This article written by Neha Tallapragada, grade 12

Career Connect took seven students to the Constellation Connected Enterprise Conference at the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay this week. The conference focused in on the ways that our new world of technology impacts several sectors, from health care to business to sports management.

Harker students were able to hear from panels focusing on the prospect of digital transformation in the business sphere, what to expect from digital privacy laws in the future, how analytics are helping a newer generation of athletes and more. They got the opportunity to hear perspectives from several top professionals in the Bay Area, including Mitra Azizirad, corporate vice president of cloud computing for Microsoft, and David West, a former Golden State Warrior and minority owner of Zoetic Global. 

“My favorite part was connecting with all the people and learning about how I can be mindful about my future … and getting an internship offer!” said Julia Yusupov, grade 10. 

“At Harker it’s difficult to find people who are interested in blockchain,” said Sayon Biswas, grade 12. “I think that has to do with our age; we’re not 100 percent sure about what we’re interested in. So events like these are really crucial for learning more about your interests and meeting new people who can connect you to potential opportunities.”

Upon conversing with Harker students, one professional remarked, “I like to ask Harker students at least one tough question, because I know they’ll have a good answer.” It’s exciting to know that our reputation as bright and intelligent students has made its way across the Bay! 

Overall, the topics of the conference were incredibly topical and eye-opening for our students, and definitely sparked new interests regarding the ways we are starting to use technology and the strategic and moral questions that follow.