CAREER & LEADERSHIP 2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT
INTRODUCING CAREER & LEADERSHIP In the fall of 2018, the Office of Student-Athlete Development (OSAD) underwent a name change to more accurately represent developmental focus areas of career and leadership. Thus, introducing Career & Leadership! Career & Leadership (C&L) aims to CONNECT TODAY’S OPPORTUNITIES WITH TOMORROW’S POSSIBILITIES, transforming lives through the creation of innovative and intentional experiences that empower current and former student-athletes to be their best selves. Developmental stepping stones are organized through group and individual programming to ensure student-athletes are well-rounded, prepared individuals as they enter the next phase of life after graduation. In the 2018-19 academic year, C&L hosted 56 events & workshops and averaged 2.3 one-on-one interactions per student-athlete.
Life After Wisconsin
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> Self-awareness > Exploration > Goal-setting > Preparation > Placement
I worked with my Career & Leadership coordinator for the first time when I realized I needed to update and reformat my resume. I assumed that only a few changes needed to be made, but my coordinator totally revamped my resume so that employers would be drawn to my most important achievements and experiences. Now I feel confident applying for jobs, scholarships, and even graduate school! - Saylor Martin, Women’s Rowing
In 2018-19, C&L staff conducted 1,779 total interactions with current student-athletes as they worked towards their personal and professional goals. Combined, our current student-athletes accomplished 2,466 meaningful outcomes, including:
575
career or leadership-related events & trainings attended
134
cover letters & personal statements written
426
career or leadership-related assessments & activities conducted
82
informational interviews & job shadows conducted
381
internships & jobs held
63
financial consultations conducted
298
resumes created & updated
51
mock interviews & prep sessions
250
online job-search profiles created & updated
4
campus Leadership Certificates completed
151
student organization participants
FALL 2017, SPRING 2018, and SUMMER 2018 STUDENT-ATHLETE GRADUATES
90.9% Of graduates who provided career data achieved a positive career outcome (130 of the 143 graduates) 65.0% Full-time employment 19.6% Graduate programs 6.3% Volunteer, part-time, or other POST-GRADUATION CAREER PLACEMENT LOCATION
44.1%
8.4%
12.6%
60.1% 12.6%
5.6% 2
CHAMPIONING CAREER DEVELOPMENT Throughout the year, C&L collaborates with campus entities and companies from a wide variety of industries to provide opportunities for student-athletes to gain exposure and experience in the professional setting. In the 2018-19 academic year, C&L offered:
> 1 career fair > 3 site visits > 4 industry panels > 7 employers in the lobby
STUDENT-ATHLETE CAREER NIGHT
SITE VISITS
At our largest career event of the year, 117 student-athletes representing 22 sport engaged with representatives from over 80 companies and organizations across all industries.
C&L partnered with various campus organizations to immerse student-athletes into corporate settings, gain insight into the day-to-day operations of the many departments that make up a company, and network with representatives.  
I like going to career events like the Student-Athlete Career Night and the Milwaukee Bucks Sport Management Night because it keeps my options outside of football open. The opportunities and resources to get connected to employers and professional experiences are easily accessible if we choose to get involved, like learning what to put on resumes, how to articulate transferable skills, and what types of internships will lead to better job options. - Caesar Williams, Football
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I was able to make some really great connections with potential employers at the Student-Athlete Career Night. It was exciting to see so many reputable companies interested in hiring student-athletes. As an international student-athlete, I was glad to see companies that were willing to provide sponsorships. I had some great conversations with recruiters that hopefully turn into further opportunities! - Emily Borgmann, Women’s Soccer
INDUSTRY PANELS Specific to popular career interests of student-athletes, C&L coordinated panels of successful professionals working in those industries.
PERSONAL FINANCE
PROFESSIONAL SPORTS
MEDICINE & PUBLIC HEALTH
17 student-athletes heard
A collaboration between the Wisconsin School of Business, Sports Business Club, and Wisconsin Athletics, 37 student-athletes participated in a night of learning from and networking with professionals working in executive leadership, team operations, marketing/ partnership development, and player representation.
16 student-athletes learned
from and networked with established representatives from local companies, and gained insight into internship & job opportunities.
about the Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health, the various tracks that exist within, and valuable advice about how to prepare to gain acceptance and receive mentorship in preparation for a career in the medical field.
