Some followed their dreams. Others changed their minds, abandoned carefully laid plans or discovered opportunities they never imagined. Along the way, they found success, faced setbacks and learned that sometimes the best things in life are entirely unplanned.
On Oct. 2, more than 40 Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School alumni returned to campus with stories to tell – and a message for today’s Dragons: Your future doesn’t have to follow a straight line. And that’s perfectly OK.
For Melissa Bauer ’96 that was one of the most important lessons she hoped to share.
“Life as we know it is very different outside of MW,” she said. “It often does not go to plan and can sometimes feel overwhelming and impossible.” Her advice? “Show up for those experiences with your whole self. Learn the lessons, grow and look forward to the next moments, next iterations, with hope.”
That spirit of possibility was at the heart of Alumni Showcase, one of Maggie Walker’s most beloved traditions. Hosted by the Governor’s School Foundation every other year since 2012, the event brings generations of Dragons together to share candid perspectives on education, careers and life beyond high school.
No Two Paths Alike
This year’s speakers represented an extraordinary range of professions and experiences, from a Harvard professor and Virginia’s Deputy Attorney General for Commerce and Infrastructure to nonprofit leaders, scientists, attorneys, healthcare professionals and military members.
And their journeys were anything but ordinary.
Tracy Jennings ’06 described how studying classics led to a Fulbright Scholarship at Oxford University and ultimately a career in artificial intelligence. Harp Seabring ’16 shared how pursuing unusual jobs and new experiences around the world led to becoming an engineer aboard a replica 17th-century tall ship.
Megan Johnston ’99 entered college planning to become a physician but found a different path through mountain climbing, international travel, nursing and ultimately teaching young people about health and healthy relationships.
Ryan Lucia ’16 left college and went on to launch multiple startups. Amanda Williams ’21, a first-generation college student who worked multiple jobs while attending William & Mary, described applying for 55 positions before landing a job with the Commonwealth and pursuing an employer-funded master’s degree.
Other speakers explored careers in foreign affairs, genetic counseling, renewable energy, financial planning, public service and disaster relief. Their stories reinforced that success can take many forms — and that a change in direction is not a failure.
Gwen Catley ’97 founder of Global Path Admissions Consulting, recalled a conversation with a fellow graduate who questioned whether students would be interested in hearing about a career that hadn’t followed a direct path.
“I totally disagreed,” she said. “I think it’s essential for students to know that it is completely okay to pivot, change your mind, shift gears, start over or even pick up and move to a different continent like I did.
“As overachievers, we might not always be inclined to give ourselves grace on that front.”
Connecting Generations of Dragons
For Erin Ortiz ’06 who returned to MW as the school’s social worker and event co-organizer, that perspective is precisely what makes Alumni Showcase different from a traditional career day.
Students often arrive at Maggie Walker with high expectations for themselves and their futures. Hearing from graduates who have navigated uncertainty, reconsidered their goals and found happiness along unexpected paths can be reassuring.
Ortiz said students were especially engaged this year, with many reaching out afterward to request connections with alumni speakers.
“The whole point is to kind of give kids a variety of perspectives,” she said. Alumni Showcase helps current students see themselves in graduates who once faced similar pressures and questions about their futures.
Throughout the day, students participated in four sessions featuring alumni presentations and conversations. The event began with a welcome breakfast and concluded with a group photograph on the school’s front steps and a thank-you lunch sponsored by TowneBank. It also helped kick off Reunions Weekend.
For returning alumni, the experience offered its own rewards of reconnecting with former teachers, walking familiar hallways and rediscovering the community that helped shape them.
“I came back to present at the Alumni Showcase because it was time,” said Bauer, who was struck by the school’s continued growth and energy. “Our future is fueled by the past making connections in the present. It was time for me to do my part.”
David Calvert ’05 called Alumni Showcase his “absolute favorite day of the year.”
“It’s a day of awe and wonder for some Dragons, as they get to see what life might look like when they leave,” he said. “It’s a day of reassurance and “you’ve got this!” for some Dragons who might be having doubts about their future (and current) selves! And lastly, it’s a day of exploration, where a random placement in the right room at the right time can literally spark the fire within and give them a roadmap to their future.”
In fact, Calvert hopes future events might allow presenters to attend one another’s sessions, offering even more opportunities to network, share experiences and strengthen bonds across graduating classes – particularly valuable to newer alumni.
Ortiz, who previously participated as a speaker, sees Alumni Showcase as a particularly meaningful way for graduates to give back.
“Really sharing your time and connecting with students,” she said, “you cannot put a price tag on that.”