Student Success and Retention Conference 2025

Career readiness is imperative to preparing students for their future career journey. Today's college students are focused on what is next after graduation and how they can be better prepared to successfully transition into the workplace and secure meaningful employment. This interactive presentation will explore focused initiatives that align with the educational need to prepare students for future employment opportunities in alignment with skills employers are looking for. Attendees will learn about implementing a Professional Preparation course and an internship experience into their academic programs as well as how to integrate career conversations with students in the classroom. Student and internship mentor evaluation data will be presented to demonstrate the efficacy of this internship experience for student career readiness. Through discussion, reflection, and activities, participants will understand relevant career theories, the NACE Career Competencies, workforce trends, and ideas for executing career readiness initiatives at their university from a DEI lens. Throughout the session, participants will also brainstorm ideas and learn from colleagues at other institutions. By the end of this session, participants will be ready to return to their own institutions and implement new and innovative career concepts that benefit all students.