EMPLOYERS IN THE LOBBY C&L hosted 7 employers in the lobby of the Student-Athlete Performance Center. As a high-traffic location with student-athletes filtering in and out of the space throughout the day, it was a prime location for companies to attract, engage, and recruit our talented student-athletes for future career opportunities. Thank you, to the employers that participated in our career programs:
The Medicine & Public Health Panel was so informative for student-athletes looking to apply to medical school. The fact that the athletic department was able to organize a panel featuring doctors from various fields, who were also athletes during their undergraduate studies, was really motivating. They all had valuable knowledge about the application process as well as general guidelines to increase our chances of success in the medical field. Overall it was a great experience! - George Ghafari, Men’s Track & Field
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LEADING WITH A PURPOSE C&L coordinates various opportunities for student-athletes to develop their leadership skills and become more involved across the athletic department and on campus. The following experiences are some of our favorite programs of the year‌ LEADERSHIP CERTIFICATE C&L staff worked closely with campus Center for Leadeship Involement (CfLI) staff to educate student-athletes on the leadership certificate and applicable student-athlete components, reinforcing the commitment to developing leadership capacity through intentional reflection and engagement in learning, both inside and outside the classroom, for the purpose of meaningful change. In the fall of 2018 and the spring of 2019, 4 total student-athletes completed the 100+ hours of leadership experience through organizational involvement, community service, and leadership trainings!
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STUDENT-ATHLETE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (SAAC) A student-athlete organization that met monthly to provide a direct link to UW Athletic Administration, the Big Ten Conference, and the NCAA. The SAAC is a leadership organization that provided an opportunity for student-athletes to enhance their experience through engagement in service, social events, and creating spaces for discussion to help empower student-athletes as it relates to welfare. Student-athletes from all 23 sports came together to serve on the SAAC, made up of 7 executive board members and 48 voting representatives. This committee led a variety of initiatives and coordinated many events for the student-athlete body, including: Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign, De-Stress December, Dogs in the Lobby, Freezin’ for a Reason, Mr. & Ms. Bucky, ONE TEAM Hula Night, Open Forum, Random Acts of Kindness Week, Teddy Bear Toss, Thank-A-Thon.
LEADERSHIP LESSONS C&L hosted a series of 6 Leadership Lessons for student-athletes to dedicate time to their personal and leadership development. Throughout the series, a total of 81 student-athletes from 18 sports participated. 15 alum, employers, and coaches, co-facilitated alongside C&L staff to share various perspectives and expertise.
TOPICS INCLUDED: > WHAT’S MY STYLE?
> HOW DO I BALANCE?
> WHAT’S MY GAME PLAN?
> WHAT’S GUIDES ME?
> DO YOU FEEL ME?
> LOOK AT ME NOW!
TEAM WORKSHOPS By working closely with the student-athletes and coaches, C&L has the opportunity to create and facilitate workshops or outings to meet the interests and needs of each particular team. This year, teams conducted 4 workshops related to leadership, including participating in the DiSC assessment, a high-ropes course team-building exercise, and discussions on serving as a leader in the classroom.
It's amazing how much goes into the community here at Wisconsin, and it's an honor to help be an advocate for our fellow Badgers by serving on SAAC. - Trista Pringle, Women’s Cross Country
We know [Badger studentathletes] have excellent education and a tremendous environment, so that becomes a given – beyond that, it quickly turns to leadership. What type of individual are we hiring, not necessarily for their first job… but long-term, is this a future leader in our company? - Tom Westrick, VP/Chief Quality Officer of GE Healthcare
The leadership certificate is such a great opportunity to be able to explore your leadership style. It helped me understand what motivates me, what leadership styles I like and how to lead lots of different types of people. Learning all of these things will help me in many aspects of my life not just my professional career as opportunities to lead occur everywhere. - Jess Unicomb, Women’s Swimming & Diving
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ENHANCING RELATIONSHIPS WITH EMPLOYERS C&L engaged employers through various programming with current student-athletes throughout the year, including, but not limited to: > Student-Athlete Career Night > Industry Panels
Badgers are:
> Site Visits
> Coachable
> Competitive
> Employers in the Lobby
> Dedicated
> Efficient
> Leadership Lessons
> Fearless
> Resilient
> Strategic
> Team-oriented
Outside of programming engagement, over 250 unique touchpoints through conversations and meetings were made with employers to discuss strategy and partnership opportunities.
Matching Student-Athletes With Careers, Not Just Jobs
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Our student-athletes continue to amaze us with their pursuit for success in all aspects of their lives.
