What if the biggest lesson you learn in college isn’t in the classroom, but in how you expect to be treated in your future workplace?
That question sits at the heart of Beyond Perks & Policies: Redefining Workplace Culture, an upcoming panel hosted by the Alumni Association at SUNY Old Westbury on March 31 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event aims to move past surface level benefits like flexible schedules and office perks, instead focusing on the real, everyday experiences that define workplace environments.
For alumnus and media creative Amira Francois, the conversation is deeply personal. A 2025 graduate who played a major role in the campus’s MIC, Media Innovation Center, Francois has had many experiences that shaped her understanding of leadership and responsibility.
“Culture is ultimately shaped by behaviors, decisions and the values that are lived in practice,” Francois explained. “The perks and policies of a workplace don’t fully define how employees experience an organization day to day.”
During her time at Old Westbury, Francois not only built an impressive portfolio, but also mentored fellow students and interns. That role, she said, came with both rewards and challenges. Taking on heavy responsibilities sometimes became overwhelming — an experience that inspired her to create space for more honest conversations about workplace expectations.
“I wanted to bring that conversation outside of the media center,” she said, “so different groups within the Old Westbury community could hear one another out to hear expectations, hear what actually goes on and talk about how to move forward.”
The panel will explore key themes such as how employees treat one another, what behaviors are truly rewarded and how leadership actions, not just mission statements, shape organizational culture. It will also emphasize concepts like trust, accountability, inclusion and psychological safety.
Unlike traditional career events, “Beyond Perks & Policies” is designed as an open dialogue. Students will have the rare opportunity to engage directly with faculty, administrators, trustees and alumni.
“It’s more like an open conversation,” Francois said. “Students get to talk with higher ups they don’t usually have access to.”
The timing of the event is especially relevant. As recent graduates navigate a challenging job market, Francois noted that many struggle to find roles in their chosen fields. While she considers herself fortunate to have secured a position within media and communications, she recognizes that not all students have the same outcome.
That reality makes understanding workplace dynamics even more critical.
“You may go into the real world and experience hardships that you’re not supposed to,” she said. “It’s better to hear about it now rather than experience it later and not know there are ways to protect yourself.”
Francois emphasized that students, regardless of where they are in their academic journey, can benefit from attending. One key takeaway includes recognizing when workplace expectations become unhealthy.
“Know your bandwidth,” she advised. “Learn how to set boundaries and recognize when someone is crossing them.”
The event also highlights the importance of collaboration, especially in creative industries like film production, where Francois specializes as a cinematographer. On set, where teams often work long hours under pressure, workplace culture can determine the success or failure of a project.
“You can’t run a production properly without a healthy workplace culture,” she said. “If you can’t work collaboratively, it affects everything like time, budget and the final product.”
Ultimately, Beyond Perks & Policies is about empowerment. It encourages students and faculty alike to rethink what a healthy workplace should look like and to recognize that they have a role in shaping it.
If attendees leave with one message, Francois hopes it’s this:
“Whatever you’re going through in a workplace, you don’t have to go through it alone. There are people who can help and there are ways to protect yourself.”
As students prepare to enter an unpredictable workforce, the event offers something more valuable than career advice. It offers awareness, community, and the tools to advocate for better environments wherever they go.
Beyond Perks and Policies: Redefining Workplace Culture. Tues., Mar. 31, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Duane L. Jones Recital Hall at SUNY Old Westbury.
