them the realities — both rewarding and tough.
For Chi, the event offered clarity on questions he’d had “for years.” He hopes the school continues hosting it, seeing its potential to help others avoid years of uncertainty. “If even one student walks away thinking, ‘This is the one path I can’t not take,’ then we’ve done our job.” With the success of this event, the Three Village Industry Advisory Board is already exploring new career themes for next season.
