More than 450 students from Montgomery County Community College and local high schools and technical schools gathered at the Blue Bell Campus for the third annual Merck Day, an event designed to showcase career pathways at the global pharmaceutical company and create networking opportunities.

The event opened with remarks from Todd Mills, Director of Global Workplace Enterprise Services at Merck, who encouraged students to explore the variety of roles available at the company.

“We hire people based on skills and abilities for the wide range of jobs we have, all which an education here at Montco can help,” said Mills. “I encourage everyone to learn more about what we do at Merck and the skills and capabilities we’re looking for and where yours will fit.”

Darren O’Toole, Associate Vice President of Global Workplace Enterprise Services at Merck, shared his personal journey, starting as an engineer to a global leadership role, emphasizing the value of curiosity, passion, and preparation.

“At Merck, we have the best jobs, to save and improve the lives of human and animals across the globe every day. Who wouldn’t want to do that?” said O’Toole, noting that in addition to having the highly talented scientists, they also have a diverse workforce that enables them to do their work.

A panel discussion titled “No Straight Line—Real Journeys into the Pharmaceuticals Industry” featured Claire Rivera, Director, Clinical Data Management; Dolan Stimson (MCCC alumnus), Associate Scientist, Engineering; Abdu Shumburo, Senior Specialist, Engineering; and Eric Adjei-Danquah, Specialist, Engineering.

Stimson’s journey started at MCCC with the goal of becoming a chemistry teacher. However, after taking a class with Dr. Margaret Bryans, Biology Professor, and learning about MCCC’s Biotechnology program, he decided to pursue biotechnology. This led to an apprenticeship with a pharmaceutical company, where eventually he was hired full-time after completing his bachelor’s degree. Later, he started doing contractor work for Merck and was then hired for a full-time position.

“Find your ‘why’ and your goals. Those are the things that you will drive you. The hard skills will help you see what pathways and opportunities you have, but the soft skills will add vibrancy and color to the path that you take,” said Stimson to the students gathered in the theater.

Claire Rivera, another panelist, reflected on her journey from Montco to the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University College of Medicine.

“Just showing up matters,” she said. “The fact that you are here in this room is valuable. The connections you make are valuable.”

Throughout the day, students engaged with over 90 Merck employees and vendor partners in the Science Center lobby, where they received career advice, resume feedback, and information about job opportunities. Merck also provided breakfast, lunch, and giveaways, including a laptop and tuition funds.

In addition to Merck Day, the pharmaceutical also hosts the Merck Automation Challenge, an event that involves students from across STEM disciplines.