Campus & Community

Students Invited to Network and Skill-Build with Alumni

Wednesday, January 20, 2021, By Gabrielle Lake

Aligning with professional development journeys and supporting students as they navigate their career trajectory past graduation is a dedicated team that encompasses Career Services, faculty, staff and alumni. Unwavering and alongside the Orange community this team has worked to continue pillar events surrounding connecting the classroom to careers, professional development, networking and more. One such reimagined event is the annual D.C. Immersion Week Trip.

“We are excited to partner with Career Services and present four informative and engaging sessions featuring dynamic alumni, including several who participated in Immersion programs during their time at Syracuse University. Participating is an ideal way to gain insight as to what it is like to live and work in a specific geographic area and/or profession,” shared Mary A. Anagnost ’86, executive director of Syracuse University in D.C. Regional Engagement.

The newly developed virtual D.C. Immersion series setting carries with it all of the career bolstering opportunities, while enhancing the student experience through eliminating barriers such as cost, travel time and only 20  student participation spots traditionally associated with the trip.

Anagnost continued, “Access to key alumni leaders in the region is crucial to networking for those students interested in relocating. Over 150 alumni and donors support the annual D.C./Baltimore Immersion Week trip, and since its inception in 2012, approximately 20% of student participants have returned to the D.C., Maryland, Virginia region, some for academics and some as full-time residents.”

All students are invited to attend free virtual professional development sessions throughout the month of February. Students are encouraged when connecting with Syracuse University alumni and industry  experts to not forget to prepare resumes, explore networking best practices and to update Handshake accounts.

“Don’t be afraid to ask questions on your visits, even personal ones. The alumni and other hosts that you will meet on the trip want to help you feel more secure about post-grad life,” shared 2019 participant  Nhari Djan ’21. “I think you’ll find that a lot of them were also confused about their futures once, and they figured it out the same way we will too.’

Virtual D.C. Immersion: A Professional Development Series
Explore series descriptions and registration instructions on the event webpage. Within conversational virtual settings, the series is hosted by Syracuse University staff and alumni on Wednesdays from 3 to 4 p.m. (ET).

From making alumni connections, the opportunity to ask questions in a conversational setting and growing professional networks, students are encouraged to register today for the free month long series.

When reflecting upon the experience, 2017 participant  Kyra Meister ’19 shared, “I will be forever grateful for the alumni I met during Immersion Week. I am constantly in awe of the alumni network Syracuse has created, and Immersion Week really displays that network to its finest. It was an opportunity for me to grow professionally and explore numerous career paths I never thought would have been possible for me to achieve.”

For questions or to request accommodations, please email Career Services or call 315.443.3616.