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Schedule of Events

Pre Conference Workshop July 25 9:30am - 11:30am | Building a Talent-Driven Eco System

During this interactive session, career leaders will discuss ideas to create, manage, and enhance their talent eco system. Transformative communication strategies will be provided to shift from judgment to being open to yourself and others. Research shows highly curious people ask different questions. Studies show in strong communities, ideas receive honor. Curiosity and ideation are a few tools utilized in a talent driven eco system.

The presenter will share strategies to elevate and authorize the power of an inspiring talent driven eco system. This session will give participants the opportunity to take the Clifton Strength Finder, which is a vital pillar in a vibrant talent driven eco system. As a result of attending this session, participants will gain an understanding of:
• link between curiosity, creativity and innovation
• barriers to developing a talent driven eco system
• building a culture of and incentivizing talent driven eco system within our communities

Why should a career professional attend this session?
• Obtain Top 5 Clifton Strengths.
• Are you a naturally curious professional and you want to harness the innate power value of a curious and innovative community?
• Not sure of how to leverage your talent as a strategic asset making changes away from feeling stuck, unfulfilled, and bored to a life filled with opportunity.
• Are you a manager who wish you and your team could leverage the talent within your community?

Presenter: Stephanie Wilson’s personal mission is to connect, inspire, and build stewardship and relationship with her family, women, and her community. Leveraging both an undergraduate and graduate degrees from Ball State University and broad experiences, she connects those who cross her path with resources for their success.

As a passionate idea generator, she loves to create order out of ambiguous situations. She’s especially joyful when she creates spaces that allow others’ ideas to flourish. Currently, she serves as a career coach for the Ball State University Career Center.

Stephanie likes to build. She’s built academic and non-credit programs; university off-site centers; infrastructure; and teams. She’s building her own business, Bridlewood Crossings, where horses and humans work within their areas of strength.

An avid gardener and equestrian, both infuse the power of connection in her life. She and her husband, Jay, enjoy time with their ever-evolving menagerie: Jackie and Arrow, beloved miniature donkeys; three horses, Pebbles, Gerry and Grace; four precious ponies, Geno, Bucky, Shelby, and Jesse; and sweet burros, Shrek, Tiki and Torch.

Learning Session #1 | Tuesday, July 26th 10:30am - 11:30am

Impact on navigating job search and career development as Visa-Holding Individuals in a global pandemic
Presenters: Xiao Yun Sim, Center for Career Opportunities, Purdue University; Stephen Roach, Center for Career Opportunities Purdue University
Topic(s): Career Advising/Counseling, COVID-19 Impacts/Virtual Outreach, Diversity and Inclusion

Description: Presenters will share their experience navigating the job search process as a F-1 international student during COVID-19 and share perspectives on how career centers can better support international students in career development by engaging in career advising topics such as strategies on creating a job search timeline, having the "visa conversation", negotiating salary, making the next career move, and more. The session will highlight   the "parallel planning" approach to support visa-holding international students in their career exploration and development journey as well as implementation of career development interventions at presenter's institution to increase visibility of career center, and meeting students' needs. 

Our Changing Workplace Environments
Presenter(s): Jerry Donahue, College of Lake County; George Anders, LinkedIn
Topic(s): This topic relates to the new workplace adaptations by employers for their employees and can also apply to college career services offices.

Description: As the COVID pandemic has spurred workplace options for employees to consider, e.g., in-person, hybrid or remote, this session will provide national data regarding the changes employers are making to accommodate employees post-COVID. A linked-in representative, George Anders - Senior editor at large of "Workplace Insights" - will review data from their surveys of thousands of LinkedIn employer members conducted over the past several months to illustrate current workplace changes happening and options available to employees. The data will include information segmented by employers' size, industry, location.  A panel of Ohio employers will outline and discuss their organizations are making to better accommodate their employees' workplace requirements, post-COVID. This session will inform career services professionals who advise students and alumni about current workplace changes in the post-COVID environment.

Putting First Gen First
Presenters: Carmen Umberger, Bradley University; Jon C. Neidy, Bradley University
Topic(s): Assessment and Data Analytics, Career Advising/Counseling, Diversity and Inclusion, Retention 

Description: As a result of an increase in First Generation students attending Bradley University and concerns about their retention, the Smith Career Center designed an annual goal to increase First Generation students' active engagement with career center services. The strategies used to increase First Generation engagement were primarily focused on a deep understanding of their unique learning needs and recognition that they may not have family-structures which support career center engagement. In addition, navigating the myriad campus structures needed to succeed became even more challenging during the COVID-19 Pandemic.  The Smith Career Center goal was not only accomplished, but exceeded. In this highly interactive session we will explore the goal setting process, the communications used to increase engagement, the metrics associated with the project, and the analysis of those metrics. 

