Joseph Catrino: Director
Joseph (Joe) Catrino, Director of Career Development, joined Trinity in 2015 as senior associate
director of marketing in the Division of Enrollment and Student Success. He
played a critical role in Trinity’s enrollment success and has fundamentally
transformed the division’s strategies around marketing, outreach, and strategic
communications. In addition, Joe teaches in the first-year seminar program,
taking on an advising load of students, mentoring student interns, and working
to develop Trinity’s new design thinking initiatives.
Prior to joining
Trinity College, Catrino spent nine years at Quinnipiac University. Four and a
half of those years as the assistant dean for career development in the School
of Communications. In this role, he oversaw and managed career development and
career advising for more than 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students in the
School of Communications. During that time, he successfully increased the
student job placement rate from 82% to 92%. One of his key responsibilities was
also to manage and supervise the academic component of the School’s internship
program.
Joe has a long
history of teaching, writing, and serving on professional boards. Since 2007,
he’s taught at Quinnipiac and the University of Hartford. His course topics
range from Social Media to Media Career Development; Personal Branding;
Business and Professional Communication; and Sports, Media, and Society. He
serves on the Board of Directors of the Cooperative Education and Internship
Association (CEIA) as vice president of professional development and previously
held the position of vice president of marketing and communications for two
years and is a frequent presenter at regional and national career-related
conferences. His most recent publication, “A New Approach: How to Prepare
Students to Exceed Expectations in Internships” for the Association for
Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, highlights his passion for
helping students thrive through experiential learning.
Joe holds an MBA
from Quinnipiac University, an M.A. in communication from the University of
Hartford, and a B.A. in history and communications/public relations from Marist
College.
Joseph.Catrino@trincoll.edu
Jett McAlister: Associate Director
“A career development program emphasizing process, lifelong learning, and honest self-reflection enhances the liberal arts experience, empowering students to cultivate competencies they will use throughout their personal and professional lives,” says Associate Director Jett McAlister.
Before coming to Trinity, Jett served as an Assistant Director for Academic Preparation in the Career Advancement office at the University of Chicago. During his tenure at Chicago, Jett designed innovative programs integrating the liberal arts with professional skills valued in the marketplace. He has also worked closely with alumni and employers across a range of industries to develop internship and externship positions, and has led students on site visits to employers in the for-profit, not-for-profit, and government sectors. Before working in career development, Jett taught a variety of courses in writing and literature, both at Chicago and at the University of Virginia.
Jett earned his bachelor's degree in English literature from Rice University, a master of fine arts in creative writing from the University of Virginia, and a master of arts in English language and literature from the University of Chicago. Outside of professional life, Jett has a wide array of interests—he is an avid fan of the arts, an amateur pianist, and an eight-time marathoner.
Jett.McAlister@trincoll.edu
Severn Sandt: Assistant Director, Strategic Partnerships and Outreach
Severn Sandt, Assistant Director for Strategic Partnerships and Outreach, serves as the principal liaison between Career Development and employers from a variety of industries and sectors. In concert with companies and organizations across the nation, she generates internship and full-time opportunities for Trinity students, enabling them to lay strong foundations for their professional lives.
Severn comes to Trinity with over 20 years of experience in journalism and television production. A graduate of Boston University, she joined ABC News as a Production Assistant, advancing to Coordinating Producer on such programs as PrimeTime Live, The Century with Peter Jennings, and Hopkins 24/7. At ESPN/ABC Sports, she moved into finance and operational roles, overseeing teams covering the PGA Tour, the X Games, Thoroughbred horse racing events including the Belmont Stakes and Breeders’ Cup, national and international figure skating championships, and two NFL Super Bowls. She is the winner of two Emmy Awards.
Outside of Trinity, Severn is an outdoor adventure seeker, with rafting the Grand Canyon, kayaking and snorkeling Belize’s Blue Hole, and hiking the Canadian Rockies among her favorite trips to date. Beyond these, listening to the BSO on the lawn at Tanglewood, getting lost in the galleries of the Met , and wandering the paths of Elizabeth Park are some more placid endeavors that bring her great joy.
Severn.Sandt@trincoll.edu