LEARN CONNECT EXPLORE
UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18
THE CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER SUPPORTS STUDENTS IN DEVELOPING AND ACHIEVING CAREER GOALS THAT LEAD TO MEANINGFUL LIVES.
LEARN, CONNECT AND EXPLORE: THESE ARE THE KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL CAREERS Communication is one of the most important drivers for career development. Students and alumni must learn to convey their strengths through résumés, letters, meetings and, of course, interviews. Career success begins with self-expression. At the Career Development Center, known to students as CDev, we are always looking for new ways to help students expand these skills. The key is giving them opportunities to learn — through counseling, networking events, mentorships, Torero Treks and presentations. Everyone is different, and we want to offer each student a menu of touch points to help them find their own way. For the center to succeed, we must also be good communicators and, in particular, great listeners. We are actively engaging with students, parents, alumni, employers, faculty and administration. These relationships are paying incredible dividends. By being wired into the USD ecosystem, we can provide the best opportunities for our Toreros to examine their many options. And examine they will. The most amazing thing about working with students is seeing their eagerness to explore. One of my greatest professional joys is going on a Torero Trek and watching these company visits trigger aha moments for students. I can almost hear the synapses clicking into place. I’m not alone in this. When I speak with the employers, parents and alumni who sponsor treks or provide mentoring or volunteer in some other way, I can see the students aren’t the only ones experiencing the world from new perspectives. Once people start interacting with USD students, they almost always want to get more involved. When we put together our annual report, it’s easy to get consumed by the metrics, but the real story is the many interactions students have on their way to finding their individual career paths. This year, we want to focus on the different ways we can help students learn, connect and explore. These are the keys to successful careers, and with support from so many people in the USD community, we are helping Toreros do all three.
Robin Darmon Senior Director, Career Development Center
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To find the right career, students need to synthesize what they’ve learned through classes, personal experiences and self-examination. The Career Development Center gives them the tools to refine these elements and present them to the world. In addition to personalized counseling, we offer self-assessments, such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and numerous opportunities to gain new insights through career fairs, presentations and mentorships.
3,055 counseling appointments
108
CDev classroom presentations
334
students attended Career CafĂŠ
LEARN CONNECT EXPLORE 2
1,034 students attended large career fairs
253
employers at large career fairs
12
yearlong career ambassadors
The Places You’ll Go People sometimes ask Tim Randell, PhD, what students can do with an English degree. “Anything they want,” he says. Dr. Randell is an English professor at USD, focusing on poetry and fiction. He wanted to teach, but there were other directions he could have gone. He hopes all his students will explore their wide range of opportunities: law school, journalism, marketing, PR and beyond. “Someone can go from an English degree to having a job in marketing and not only compete as well, but even better than someone who has a marketing degree,” said Dr. Randell. “We’re looking at the types of skills that translate into exciting job opportunities.” Recently, Dr. Randell and a group of students learned more about some of those opportunities on a Torero Trek to Balboa Park. This particular trek explored the local nonprofit community. “Treks are a blast,” says Dr. Randell. “You get to walk around and see what other people do. You see different work cultures and hear stories that really resonate, and it gives you a great sense of different organizations.” This trek visited the Old Globe Theatre, I Love a Clean San Diego, the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership and the San Diego Zoo. These and other organizations rely on new hires and interns to communicate clearly and use their critical thinking skills to solve problems. But there’s another level. Dr. Randell notes that more graduates are pursuing portfolio careers. “Increasingly, we’re in a gig economy, in which people are not going to the same place 9 to 5,” he says. Treks are also a great way for him to drive home the importance of practical experience — particularly internships. “There’s the work experience you’re learning about the field,” he says. “There’s also making contacts, which are invaluable. People don’t always realize how careers are forged by people saying: ‘I know someone who can do that.’”
< Tim Randell, PhD
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< Kelsey Schultz, Career Counselor, College of Arts and Sciences “ KELSEY SCHULTZ MADE EVERYTHING BETTER. SHE MADE ME FEEL LIKE I COULD DO ANYTHING, AND I WAS TOTALLY IN THE PERFECT PLACE FOR ME TO BE AT THAT MOMENT. I WENT FROM BEING OVERWHELMED TO FEELING EXCITED AND HAVING SOME CONTROL AND DIRECTION.”
