Article by Phoenix writer Victoria Vakser ’26:
Fresh out of college and already influencing students: On November 12th, KMHS Class of 2019 alum Reagan Mullaly gave a talk to the students of the Business and Finance Club. Ms. Mullaly, a marketing major who graduated St. John’s University just two years ago, has been going far with her career and took the opportunity to reach out to help the next generation of Firebirds go far with theirs.
With a vast array of knowledge gained from St. John’s on business, finance and marketing, Reagan was able to connect with students and give them advice on the best path to take in their journey to becoming entrepreneurs. She shared her story of landing a marketing job at a private golf club, and how the skills she gained from Kellenberg and put to use at St. John’s helped her attain it.
When planning this talk, she wanted to make it as enriching and personal to each student as possible. She shared, “I didn’t want to focus as much on what my job is as how I got there.” Indeed, she offered valuable insights from her own experience in the ins and outs of establishing a good career, from constructing a resume to conducting oneself in the workroom. She placed an especially heavy emphasis on professionalism and communication. “From writing an email to conducting an interview to even getting up here and talking to you like I am today, the way you express yourself is so important,” she asserted. “The way you talk, the way you dress, the way you greet someone, all speak of the kind of person you are.” And she would know— she has a degree in marketing to prove it!
When asked what the best piece of advice she could give to students trying to find what they want to do, she replied, “Learn how to interview well. Learn how to talk to people of all kinds of backgrounds and ages. And then, think about what kind of workday you would like. A nine-to-five? A changing environment? Start from there!”
The attendees proved to be a mix of seasoned Business and Finance Club members and new students interested in the opportunity to hear Ms. Mullaly. Freshman Callum Stevenson commented, “I heard there was going to be a talk on business and finance, and I’ve been thinking of that as a potential career range, so I decided to come. And I’m so glad I did!”
Mrs. York, the head of the Business and Finance Club, found the talk just as beneficial as the students did. She said, “These talks are so inspiring because they are so real-world. We can talk about the real world in the classroom but it’s different bringing someone like Reagan Mullaly in.
Ms. Mullaly offered herself to give this talk. She explained, “I love Kellenberg, and I still try to get involved in it as much as possible. When I was at Kellenberg, there were lots of talks like there are today, and I wanted to do the same to motivate the next generation of businessmen and businesswomen.” Kellenberg is blessed to have alumni like Reagan Mullaly who keep giving back to the Firebird community.
