Dozens of Presbyterian College alumni returned to their alma mater on March 26 for the ninth annual Mocktails and Mingling event, a networking evening aimed at connecting current students with graduates and helping students build professional communication skills.
Held at the Springs Campus Center and sponsored by the college’s Office of Career and Professional Development, the event featured refreshments, conversation, and an opportunity for students to practice networking in a supportive environment.
Building Confidence, Easing Anxiety
“This is about addressing that anxiety students feel when they start thinking about their careers,” said Lynn Downie, associate director of career and professional development and a 1985 graduate of PC. “We design this event to allow students to build conversational skills, to hear stories from those who went before them, and to come away with new confidence.”
Students dressed in professional attire—many using clothing provided by the college’s Tartan Threads program—and engaged in guided conversations with alumni from a variety of fields.
Students Take the Lead
“Networking is really important with just everyday life,” said Morvens Saint Jean, a junior in the Class of 2026. “You don’t get anywhere in this world without connections and people-to-people talking. This is a great way to hone my talking skills, public speaking, and being able to connect with different people.”
For sophomore Alyssa Mahan, the event was a chance to look toward the future. “To build those relationships and get the opportunities to talk to people and have those connections for the future,” she said.
Alumni Return to Give Back
The evening featured alumni spanning multiple generations, from recent graduates to members of the Class of 1969.
Carlton Manley, a personal packaging professional and longtime PC supporter, said he attends regularly. “I met my wife here, and all three of my children went here,” Manley said. “We live close, so I’m here a lot—15 times a year probably, for one thing or another.”
Manley, who lives in Simpsonville, said he received a general alumni email and made the short trip back to campus. “I’m on the Scotsman Club Council, and we’re supposed to pick an area we’re interested in giving back to the school,” he said. “I put career development. That was the one that seemed most suitable for me.”
Paying It Forward
For other alumni, the event offered a chance to give back in a way that didn’t require deep pockets.
“One recent graduate mentioned that he loves having a way to begin giving back to the school while he’s young and hasn’t built up the financial means to make large financial contributions,” Downie said. “To a person, all of the alumni were impressed with the students they met.”
One recent graduate, Harper Hudson, Class of 2018, said she participates now to help students feel more comfortable than she once did.
“Networking wasn’t always my strong suit in college,” Hudson said. “I saw these opportunities and ran from them like a plague. So, if I can try to make it a welcoming event, I’m going to do that.”
Tradition and Mentorship
For Joe Wideman, an attorney based in Columbia and a 2013 graduate, returning to PC is a matter of tradition and pride.
“Coming back to PC to talk to the students here is something that people did when I was here,” Wideman said. “Since I’ve graduated, I’ve tried my best to stay connected. If I can give them any advice or help them along their journey, that just means the world to me.”
Campus-Wide Collaboration
The event has grown over the years into a key moment in the college’s calendar, thanks in part to collaboration across departments and programs.
“I do want to say that helping our students to make important professional connections is a shared responsibility with campus partners like faculty and staff, especially the athletic coaches,” said Kim Lane, associate dean of career and professional development. “A big shout out to coaches Mark Cody and Brian Vutianitis from men’s and women’s wrestling for instilling in their teams that academics and career development are important for post-graduation success.”
According to Lane, many team members have participated in career coaching and used Tartan Threads to prepare for the evening.
A Shared Journey
Ultimately, the event aims to show students that they are not alone in the uncertainty they face as they prepare for life beyond PC.
“As little children, we’re familiar with the question, ‘What do you want to do when you grow up?’” Downie said. “But as we age, we realize how much we don’t know about our own future. Fear of the unknown is perhaps the most common fear—and when college rolls around, it all bubbles to the surface.”
Through events like Mocktails and Mingling, Presbyterian College hopes to ease those fears with community, conversation, and confidence.