— Trey Von Gortler ’18
FROM NOVICE TO Toward the end of his first year, Trey Von Gortler felt like he was falling behind on the career front. All his friends were getting internships, and he didn’t have any idea what he was going to do over the summer. He wasn’t even sure where to start. But a trip to the Career Development Center (CDev) got him on track. Von Gortler was so impressed with the service he received at the center that when he saw a posting for career ambassadors, he immediately applied. Now, two years later, he’s gone from novice to expert. As an ambassador, he interfaces with students, families and faculty, staffs events, works the front desk and performs other tasks. It’s been a great experience for him. “I’ve been really impressed by how much everyone at CDev cares,” he says. “It’s like I’m part of a family.” 4
In addition to his experiences as a career ambassador and the one-on-one counseling that he has received, Von Gortler has taken full advantage of Torero Treks — visiting companies in San Diego, Seattle, Portland and Silicon Valley. He wants to find a good landing spot, where he can leverage his double major in computer science and behavioral neuroscience, but also work for a company with a great culture. He feels the treks have helped him appreciate the different elements that make up a rewarding job. “You get this inside look of what your future could be like,” says Von Gortler. “We all have this idea of what it’s like to be out in the industry. The coolest part of the treks is getting to see that your future could be so many different things. It’s exciting.”
Trey Von Gortler >
EXPERT
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MAKING CHANGE
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< Abbey Racelis, Associate Director “ AS A STUDENT, THERE IS SO MUCH WE DON’T KNOW AND SO MUCH WE HAVE TO LEARN. ABBEY RACELIS AND THE TEAM AT THE CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER HAVE BEEN A REALLY GREAT RESOURCE TO LEARN THINGS LIKE LOGISTICS, WHAT KINDS OF COMPANIES WE SHOULD BE INVITING AND WHAT WE SHOULD SAY ON THE INVITATION.”
— Aruna Gossai ’20
HAPPEN Second-year student Aruna Gossai is not waiting for change to happen. She is taking a proactive role and making change happen. The Changemaker Hub fellow got involved with the program during her first year and has made it her mission to share those values at USD and throughout the broader community. “I’ve wanted to foster a sense of changemaking, which can seem kind of broad and vague,” says Gossai. “I try to think about it as something akin to social innovation, social justice, trying to make the world and the campus a better place.” In the past year, Gossai has helped to bring Changemaker values to career development, working closely with the Career Development Center to update the Impact Career Fair, which brings companies that espouse those ideals to campus.
< Aruna Gossai
This was a student-led initiative and Gossai was right in the middle of it. The group had to develop guidelines to vet companies, determine which ones they wanted to invite and get them on campus. In the end, the event was a great success. “The Impact Career Fair is smaller and more intimate and the conversations that you’re able to have with employers don’t feel rushed or forced,” says Gossai. “You don’t feel like you need to leave immediately because a line of people are waiting.” Gossai is taking an even greater role in next year’s fair. She and her team are defining what Changemaker means in the career space and identifying the different roles specific companies play in sustainability, social justice and other issues. Throughout the process, Gossai has looked to the center for information, insight and mentoring. 7
One of our primary goals is creating touchpoints with companies and corporate leaders, so that students can assess different career opportunities. This year, we launched our new mentorship program, Torero Connections, which provides a platform for students and alumni to find one another and make those all-important connections. We have also expanded our Summer Internship Program, which provides financial support for select students to support summer internship and research experiences. We are also working closely with employers, bringing them to campus for career fairs, recruiting events and as representatives on the Employer Advisory Board.
92%
of students would recommend CDev mentoring program
490
students on Torero Connections
332
mentors/alumni on Torero Connections
LEARN CONNECT EXPLORE 8
456
Flash Mentorship messages sent
24
active Employer Advisory Board members
35
funded summer internships
A Recruiter’s Dream The Career Development Center is known for our one-on-one approach, providing personalized care for students and alumni. That’s not just good customer service — it’s part of our mission — and that approach extends to employers as well. Sharp HealthCare has been recruiting at the Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science for many years. And while finding excellent nurses is an important piece of what they do, it’s not the only piece. “Yes, we are health care, but within that, we have business and marketing needs as well,” says Elmerissa Sheets, who directs Talent Acquisition at Sharp. “We’ve always attended the nursing career fair, but recently we’ve started going to other fairs.” The Sharp recruiting team has liked what they’ve found. They are impressed with the USD students’ professionalism, the caliber of their education, their preparation and the directions they wanted to go in their careers. “We go to a lot of campuses,” says Sheets, “and the USD students stood out.” Sheets is planning to expand on this relationship and looks forward to sponsoring a Torero Trek in the near future. “It’s exposing such a great caliber of students to the health care professions, but not necessarily as a nurse,” she says. “We want to expose them to our labs and other opportunities there.” Sheets has recently come onto the Employer Advisory Board, which she believes will facilitate two-way communication. USD will learn more about the job experience, internships and other factors Sharp seeks in potential hires. Businesses will learn what types of internships they should open up for students. She’s really pleased with the service she’s received from the Career Development Center — from a campus tour, to offering on-campus interview spaces to career fairs. “It’s a much more cohesive experience with USD,” says Sheets. “They are more strategic in their efforts to partner with employers.”
