Before Seniors embark on their exciting college adventures, they get a unique opportunity to catch a glimpse of what their futures hold. Through a two-day series of intimate talks – primarily led by teachers and parents of the Senior class – Senior Horizons introduces students to key life skills, habits, and insight into potential career paths. 

Here’s some details about a few talks and the Class of 2026’s main takeaways:

Financial Literacy

Seniors welcomed Mr. Robert O’Leary, Co-CEO of Oaktree Capital management, to Norris auditorium where he shared his experiences in consulting and finance, advice on managing personal finances, and guidelines for healthy investing. He brought up the debate of whether Warren Buffett was skilled or lucky, concluding that while Buffett was very skilled, it wasn’t a practical investment plan for most people. “I was inspired by his advice on starting to build up credit early. It could really come in handy for when you’re going to purchase a car or house,” said Daniel Eitan. Seniors were also able to take advantage of a lengthy Q&A session with Mr. O’Leary, gaining tailored insights and recommendations.

Entrepreneurial Business and Venture Capital

Parents Jai Choi, Jennet Chow, and John Wong shared stories of their growth as entrepreneurs, from their childhoods to today, inspiring Seniors that they too can start a company. Hearing about a diverse range of industries, from real estate to fashion to tech startups, Seniors found the common thread in any business is networking. “It was fascinating to learn about the careers and backgrounds of my friend’s parents; they did so much that I’d never heard about,” observed Dylan Choi.

Engineering and Science

Meanwhile, Andy Berglund and Ken Cooper talked about their journey in the sciences, from experimenting on quantum physics to working at NASA. Nikandros Boutakids observed, “It was really interesting hearing what they were capable of doing with science, like working at Netflix or using vibration technology to make schools safer. Also it was cool to hear about how close the scientific community is, that you’ll just walk by someone and they’ll have a Nobel prize.” The scientific fields have been growing rapidly over the past years, and the parents talked about how collaboration has become key to discovery.

Law

Parents Fadia Khoury and Dave Grable told their story about the many sides of the law from government prosecutors to utility companies. They also spoke about the morality of advocating for something you might not believe in. From Bahia Khoury, “They had a really good answer about defending someone you believe is guilty. Even if a defendant is guilty, you need a good defense attorney to force the government to actually prove their case. Otherwise, justice becomes lopsided and falls apart.” Wrestling between one’s personal beliefs and respect for the legal system is a key skill for lawyers, and students learned a lot from these parents’ personal stories.

Entertainment

Catherine Smith and Kim Berglund spoke about working at ESPN and the protracted process of producing a show for PBS, balancing art and business. “The entertainment industry is really flexible, allowing for a lot of leniency when you’re trying to decide what to do,” said Ashlyn Nam. The entertainment field has hundreds of pathways to pursue, and students were able to learn about some of the opportunities waiting for them.

Closing Statements

To conclude Senior Horizons, Prep parent and alum Mark Lim ‘97 gave concluding remarks. He spoke about searching for his first job, pivoting between tactics, and eventually landing on pickup basketball as the best way to build connections with employers. Don’t give up. Moving on to his life as an entrepreneur, he talked about meeting people through Shark Tank, building relationships, but also emphasizing the ones he made at Prep. Maintain your connections and friendships with others. He urged the seniors to never stop asking questions, always try to learn more from others and yourself. Never let your curiosity die. Finally, he encouraged us to enjoy the last months of school, releasing the seniors to Spring Break.