Fall break is the perfect time to check in with your student about their career exploration and preparation journey.
Families can have a strong influence on a student’s decision-making, including their career exploration process. Here’s an update on ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ’s latest Career Services offerings, and some suggested conversation starters on timely action items to chat about with your students.
What to Know
Programs Offered So Far
- Jumpstart and Senior Kickoff: Programs by class year oriented first-years, sophomores, and juniors in ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ’s four-year career development plan and identified key programs and action steps for this academic year. Senior job search kickoff and graduate school kickoff sessions helped to start their year.
- Career Exploration Week: Alumni panelists shared stories of translating their liberal arts degrees into their own career paths and offered advice about particular fields. Six broad panels introduced students to Careers for Creative Types; Careers for People Who Like Numbers and Data; Careers for People Excited About Business; Careers for People Who Want to be Healers; Careers for People Who Love Sciences, Lab, and Field Work; and Careers for People Who Want to Make a Social Impact.
Upcoming & Ongoing Programs
For First-Years and Sophomores
- Alumni Career Exploration Conversations (applications open Oct. 20 and close Nov. 2): Students are invited to be matched with an alumni volunteer for a career exploration conversation. Student participants will first be oriented by our staff on networking etiquette and learning to make the most of opportunities to connect with professional contacts. Conversation occurs over winter break.
For Sophomores
- SophoMORE Connections 2026 (Friday, Jan. 16–Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026): Sophomores who wish to attend should start planning now. They must register (applications close Dec. 7) and should make arrangements to return to campus by mid-day Friday, January 16. The event is offered at no cost, including housing and meals. Students will receive an email in mid-November to sign up. This will be a pivotal opportunity for your student to test out a potential career interest, learn the search process, build networking and interviewing skills, and learn from alumni about the realities of working in different industries.
For Juniors & Seniors
- Advanced LinkedIn (October 21–23, 2025): With over 1 billion users and more than 15 million active job postings, LinkedIn is an essential platform for today’s candidates. This hands-on bootcamp will teach students high-impact strategies to maximize their activity on LinkedIn. Students will learn to use the tool to strategically network and find internships that match their skills and interests. Basic LinkedIn workshops are also offered earlier in the semester.
For All Students
- Skill Building Workshops (ongoing): Students are invited to join Career Services professional staff for skills-based workshops across topics such as developing a targeted resume, writing strong cover letters, networking, and internship/job search. Current offerings are available on .
- Family Weekend Programming (Oct. 31–Nov. 2): Career Services looks forward to welcoming parents and family members to learn about the four-year career development plan.
- Virtual and In-Person Information Sessions (ongoing): Employers are excited to talk with students through in-person and virtual information sessions, 1:1 coffee chats, and small group conversations. These are prime opportunities to make a professional connection and learn about an employer committed to hiring ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ students.
- Microcredential Initiative: Students are invited to build a specific professional skill or industry-specific knowledge by participating in a microcredential course or seminar — high-impact, asynchronous mini-courses and seminars (i.e. Training the Street, SQL Basics, and Python) that increase readiness and marketability for summer experiences. There are four enrollment periods: fall, winter break, spring, and summer. Through the generosity of alumni, the enrollment cost of microcredentials will be partially or fully subsidized for students who receive ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ financial aid.
What to Talk About
No matter what class year your student is:
- Discuss your own career exploration experiences
- Actively listen and be supportive
- Encourage action and exploration
- Allow your student to make their own choices
A great place to start is, "Have you taken part in any fall career services programs so far?"
If yes:
- Which ones?
- What did you find most helpful?
- What surprised you?
- What do you plan to do next to keep your exploration going?
If no:
- How can you get things rolling with your career development exploration?
- Have you looked into upcoming programs being offered by Career Services?
- What is one action step you could take?
Exploration is an essential part of a student’s liberal arts experience. Their self-awareness and knowledge will grow over time. Encourage your student to apply the insight gained through these programs whenever they need to evaluate a new opportunity, such as selecting next semester’s classes, deciding whether to join a club, or applying to an internship. Building that habit will help them to make more intentional decisions such as selecting a major, thinking about career interests, or deciding on job offers or graduate education.
— Olsen is Milone Family AVP for career initiatives.