Career and Leadership Development for Student Employees: Creating a flexible plan for the growth of your students
Presenters: Amanda Perk, Columbus State Community College
Topic(s): Administration, Assessment and Data Analytics, Personal / Prof Development

Description: Columbus State Community College piloted the Career and Leadership Development Program (CLDP) for select student employees in 2020. To gain a cross-campus perspective, the plan was developed by a group of stakeholders that included staff and leadership in workforce, student affairs, DEI, career services, and advising, as well as faculty.  The CLDP plan for Columbus State student employees includes select activities that: build career knowledge provide students with opportunities to further develop as a leader aid in their future job search and career planning promote self-awareness of strengths and much more.  Activities are followed by a self-reflection to provide the student a framework of connection to the overall program learning objectives. Additional program components include an incorporation of the CState GROW program (modeled after Iowa GROW® Guided Reflection on Work) and Service-Learning.  After the initial pilot year (2020-21), feedback was reviewed, and a discussion of program modifications began. In partnership with campus supervisors, student employees, and content providers, Career Services updated the plan to provide additional flexibility while allowing for continuous growth of returning student employees.  Join Columbus State in a discussion of our CLDP plan and its evolution.

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Learning Session #2 | Wednesday, July 27th 8:30am - 9:30am

Skillbuilding for Mentors
Presenters: Alison Martin, Engage Mentoring
Topic(s): Diversity and Inclusion, Personal / Prof Development

Description: In this one hour session, Alison Martin founder and CEO of Engage Mentoring and author of the book, Learning to Lead Through Mentoring, will share key competencies of effective mentors and engage participants in reflecting on which of these competencies they currently possess and which they would like to develop further.   Alison believes there is no better way to learn to lead that to learn how to be an effective mentor. And leaders who are committed to creating more equitable, inclusive cultures need to be intentional about providing access to critical relationships and knowledge transfer, which can occur through skillful mentoring.   Come join in this lively presentation and discussion with one of the most knowledgeable and passionate experts on the topic of mentoring.  

Understanding international students' career goals and strategies for closing the employment opportunity gap
Presenters: Shay Ho, Interstride
Topic(s): Career Advising/Counseling, Employer / ER Technology

Description: International students face many systemic challenges in finding jobs and achieving their post-graduation goals in the U.S. Institutions must better understand their desires and reimagine how to support them accordingly. Interstride has commissioned Anna Esaki-Smith, author of ACE's "Career Pathways for International Students" report to conduct original research on understanding international students' goals and the barriers in achieving them. The first of its kind, the research will be presented by Shay to reveal key insights that suggest why and how universities and employers can better serve these students.   Universities should develop resources and employer relationships that are appropriate to international students. Seeing the values of their education translate to practical value and outcomes will be key to continue attracting and retaining international students in the U.S. Given the talent shortage in the U.S., there is no better time for universities to build strong relationships between career-ready international grads and talent-hungry employers who value their advanced skills. Various resources and technology can help universities bridge that gap.   Attendees will be encouraged by the report to learn that international students, despite their challenges, are optimistic about their futures. This is the perfect opportunity to meet that optimism with a better approach.

Utilizing Experiential Learning to "Level the Playing Field" for Internship Attainment
Presenters: Keely Floyd, Fairbanks School of Public Health, IUPUI; Sarah Johnson, Fairbanks School of Public Health, IUPUI
Topic(s): Diversity and Inclusion, Experiential Education

Description: We often hear about under-resourced students (minoritized, first-generation, financially under-resourced) being ill-prepared for college; however, not as much is made about the disadvantages these students face in competitive job markets. Even at IUPUI, an institution that prides itself on serving under-served students, we see problematic trends. For example, 70.5% of IUPUI students graduating between 2016 and 2020 reported at least one internship experience. However, for Black graduates that number was just 64.1%, and for first-generation students, only 66.9%.    What this means is that some of our most under-resourced students are less likely to obtain internships, which often disadvantages them in competitive applicant pools. And while our department's internship requirement does ensure that every student yields an internship, the types of opportunities students have access to varies depending on their social capital.    Our department has addressed these issues by making the process of yielding an internship as much a learning tool as the internship itself. We have built a career preparation course that culminates in a mass interview event that "matches" students and internship sites. Through active and experiential learning opportunities, we ensure students yield not just an internship, but the skills and connections to be competitive for future positions. 

