Starting Career Preparation from Day One at UC Davis
Fun fact: Before I became a development professional, I spent nearly 20 years as an assistant and then head coach of NCAA Division I gymnastics teams at West Virginia University and UC Berkeley. In those roles, I came to know and care about countless students who participated in our programs. I lived with them through their highs and lows. All too often, the lows—or at least a certain amount of anxiety—revolved around the question, “What will I do after I graduate?”
Students need help exploring potential career paths and then identifying the path that is right for them—a process that can, as we know, involve a good deal of trial and error before finding the right fit. I am beyond impressed at the career assistance resources we have here at UC Davis, and it is my greatest pleasure to make sure our parents know about them—and also how parents, through philanthropy, can provide support and further improvements.
Here’s a quick rundown of the most important resources:
The Internship and Career Center (ICC) is the best place to start, offering workshops for resumes and interviews, internship and career fairs, personal career counseling and more. Students can jump in and receive help any time, but the following path is outlined as an ideal accompaniment to the undergraduate experience:
Freshman Year—Self-Discovery
Sophomore Year—Expand Your Career Horizons
Junior Year—Test Options
Senior Year—A Time to Make Decisions
Learn about this pathway and more at https://icc.ucdavis.edu/undergrad.
Handshake for Students is an online platform where students can connect with employers for internships, jobs and other opportunities. If your student is still looking for options this summer, they should hop on Handshake! More information at https://icc.ucdavis.edu/find/resources/handshake.
Aggie Launch is a new initiative to prepare all students for the working world through customized career exploration. The goal is to integrate career exploration and professional development into every student’s pathway. You can learn more here: https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/uc-davis-launches-major-student-career-initiative.
As parents, you can play a big role in helping UC Davis improve upon and build out career and internship programs. I am looking to partner with parents within their corporations and other organizations to provide mentorship, support internships, help develop their organizations as a recruiter/employer of UC Davis graduates and more. If any of these ideas resonate with you, please get in touch with me at the contact information below.
Meanwhile, I wish our graduating student families a wonderful commencement next month. And to all our families, I wish you a lovely start of summer.
For more information about how parent giving makes a difference in students’ lives, contact Cari DuBois-Wright, Associate Director of Development in Parent Giving, at caduboiswright@ucdavis.edu, 510-388-3605. You can visit our Parents Fund website here as well as learn more about our Family Fellows.