Alumni Personal & Career Development Center

In today’s competitive job market, efficiency is key. Join us for our second AI webinar of the month on October 29th where we’ll show you how to leverage AI to streamline your writing process without sacrificing quality or authenticity. ✍️

Learn how to confidently utilize AI tools to enhance your cover letters. We’ll guide you through crafting effective, targeted prompts that help the AI understand your needs and refine your draft. By the end of this session, you’ll be able to identify and avoid common errors produced by AI-generated text, ensuring your final document is polished and professional.

More importantly, you’ll master the crucial skill of maintaining your personal writing voice, ethically and effectively using AI as a tool to stand out from the crowd. There will be time allotted for a Q & A at the end of the session.

✨This webinar is open to WFU alumni and students.✨ Register at the link in our bio or stories!

https://wakenetwork.wfu.edu/events/online-10-29-2025-0012368 …

A true Demon Deacon, Grey Ballard’s (‘06) academic journey started and continued at Wake Forest University, where he earned a BS in mathematics and computer science followed by an MA in mathematics. He then went on to receive his PhD in computer science from UC Berkeley in 2013. He has since become a prolific contributor to the field, with research that spans numerical linear algebra, high-performance computing, and computational science. Currently, Grey is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Wake Forest, fostering the growth of future innovators.

Here are some fun facts about Grey:

⚽️ Grey played soccer at Wake Forest alongside some fantastic players, including Hall of Famers Michael Parkhurst, Marcus Tracy, Will Hesmer, Sam Cronin, and (soon-to-be) James Riley.

💛x4️⃣ He is the proud father to four fantastic kids Benson (11), Maz (9), Malone (7), and Leila (4)

🎩 Grey’s wife Parissa is also a double Deac, with undergraduate and graduate degrees from Wake in Psychology, and she works at the WFU School of Medicine now! She also has her own Deacon Spotlight, which you should check out: https://alumni.opcd.wfu.edu/deacon-spotlight/parissa-jahromi-ballard/

We’ll leave you with some advice from Grey about focusing on what brings you joy:
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“Pay attention to what brings you joy, and prioritize your time towards those parts of your life the best you can. The question I like to ask undergraduate advisees is, ‘which of your classes is the one with homework you look forward to doing?’ I often ask myself if I’m doing something because I really want to do it or because someone asked me to.”

Read more of our Q&A with Grey at the link in our profile or stories! Plus, you can always check out our past alumni spotlights in the “Deacon Spotlight” highlight reel in our profile.

https://alumni.opcd.wfu.edu/deacon-spotlight/deacon-spotlight-grey-ballard/ …

Ready to get past the “resume robots”? 🤖🤖🤖

Join us for our next webinar on Wednesday, October 15th, from 12:15-12:45pm ET on Zoom. We’ll be teaching you how to master the use of AI tools to optimize your resume for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). You’ll learn what an ATS is and why it is being used by companies in the application process.

Also, this session will show you how to use tools like SkillSyncer and Job Scan to analyze job descriptions and strategically include the keywords that get you noticed. You’ll gain the skills to effectively use these scanners to your advantage, confidently navigating their unique features to ensure your resume stands out to both AI and human recruiters.

There will be time allotted for a Q & A at the end of the session.

Register at the link in our bio or stories!

https://wakenetwork.wfu.edu/events/online-10-15-2025-0012373 …

Lily Geiger (‘18) has taken the spirit of Wake Forest with her into the wide world of entrepreneurship. After she graduated with a BA in communications, she honed her time management skills as an assistant to a dynamic team. During the pandemic, she was moved by losing her father to alcohol addiction and found herself wanting non-alcoholic drink options. Inspired and hoping to create “honest and inclusive conversations around alcohol consumption,” she founded Figlia, a Non-Alcoholic Aperitivo business. 🍹Since then, her business has flourished and has been featured in publications like Vogue, Forbes, and Vanity Fair!

Here are some fun facts about Lily:

🎩 Lily’s team at Figlia is composed of all female WFU grads.

🦷 She has no wisdom teeth?!

📽️ One of Lily’s favorite spots in Downtown Winston is a/perture theater!

We’ll leave you with some advice from Lily about networking:
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“I would try to identify someone who truly inspires you and work for them if you can find a way there. Shoot your shot, message them on LinkedIn, social media, email and express why you’d be good for the job, even if the job title doesn’t exist yet.”

Read more of our Q&A with Lily at the link in our profile or stories! Plus, you can always check out our past alumni spotlights in the “Deacon Spotlight” highlight reel in our profile.

https://alumni.opcd.wfu.edu/deacon-spotlight/deacon-spotlight-lily-geiger/ …