When Darlene Llewellyn-Konecny first attended Centennial College for accounting in the 1980s, she did so because of the college’s proximity to her home. When, nearly 30 years later, she returned for the part-time Fundraising certificate offering, she did so because Centennial felt like home. Today, as she mentors Business School students, it’s because Darlene understands the importance of fostering the connections to lifelong learning from which her career has benefitted.
“I want students to understand that they won’t stop learning the day they graduate,” says Darlene, who, with her husband, owns an IT consulting firm that also offers services such as documentation, bookkeeping, office management, project management. “Their Centennial credential is the first step in a long career. Even after graduating in 1985 and then returning to Centennial in 2012, I’m still taking courses and getting more certifications. It’s a lifelong process.”
With a career in business that spans more than 35 years, Darlene still finds herself turning back to the skills she gained at Centennial College. In addition to employing her accounting knowledge as a certified bookkeeper to help companies understand accounting, Darlene has discovered surprising uses for the skills she gained in the Fundraising certificate.
“I took the Fundraising program to be a better leader at a charity where I was volunteering,” says Darlene, whose portfolio includes mainly smaller businesses with 100 or less employees who turn to Konecny Consulting to complete roles for which they may not be able to hire full time. “But even when I write reports today, I think back to how that program taught me to write reports that are compelling. Fundraising knowledge also plays a role in the power of business because in fundraising you are trying to raise awareness for a cause and in business those skills can be transferred to promoting yourself.”
A few years ago, Darlene’s Centennial College experience came full circle when she became involved in the college’s Ten Thousand Coffees initiative. A networking platform, it connects students and grads with alumni and industry professionals. Every four weeks, mentors are paired with new mentees. Centennial’s branch of the platform also holds events, during which notable college alumni give advice to students.
Darlene says when the opportunity arose, she didn’t hesitate to get involved in giving back. She says her role as a mentor has been a way to pay forward her not only her business experience, but also her views on the importance of lifelong learning.
“It took me about a year to get a job after I graduated,” says Darlene. “I want to be there for the students who are having similar challenges. I start with the initial four weeks, but I am open to keeping the connection going. I have one student who I have mentored for two years now. I want to help these students to advance their careers and I always tell them if they need me, I’ll be there. It’s rewarding to feel like you are adding value to someone’s career journey.”
Written By: Izabela Shubair