As Bishops’ High School students prepare for the 2025 Student Conference and Career Fair, alumni are emphasizing the initiative’s role in equipping young people with knowledge, skills, and mentorship to navigate the future.

The New York Tri-State Chapter of the Bishops’ High School Alumni Association, which announced the launch of the 2025 conference yesterday, said the programme aims to inspire students in fields including technology, business, STEM, arts, and sports.

This year, the conference will place a special focus on artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, reflecting the rapidly evolving career landscape.

Sharon Thomas, current president of the Alumni Association, explained the vision behind the conference:
“This year we are focusing more on what's going on in the world. There's a lot of technology, there's AI, and we wanted to expose the students to that kind of choices in where they can go after they finish high school. We're also looking to keep them motivated by doing team-building exercises. And that's where they learn to work as a community,” she said.

Philip Peroune, past president of the Alumni Association, described the personal inspiration behind the initiative:
“As a chapter, when we were reviewing our agendas, we wanted to find a way how we could give back to the school. Instead of just sending donations, we wanted to do something a little more meaningful. So, a team of alumni members came together, and they had this discussion about doing a student conference,” he said.

This year’s Career Fair will also include students from Christ Church Secondary, Bishops’ High’s sister school. Co-chair Joanne Davis-Vowles said the inclusion allows more students to gain exposure to diverse career opportunities:
“Organizations will showcase their businesses, engage with students, and show the students what career opportunities might be available to them as they leave high school,” she explained.

Headmistress Shandrina Welcome-Lee highlighted the conference’s positive impact on student learning and engagement:
“After the first one, what we saw was a tremendous change in students’ behavior, their attention to schoolwork, their commitment to their studies. The interactions that our students and the teachers have with the old students when they're here for this week is so beneficial… It has helped us tremendously from 2023 to now,” she said.

Janis Davis-Street, co-chair of the planning committee, emphasized the conference’s forward-looking approach:
“The planning theme will be tracking the trends and we will make sure that whatever we present is highly relevant and engaging for the students we engage with,” she said.

The 2025 Bishops’ High School Student Conference and Career Fair, running from October 13 to 17, promises to leave students more confident, informed, and connected with mentors across a range of career paths.