< Elmerissa Sheets
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< Rhonda Harley, Assistant Director, School of Engineering Career Development Center “ RHONDA IS MOTIVATIONAL. SHE HELPS US HANDLE PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS — EMAILS, LETTERS, RÉSUMÉS — AND SHE’S ALWAYS ENCOURAGING. BECAUSE SHE IS IN THE ENGINEERING BUILDING, THERE IS NO EXCUSE NOT TO GO POP IN TO ASK A QUESTION. HAVING SOMEONE ON SITE MAKES IT FEEL LIKE SHE IS MY PERSONAL LIAISON FOR ALL THINGS CAREER RELATED.”
— Kheperah Ray ’18
PREPPED AND Current student Kheperah Ray wants to make his mark on the planet and, inspired by a first-year preceptor, majored in electrical engineering. “I was interested in helping globally, seeing how I could develop different things around the world,” says Ray. “There aren’t too many African-Americans in technology, and I really wanted to help change that.” Ray has been actively engaged, both on campus and off, and that has really paid dividends. He was president of the USD chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), which gave him opportunities to show students different STEM opportunities. He was absolutely blown away by the annual convention. “The NSBE convention is a magical space,” says Ray. “You can meet a CEO in an 10
elevator and have an actual elevator pitch, all the way to meeting workers from Google, Twitter or Pinterest.” Extensive preparation for the NSBE convention, and other opportunities, helped him get a one-on-one meeting with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and internships with Spectrum and Time Warner Cable. During his years at USD, the Career Development Center played a major role in helping him find, and prepare for, new opportunities. He was a regular at career fairs, Torero Treks and ongoing meetings with the center’s engineering career counselor, Rhonda Harley. All this preparation definitely paid off at career fairs, where a conversation could quickly morph into a job interview. “If someone offered me an interview on the spot,” he says, “I would be prepared for anything.”
Kheperah Ray >
READY
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ALL IN
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< Kelly Morton, Career Counselor, School of Business “ INTERNSHIPS ARE CRITICAL FOR SUCCESS AFTER COLLEGE AND I THINK USD DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB SETTING US UP AND LETTING US KNOW THAT WE NEED THEM. I FREQUENT THE OFFICE OF KELLY MORTON FOR BOTH MY PERSONAL GROWTH AND AS A LEADER OF THE AMA CLUB PRESIDENT. THEY HAVE BEEN A GREAT RESOURCE TO LEARN THE ROPES FROM. SHE REALLY DOES HAVE THE STUDENT'S SUCCESS TOP OF MIND.”
— Lorri Schmidt-Hughes ’18
THE MARKETING When Lorri Schmidt-Hughes first got to USD, she didn’t realize she was a natural at marketing but quickly figured out how much she loved the curriculum and faculty. She went on to become president of USD’s American Marketing Association chapter, where she helped grow the program. But it’s the internships that have really moved her forward. Hughes recalls how the Career Development Center’s newsletter, the online career portal, Handshake and the personalized service she’s received at the center helped her find new opportunities. The center also connected her with Sprout Foods CEO Rick Klauser (see Giving Back, page 16), who invited her to the Natural Products Expo West. “I was excited to go,” she says. “I went during my spring break junior year.”
< Lorri Schmidt-Hughes
The conference really showed her how she could use her talents to help companies delineate their brands, and how the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry could be a good fit. “It was really interesting to see how much marketing plays into each brand and how targeted the marketing is,” says Hughes. “And how much effort goes into marketing a food brand because you have to distinguish yourself. Small brands have to stand out. I loved every aspect of it, and I see a future in the CPG industry.” While she was interning for Sprout Foods at the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, she pitched Perfect Bar, a company that makes healthy energy bars, to get her next internship. “I went up to their booth, told them I loved their brand and asked if they had any marketing internship positions,” says Hughes. 13
Exploration works both ways. Students are looking for career opportunities, companies are looking for good employees. The Career Development Center is bringing both sides together. This year, we started sending rĂŠsumĂŠ books to organizations around the country to show off our outstanding Toreros. Torero Treks are one of our most important programs, in which groups of students visit corporate campuses in New York, Silicon Valley, Seattle, San Diego and elsewhere. These trips are win-win, as students experience corporate culture and ask important questions, while employers are able to meet and interact with our students.
