Community
Parenting and Education Blog
The Power of Networking in Delaware and Beyond
Networking is one of the most important ways to discover the jobs that are most worthwhile pursuing and learn from others in your field.
It is a way to make connections that may lead to opportunities in the future or create great professional relationships.
But for many of us, the word "networking" conjures up visions of trying to strike up conversations in a room full of strangers and searching for ways to break the ice. Or, we might feel apprehensive about trying to connect online with people we don't really know and wonder what the etiquette is.
Luckily, networking doesn't have to be awkward or difficult, and here are six tips from Ciara Graves ’16 that might help.
But for many of us, the word "networking" conjures up visions of trying to strike up conversations in a room full of strangers and searching for ways to break the ice. Or, we might feel apprehensive about trying to connect online with people we don't really know and wonder what the etiquette is.
Luckily, networking doesn't have to be awkward or difficult, and here are six tips from Ciara Graves ’16 that might help.
- Do your research. Check out social media platforms (LinkedIn, Facebook) to find connections who work at companies and in industries of interest.
- Don’t be afraid to reach out to those connections and be clear about your intentions, e.g looking for an internship.
- After you connect with someone, check in once in a while. Whether it is a birthday message or congratulating them on a recent promotion, they will appreciate it more than you might think.
- Always be genuine and have good intentions. Connect with people you admire and respect.
- Put yourself in an environment where you can learn more and continue to grow in your field that interests you most.
- It gets easier with practice. You don’t have to be perfect, but if you put in the effort, it will be easier next time. You can even role play with a friend and identify areas that you need to work on.
To hear more from Ciara, listen to her Quaker Matters podcast episode here.
Ciara Graves ’16 graduated from Elon University in 2020 with her B.S. in Music Production and Recording Arts. During her time at Elon, Ciara was a member of the student-run record label called Limelight Records, performed in Elon’s electronic music ensemble called Techtronica, and studied abroad in Germany, Austria, and Hungary for Elon’s “Lives of the Great Composer’s program. Upon her graduation from Elon, Ciara continued her music education and studied Online Music Production at Icon Collective College of Music where she graduated in 2021 and was nominated for 2020 Student of the Year.In July 2021, she began her career at Thrive Music as a Marketing Manager, focusing on social media and audience development strategy. Ciara made an immediate impact as she led the marketing campaigns for the single, “Do it To It (ACRAZE mix)” by ACRAZE. The song, which amassed over 12.2 billion global streams since its release in 2021, has 3.4 million videos created on TikTok using the song and received an award from iHeartRadio for “Best Dance Song of the Year” for 2021. For her outstanding work, Ciara received a gold record in 2022.Ciara was recently promoted and currently serves as the Marketing Director/Social Media & Audience Development Strategy at Thrive Music. When asked to reflect on what she loves most about her work, Ciara states, “What I love the most about my job at Thrive Music is it allows me to work closely with the artists we sign to the label. Being able to play a role in fulfilling an artist’s creative vision is an absolute dream. Each day is not like the last, and I am lucky to spend my days developing creative marketing campaigns and working with some of the artists who I looked up to as a kid.”
Please Note: Our news items are grouped by calendar year.
More News
-
Upper School Students Hear Inspiring Story of Ricky Singh
Read MoreRicky Singh, the first person to summit Mount Everest and complete 50 marathons in 50 states, recently visited the Asian Student Union Club to share how he got into running and the mindset that fueled his journey. -
Upper School Arts Trip to Washington, D.C.
Upper School Power and Performance English classes, International Baccalaureate Higher Level Visual Arts students, Visual Art Majors, and 3D Design students traveled to Washington, D.C., for a research field trip that took them on a cultural odyssey!Read More -
College Case Studies Program
Read MoreThe WFS College Office recently hosted a Case Studies program for juniors and their grownups. Prior to the program, students and adults were given three college applications to read. -
Upper School French Students Perfect Language Skills
Read MoreUpper School French students have been perfecting their language skills in the most delicious ways—French 2 students competed in a Top Chef Crêpes competition, while International Baccalaureate HL French students created a tarte au citron! -
Happy Panda Day 2025!