Programmatic Development of NACE Competencies in Undergraduate Curricula: The Bachelor of Science in Public Health
Presenters: Amy Soter, The Ohio State University - College of Public Health; Gail Kaye, The Ohio State University - College of Public Health
Topic(s): Administration

Description: Career readiness and NACE competencies are infused into BSPH curricula, and accreditation mandated program competencies also drive career related skill development. Program and NACE competencies are introduced to first-year students and majors through formal coursework and required introductory assignments.  Students learn career development fundamentals, create a career development plan, resume, and develop materials in online recruiting platforms.  Students are encouraged to complete a minimum of three experiential experiences and are guided to reflect on competencies (program and NACE) attained through these activities.  Workshops, career fairs and individual career advisement help students refine and cultivate their aspirations.  Program and NACE competencies are also cultivated through course assignments and activities.  All students are required to complete a Capstone Preparation class.  Students refine their resumes and online recruiting materials, create an 'Elevator Pitch,' and practice interviewing and writing skills.  They prepare and create an online presentation (simulating digital interviewing) describing their Capstone placement and program and NACE competencies addressed through their experience.  During Capstone, students complete biweekly logs cataloguing their experiences and program and NACE competencies addressed accordingly.  Using a 10-point Likert scale, students complete an assessment of their proficiency with each NACE competencies before and after their Capstone experience.

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Learning Session #3 | Wednesday, July 27th 10:30am - 11:30am

Applying Multiple Intelligences to Career Services
Presenters: David Cross, Fortis College Indianapolis
Topic(s): Administration, Career Advising/Counseling, Diversity and Inclusion, Employer / ER, Personal/Prof Development, Small Colleges and Universities

Description: This session discusses how to apply Gardner's "Theory of Multiple Intelligences" to career services practices for students coaching, employer development, and candidate matching. In doing so, This theory states that humans have between eight and nine different kinds of intellectual strengths, and understanding them can help educators customers the student's learning experience. In a Career Services role, understanding a candidate's intellectual strengths helps us to better match students to good-fitting employers and careers. As a result, career services professionals can learn to analyze the strengths of their students, discern what types of candidates employers look for, and better match the two. There will be an explanation of the theory and application, as well as an exercise that will give participants the chance to practice applying the theory to career services situations.

Faculty and Career Services Partnerships for First Year Compass 1 Students at the IU Kelley School of Business
Presenters: Carol Maldonado, Indiana University Bloomington
Topic(s): Career Advising/Counseling

Description: In Fall 2021, the Undergraduate Career Services (UCS) partnered with Compass 1 to improve first-year student engagement with the career services office. The Kelley Compass Program is an award-winning required three-semester student talent management course spanning three years (freshman through junior year). Compass 1 is the first course in the series and is primarily taken by first-year students. With this initiative, we hoped to engage first-year students with the UCS by hiring peer coaches to assist students in Compass 1 courses with various topics such as answering  "Tell Me About Yourself,", "Personal Brand" pitch, and critiquing effective "LinkedIn" profiles. During these sessions, peer coaches introduce information about UCS to students in Compass 1 and encourage them to engage with the career services office.   Peer Coaches also volunteer in Compass 1 faculty-led panels where UCS peer coaches are asked about career exploration, internships, study abroad, Kelley Honors, and other job-related questions.   In conclusion, we believe that our collaboration with our Compass 1 faculty and the effective utilization of our peer coaches have been incredibly beneficial and we are excited to share these ideas with other NACE participants.

Career Fairs: There and back again a small school's journey amid platforms and approaches
Presenters: Kristin Nisbet-White, University of Illinois Springfield
Topic(s): COVID-19 Impacts/Virtual Outreach,  Employer / ER, Small Colleges and Universities Technology

Description: One cold February day in 2020 the last in-person career fair wrapped up and suddenly a swift tide of change emerged in the form of a Global Pandemic that had even the most seasoned event planners looking for the best options to keep things moving and keep constituents engaged. This is where our tale begins - the great pivot that lead our small but mighty team to experiment with virtual career fairs across three different platforms and explore safe and possible in-person and hybrid events as well.  During this session, the presenter will recount the adventure which created opportunities to explore a variety of methods to bring students and employers together and the lessons learned along the way.  There will also be time for audience participation and discussion to share of other challenges and best practices discovered.  The key learning objective is to explore the evolution of career fair type events in our 'next normal' and takeaway some different methods and approaches that might be applicable in your campus or organizational setting.

Gameful Mentorship: Enhancing Student/Employer Relationships While Addressing NACE Career Competencies
Presenters: Julie Collet, Columbus State Community College
Topic(s): Enhancing Student/Employer Relationships While Addressing NACE Career Competencies 

Description: Gamification is generally defined as the use of game-design elements in non-game concepts. The IT gamification mentorship series at Columbus State was designed to allow employer partners earlier touch points with prospective students prior to formal interviews and networking programs. At the same time, the series provided an engaging way for students to converse with and learn from employer partners through fun-filled, low stress programs that reinforce and allow students to practice NACE career readiness skills. By attending this session, you will discover tools and resources you can use to engage students and employer partners through mentorship programming. Training (student and mentor), activities utilized, student and employer feedback, and results will be reviewed to help guide development of programs at your institution. Lastly, you'll leave with ideas and resources for immediate implementation into existing programming.

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