The College of Arts and Sciences is committed to helping each student explore their lifetime journey toward a life of meaning and purpose that starts here, on the SU campus. Through our professional formation initiatives, we provide opportunities to develop skills and networks that help students start building career paths, opening doors, and expanding possibilities for the future.
A key component of this work is creating connections between SU students and alumni. Many programs and departments work hard to introduce these groups to one another and two recent events are successful examples, one from Pathways to Professional Formation and one from the Communication Department.
Seventy undergraduate students, six graduate students and 53 alums and friends of Seattle U converged on Campion Ballroom on January 30 for LinkUp, the new name for our annual networking and mentoring event.
The program leverages student and alumni support from across the campus and beyond, in partnership between Pathways to Professional Formation, Alumni Engagement, Career Engagement, Student Executive Committee, Seattle University Board of Regents, and Arts and Sciences Dean’s Leadership Council.
From students:
“I really loved how well I was matched with the alums.”
“I enjoyed meeting and hearing from former graduates, they provided sound advice and the partnering with mentors was well curated.”
From one of the mentors:
“This was a great event--I’m a little envious of these students! I thought the format was great, including the open networking time at the end—it made a good opportunity to direct students I met to other alumni I know.”
Just a few weeks later, the Communication Department celebrated the launch of their new ongoing Alumni Mentoring Program. Twenty-one student/alumnus pairs met to begin their mentoring relationships on February 21. Alumni represented such organizations as Amazon, Blue Nile, The Daily Herald, D2 Creative, Edelman, Facebook, Moss Adams, OCS Vocational Systems, Opus Agency, SU School of Law, Skagit Valley College, Talking Rain, Washington State Bar Association, WE Communication, and WithinReach.
Another 10 students will be meeting mentors from companies that include Apple, Golf Channel – NBC, KOMO TV, Seattle Mariners, Weber Shandwick, and The Word Merchant.
“We design partnerships to draw on our alums’ valuable experience in order to help current students navigate the challenges of post-graduate life,” says faculty member Dr. Caitlin Carlson. “Mentors and students will have the opportunity to connect with one another a few times a year.”
Open to current juniors and seniors, the Alumni Mentorship Program can expand student’s professional development and learning outside of the classroom. Having a sounding board to provide advice, guidance, and connections is invaluable as students transition from college into their chosen field. The student mentorship application is available here.
The department values alumni experience and knowledge and strives to connect undergraduates to alumni for the mutual benefit of leadership development. Communication Department alums have a variety of strengths, skills, and real life experience. Whether a student is passionate about public relations, journalism, or wants to break into an uncharted industry, alumni of the Communication Department at Seattle U can mentor and help students through the process. Interested alumni can find the application form here.
Learn more about mentorship opportunities
Pathways to Professional Formation
Communications Department
- Website
- Contact: Dr. Caitlin Carlson, 206.220.8531 or email.
Photos: (Top) LinkUp participant photos courtesy Seattle U. (Middle) Communication Department mentorship program launch, (left to right) alum Ben Nusabsum and student Bobbie Murray; (Bottom) Communication Department mentorship program launch, (left to right) student Lexi Lawroski and alum Angelica Rivera.