Beginning with students’ end goals in mind, post-graduation employment and career development success have been longstanding motivators for the Syracuse University Career Services team in their pursuit to enhance the student experience.
Students at a career fair organized by Career Services speak with recruiters. (Photo by Angela Ryan)
Often quickly evolving alongside shifting employment markets and career outlooks is the technology needed to grow professional networks and skills, in addition to cross-campus collaboration among students, schools, colleges and Career Services. As a result, Handshake, the University’s centralized career management tool, has become an established professional development foundation. As a free resource to students and alumni, Handshake hosts available internships, professional employment and professional development opportunities available through the University and external partners.
Within the University, Handshake’s collected data shares a story of what the student experience entails. Access to this data empowers staff to shift from reactively addressing obstacles to proactively identifying them and removing barriers before students may even experience them. “Illustrating our students’ career journeys from their first appointment to their first job allows us to make informed decisions and recommendations that elevate a student’s professional development journey,” says Adam Capozzi, director of career services, assessment and student success. “Tracking and reporting our impact is pivotal both in experiencing short-term and long-term successes.”
The dedicated student-focused efforts of Career Services were further celebrated Tuesday, Oct. 17, as they were named a 2023 recipient of the Handshake Career Spark Awards. This honor recognizes an annual shortlist of Handshake career centers for their outstanding work. The team received this honor for reporting, analytics and overall engagement within the First Destination Survey. Amplifying this honor as a responsive, reliable and successful leader in student career success, the team is one of only 31 institutions, within the over 1,400 schools using Handshake, to receive this award.
“This is a tremendous achievement for our career service network and a true testament to the hard work we’ve put into using this platform,” says Capozzi. “Our unwavering dedication to improve operational efficiency, while gaining a clear picture of our impact on students, ensures we provide the right resources, to the right student, at the right time.”