Happy Panda Day 2025! A new and beloved Lower School tradition on the day before Spring Break, students enjoyed a variety of activities, including visiting with a therapy dog, making special panda bookmarks and bird feeders, buddy reading, practicing Aikido and yoga, and completing several service projects.Read More -
IB Recital
Read MoreTuesday night’s International Baccalaureate recital showcased the talents of IB Music HL1 and HL2 students in an evening of vocal performances. Soprano vocalists Ella Morton ’25 and Piper Roskovensky ’26 presented a program of diverse repertoire featuring contemporary, traditional, and musical theatre selections. -
Middle School French Students Visit Martinique
In February, middle school French students visited Martinique, a French overseas department in the Caribbean.Read More -
First Graders Meet with Elder Buddies
Read MoreFirst graders had a blast spending time and baking with their Elder Buddies! -
IB Science Students Visit University of Delaware
International Baccalaureate chemistry, biology, physics, and computer science students visited the University of Delaware for a collaborative science project.Read More -
WFS Mock Trial Team Finishes Second in Delaware!
Read MoreThe WFS Mock Trial team had an outstanding performance at this year's state competition, finishing second in the state! -
3rd Graders Learn About Balance
Read More3rd grade students explored the concept of balance by working in pairs to create multiple types of sculptures. -
Jazz Band Participates in Improvisation Workshop
Read MoreThe Upper School Jazz Band recently had the opportunity to work with Blayne Salerni in a workshop on improvisation. Mr. Salerni, the band director at Smyrna Middle School, has led jazz improvisation workshops throughout Delaware for middle and high school students, as well as music educators -
Lower Schoolers Learn about Service
Braeden Mannering, the founder of 3B: Brae's Brown Bags, visited our lower school students to share his journey of creating a nonprofit that provides healthy snack bags to those in need. Braeden highlighted the importance of kindness, service, and how even young people can make a big impact in their communities.Read More -
Upper School Students Attend Youth Environmental Summit
Upper school students recently attended Delaware's Youth Environmental Summit (YES!) held at the Chase Riverfront Center.Read More -
Lower School Students Study Important Figures in Black History
This year, WFS lower schoolers were lucky enough to pair their studies of important figures in Black history with a visit from author Lesa Cline-Ransome, who has written many books about important people in Black history. Each class chose a book written by Cline-Ransome for their study. Class posters are currently on display in the lower school lobby!Read More -
6th Grade Students Develop Surveys in IT Literacy Course
As part of their IT Literacy course, 6th grade students are developing and analyzing surveys on topics related to middle school life, learning how to craft effective questions and interpret results.Read More -
Class of 2027 Visits National Museum of African American History and Culture
Read MoreThe Class of 2027 visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture as part of their continuing study of American history. -
Preschool "Informance"
Read MoreAt our preschool "informance," our youngest students showcased their singing, dancing, and instrument playing! -
8th Graders Learn about Constitutional Rights
As part of their unit on the constitution, 8th grade students recently met with Judge Eliza Hirst. Eliza and her colleague Paige Chapman delivered an engaging presentation focused on young people's constitutional rights.Read More -
DISC Championship Results!
The following WFS student-athletes placed amongst the top-three in their respective events/weight classes in the DISC Championships.Read More
1
/
20
101 School Road, Wilmington, DE 19803
302.576.2900 | info@wilmingtonfriends.org
Preschool - 12th Grade
302.576.2900 | info@wilmingtonfriends.org
Preschool - 12th Grade
Statement of Nondiscrimination as to Student Enrollment
Wilmington Friends School admits students of any race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students of these schools. Wilmington Friends School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin in administration of their educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.