98%
of students who attended Torero Treks would recommend them
83%
of participants intend to connect with someone they met on a Torero Trek
368
students attended Torero Treks in 2017-18
LEARN CONNECT EXPLORE 14
45
companies were visited on Torero Treks in 2017-18
8,020
internship applications were submitted through Handshake
11,429 job applications were submitted through Handshake
Asking the Right Questions Joseph Bradley, Sr. likes to figure things out. As Cisco Systems’ vice president for the Internet of Things, he oversees the company’s efforts to securely connect pretty much everything — refrigerators, doors, cars, light bulbs. “My job is to make sure we do that right,” he says. Bradley went to UC Berkeley, but since his son, Joseph, Jr. ’20, started at USD, he’s shifted allegiances just a bit. He has taken a particular interest in career development, joining the parent board, mentoring students and helping organize a Torero Trek to Cisco in Silicon Valley. Bradley and his wife, Laurie live in Chicago, but they won’t hesitate to catch a plane to support students. For example, Bradley wasn’t going to miss the Torero Trek to Cisco’s mothership in San Jose. Cisco has hired a few USD grads, which has piqued their interest. Among other roles, Bradley had to run interference. “Once they found out the students were coming, I had to hold people back,” he says. “Everybody wanted to come.” Bradley is personally impressed by USD students’ abilities, particularly their problem-solving and communication skills. “They really understand how the technology can be used and, in a couple of conversations, gave us ways that we didn’t even think about, which was very exciting,” says Bradley. “We learn as much from them as they do from us.” But it’s more than just being able to come up with answers, Bradley feels it’s even more important to formulate the right questions. “Most people frame their work about answering a question,” says Bradley. “But that might not be the right question. One of the biggest challenges we face as leaders is that we have the right answers to the wrong questions. It’s important to have young minds that have a completely different perspective on framing the problem.”
< Joseph Bradley, Sr. (right) with his wife Laurie and son
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“ OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER IS CRUCIAL TO OUR WORK IN MISSION AND MINISTRY. WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COLLABORATED ON A VARIETY OF SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR OUR GRADUATING SENIORS, HELPING THEM TO DISCERN WISELY THEIR NEXT STEPS AFTER GRADUATION. OVER THE PAST DECADE, WE HAVE ENCOURAGED HUNDREDS OF GRADUATING SENIORS AND RECENT ALUMNI TO SEEK DEEPER MEANING AND SOCIAL IMPACT IN THEIR POSTGRADUATE LIVES.”
— Mark R. Peters, PhD, Director for Mission
Alumni Connection
Giving Back
Larry Novelo came to USD with a little experience under his belt, starting school after eight years in the Marine Corps. He graduated with an engineering degree, took on a civilian role with the Navy for a time, and then took on a new challenge. “I’m an industrial engineer for the U.S. Postal Service,” he says. “I try to make sure the mail gets to the right place at the right time, every time.”
Rick and Lisa Klauser know the value of a college education. Both were firstgeneration college students, and they appreciate the difference it’s made in their lives. Rick is CEO of Sprout Foods, the largest independent baby food brand in the U.S. Lisa is president of Integrated Marketing Services, a national branding agency.
USD was a good fit for Novelo from the start. He was initially attracted by the strength of the community. “Someone told me to try to find a place where you feel at home,” says Novelo. “When I first toured the campus, I really felt welcomed.” During his student years, he had a number of interactions with career counselors and first learned about his current job through a Career Development Center posting. He was particularly impressed by the insights he received from alumni. They would come speak in his classes and, as president of the USD chapter of the Institute of Industrial Engineers, he often invited them to come talk about their work. “I always remember that connection with the alumni,” he says. “They set a good example to keep reaching back.” Novelo wanted to follow suit. And though it’s not always easy to get back to campus from his job in Washington, D.C., he can reach out to USD engineering for new employees or interns. The combination of team projects, internships and strong communication skills makes USD undergrads and grads particularly wellsuited. “I’ve seen that with the interns I’ve brought in from USD. They already have a good idea of what they’re doing, especially when it comes to using Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint. They can also figure out these complicated equations we use on the job. Their education prepares them to work in a professional setting.”
