On January 25, 2023, Jesuit High School’s annual Career Day enlivened the campus at Carrollton and Banks, offering upperclassmen a unique opportunity to explore a diverse range of professions. Esteemed Blue Jay graduates engaged with juniors and seniors across two informative 30-minute sessions, sharing valuable insights about 26 different career fields. Students gained a comprehensive overview, including daily professional life, industry trends, educational prerequisites, experiential learning, remuneration expectations, and service roles available within each profession.

While seniors and juniors were immersed in career exploration, sophomores, freshmen, and pre-freshmen gathered in the auditorium for an engaging presentation by Dan Clancy ’81, the current CEO of Twitch. Clancy offered Jesuit’s younger students an enriching experience, drawing on his extensive career and insights as a leader in the tech industry.

At Jesuit, Clancy was a member of the Philelectic Society and the Key Club. He received a BA in computer science and theatre from Duke University and a PhD in artificial intelligence from the University of Texas at Austin. While in school, Clancy worked at Trilogy, Xerox Webster Research Center, and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. From 2005 to early 2014, he was the engineering director for Google Book Search. From 2014 to 2018, he was vice president of product and engineering at the social networking service Nextdoor. In 2019 Clancy became president of Twitch Interactive, the parent company of the streaming service Twitch. In March 2023, he became chief executive officer of Twitch.

Clancy shared his personal journey and professional insights with Jesuit students, drawing from his own experiences during his formative years at the school. Reflecting on his uncertainty about his identity in his youth, Clancy emphasized the significance of friendships in shaping one’s self-perception. Despite an initial setback of missing basketball tryouts, he found his calling in the arts through the encouragement of his older brother, also a Jesuit student. Clancy became involved in the school’s theater program, eventually leading the Phils and embracing performance and singing as central to his identity.

Clancy’s narrative highlighted the valuable lessons he learned about handling disappointment and the importance of resilience. He stressed the necessity for young people to experience failure and to take risks, noting that these experiences are crucial for personal growth and the discovery of new opportunities. Encouraging students to embrace uncertainty, Clancy advised them to pursue challenging roles and endeavors, even if success seemed uncertain.

Transitioning to the topic of career paths, Clancy shared anecdotes of individuals who have made drastic shifts, such as transitioning from finance to social media, illustrating that success in such fields requires a strong work ethic and a willingness to master new skills, like understanding algorithms and audience engagement. He underscored the importance of critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and the ability to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics as key components of success.

Reflecting on his own career trajectory, Clancy spoke candidly about his decision-making process, which was influenced by his preferred living location and desire for a fulfilling work environment, leading him to accept a position with Twitch despite not being a gamer. He described his role at Twitch as a blend of his technical and creative skills, akin to live improvisational theater, and encouraged students to define themselves beyond the limitations placed on them by others.

In his Q&A session, Clancy offered practical advice for aspiring streamers, including the importance of enjoyment, consistent scheduling, community engagement, and collaboration. He also addressed inquiries on Twitch affiliation and the impact of AI on social media algorithms, emphasizing the technology’s role in content recommendation. Lastly, Clancy spoke on the integration of Jesuit values in his leadership approach, particularly the treatment of others, and how his faith has guided him in navigating controversies and motivating his team.

Career Day is a project put on by the Alumni Office in conjunction with the Guidance Office. Both the classroom and auditorium sessions saw Jesuit’s alumni serve as great resources for today’s Blue Jays. Alumni participation in Career Day is a meaningful way in which Blue Jay alumni reconnect and give back to their alma mater. 

Alumni Volunteers

Alumni who would like to volunteer their time for Career Day or any other alumni event at Jesuit should use this online Alumni Volunteer Form to indicate their interest.

Career Day 2024 Participants:

• Accounting – Elliot Brown ’93
• Architecture and Construction Management – Peter Spera ’98 & Brett Wynne ’98
• Aviation; Military – Will Pressley ’93
• Banking – Graham Ralston ’93
• Computers: Applied Technology, Cybersecurity, and Data Management – Sonny Smith ’03
• Computers: Software Development – Paul Trepagnier ’98 & Matt Wolff ’13
• Dentistry – Ross Cascio ’98
• Education – Josh Bourgeois ’13
• Engineering: Chemical and Petroleum – Scott Haydel ’03 & Sean Somers ’03
• Engineering: Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical – Eric Leefe ’03 & Sean McKay ’08
• Film Industry, Acting – Billy Slaughter ’98
• Financial Services and Investments – Ian Blanchard ’03 & Mathew Irimpen ’08
• First Response: Police, Fire, EMT – Dustin Yates ’98
• Hospitality Industry: Hotel, Restaurant, Tourism – Scott Hellmers ’98
• Law – Jeffrey Peuler ’98 & Hobie Hotard ’13
• Medicine – Vernon Carriere ’98 & David Klibert  ’03
• Ministry – Fr. Jon Polce, S.J. & Dcn. Jody Fortunato ’98
• Multi-media Journalism and Communications – Jack Culotta ’13
• Music and Entertainment – J.P. Brown ’13 & Josh Latham ’13
• Physical Therapy – Cody Migliore ’13 & Taylor Varisco ’13
• Photography – Brandt Vicknair ’98
• Real Estate – John McCann ’08
• Small Business Management, Entrepreneurship – Buddy Boe ’03
• Technology Start-ups – Corey James ’13
• Veterinary Medicine – Matthew Levy ’08
• Career Talk to 8th, 9th, 10th – Dan Clancy ’81