The department opened so many doors in my job search for work after college. I interviewed with several different companies throughout my job search, which gave me the confidence to speak with recruiters and eventually land an internship with Burlington for this summer! Using the resources and connections here with C&L staff is crucial to getting in touch with the right people to make it all happen. Alan Sweet, Men’s Tennis
What kind of leg-up do Wisconsin student-athletes have? I know they’ve worked hard to get to school – it’s tough to get in, tough to stay in – and on top of that, you throw in the commitment they’ve had to athletics, towards other internships, community involvement… All of that put together signifies to me someone that’s working hard to get ahead. When they come out of Wisconsin, they’re ready to work. - Dan Kelly, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer of American Family Insurance
LEANING INTO TRANSITIONS ONCE A BADGER, ALWAYS A BADGER PANEL
27 student-athletes heard from 6 Badger letterwinners as they shared testimonials of how their athletic experience and skills gained throughout their time as a Badger transferred into the professional realm, and provided valuable advice and perspective to encourage student-athletes to explore their passions outside of sport. TRANSITION IN PROGRAMMING A multi-sport series of workshops first year student-athletes participated in during their first semester at Wisconsin. Students were educated on a variety of topics through individual and group development activities that complimented the one-on-one support students receive across the athletic department.
58 Summer 2018 enrollees participated in SUMMER BRIDGE, and 184 Fall 2018 enrollees participated in a FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE course instructed by a campus professor for-credit. Topics included: academic strategies, major and career exploration, nutrition, diversity & inclusion, wellness & sport psychology, and community outreach. Throughout these workshops, first year students were able to meet peers from other sports and build community. Transition-in programming allows for all of our incoming freshmen to have a shared experience that they will carry with them throughout their lifetime. ONE-ON-ONE COACHING WITH ALUM In 2018-19, C&L’s outreach expanded to assist our former student-athletes through their personal and professional goals. Through 164 total interactions with C&L staff, our former student-athletes accomplished 105 meaningful outcomes, including:
39 internships and jobs held
or leadership-related events 11 career and trainings attended
16 resumes created & updated
interviews and 7 informational job shadows conducted
letters and personal 14 cover statements written
3 mock interviews and prep sessions
job-search platforms 12 online created & updated
or leadership-related 2 career assessments and activities conducted
CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE Full program
THE BUCKINGHAMS: STUDENT-ATHLETE SHOWCASE OF EXCELLENCE A formal, red carpeted event where student-athletes’ successes outside of the athletic arena were highlighted through the presentation of awards, honors, and performances. The 11th annual Buckinghams, included: > 27 student-athletes presented 14 awards > 85 student-athletes from all 23 sports, 4 teams, and 1 staff member were honored > 23 student-athletes, 1 from each sport, served on the planning committee to plan and promote the event > 10 talented student-athletes and 1 full team showcased 6 different performances of singing, rapping, playing musical instruments, reading poetry, and dancing! > 2 student-athletes hosted the red carpet during the pre-show, 2 student-athletes hosted the opener to the show, and 2 student-athletes interviewed guests during the show > over 900 student-athletes, athletic department staff, campus and community members in attendance!
The best part about hosting this year’s red carpet was being able to ask my fellow students-athletes about their sports, academics, and even hidden talents. Overall, the entire event was an amazing experience and atmosphere. - Suzanne Gilreath, Women’s Basketball
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It’s a night where student-athletes and staff members get to celebrate all of the amazing things our teams and individuals accomplish in such a way that truly makes us feel like super stars. Getting to see all of the athletic, academic and other accomplishments my fellow Badgers do throughout the year makes me even more proud to be part of Wisconsin Athletics. - Emily Clark, Women’s Hockey
Red carpet, pre-show, and show photos
Buckinghams was an awesome event in a top notch venue. It was very impressive seeing all the amazing athletic and academic accomplishments of my fellow student-athletes. The event just adds to the many unbelievable student-athlete experiences Wisconsin has to offer. - Jake Bunz, Men’s Hockey
Post-event article
Recap
Live from the red carpet
Working together with teammates to design and paint a mini Bucky statue for this year’s art gallery was very fun to be a part of. The wrestling team incorporated the memory of our teammate Eli Stickley into our statue’s design. Also, the Eli Stickley bELIve award was a wonderful addition to this year’s Buckinghams. It was an honor to be nominated for that award and to see just how large Eli’s impact was on the University. Both the mini Bucky statue and this new award was a great way to honor him and his legacy. - Cole Martin, Wrestling
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