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They’ve made it, but that’s not enough. The Klausers are always mindful that other first-generation students could use a little help. They’ve helped three kids in the Philippines attend college, and when their son Griffen ’21 started at USD, they created a scholarship for first-generation Toreros. “The ability to give back and give deserving, smart students the opportunity to have an amazing educational experience is really important to both of us,” says Lisa. This spirit of giving back extends to their professional lives. Rick wanted to offer internship opportunities for USD students. However, with Sprout based in New Jersey, the logistics were a bit tricky. The solution was the Natural Products Expo West, which is held each year in Anaheim. Sprout runs a booth, giving USD interns new opportunities to interact with customers and fellow exhibitors. “It gives them an opportunity to get exposure to an industry on all different levels,” says Rick. “They see what consumers are looking for, and it’s a great branding exercise. They learn about markets and brands, and why some are doing better than others.” Not to be outdone, Lisa has recruited applicants for the Advantage Irvine Ace Program, which trains people in the retail industry, offering insights into both retailers and manufacturers. “I felt the connection to USD instantly,” says Lisa. “The people we met, seeing the level of commitment at the career center, the caliber and quality of the kids. It’s the perfect combination of something that supported our values: faith, being a Changemaker Campus and the opportunity to give back.” Larry Novelo (top right) and Rick and Lisa Klauser with their son (bottom left) >
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TOREROS ON THE MOVE
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Torero Treks are opportunities for University of San Diego undergraduate students to engage in career exploration by visiting leading companies across the nation. Torero Treks typically include visits to two to three organizations in a specific region or industry. These visits may include alumni panels, office tours, and networking opportunities that allow students to learn about career paths and to connect with professionals. These logos represent a portion of the company participants from 2017-2018 Torero Treks.
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TOREROS IN THE REAL WORLD
93.9%
95.1%
48.9%
are employed, in graduate school, in the military or participating in full-time volunteer service
received their first full-time job offer within three months of graduating
who are employed full time reported they received more than one job offer before accepting a position
87.3%
78.6%
94.5%
who are employed full time reported they began their job search before graduation
participated in at least one experiential learning activity such as an internship, research opportunity, community service or mentorship
who are employed full time reported their current full-time position aligns with their career goals
The Career Development Center compiles data on students completing their undergraduate degrees each year. These data, gathered from multiple sources, reflect the initial career destinations for 74.7% of the 1,370 students who graduated between August 2016 and May 2017. For more information, contact the Career Development Center at 619-260-4654, careers@sandiego.edu or sandiego.edu/careers.
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The Career Team
Robin Darmon Senior Director rdarmon@sandiego.edu
Dee Kayalar Assistant Director Alumni Career Engagement dkayalarpolat@sandiego.edu
Abbey Racelis Associate Director aracelis@sandiego.edu
Niki Barrios Assistant Director of Marketing, Communication and Events nikievenbarrios@sandiego.edu
Sue Kelly Assistant Director, First- and Second-Year Experience kelly@sandiego.edu
Isela Reyes Career Readiness Program Assistant ireyes@sandiego.edu
Emily Baxt Assistant Director, First- and Second-Year Experience ebaxt@sandiego.edu
Alex Lo Assistant Director, Diversity and Graduate Student Networks alexlo@sandiego.edu
Katie Freedman Assistant Director, College of Arts and Sciences Career Development Center kfreedman@sandiego.edu
Judd Mateo Technology Resource Analyst jmateo@sandiego.edu
Linda Gayhart Career Development Coordinator lgayhart@sandiego.edu Rhonda Harley Assistant Director, School of Engineering Career Development Center rharley@sandiego.edu
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Kelly Morton Career Counselor, School of Business kellymorton@sandiego.edu Kelsey Nager Employer Relations Specialist knager@sandiego.edu Tim Novara Assistant Director, Assessment and Planning tnovara@sandiego.edu
Deisy Rodriguez Events and Marketing Coordinator deisyrodriguez@sandiego.edu Sheila Schaffzin Assistant Director, Employer Relations and Operations sschaffzin@sandiego.edu Kelsey Schultz Career Counselor, College of Arts and Sciences kelseyschultz@sandiego.edu Maya Sykes Experiential Learning Coordinator msykes@sandiego.edu
LEARN: WE TEACH STUDENTS HOW TO ARTICULATE THEIR STRENGTHS. CONNECT: WE PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS. EXPLORE: WE GUIDE STUDENTS AS THEY EXPLORE MAJORS AND DEFINE PURPOSEFUL CAREER PATHS.
Career Development Center 5998 Alcalรก Park, Manchester 101 San Diego, CA 92110 (619) 260-4654 careers@sandiego.edu sandiego.edu/careers