In early October, the T. Rowe Price Career and Innovation Center hosted the inaugural Diversity Career Networking event at UCCS in partnership with the UCCS Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The first-of-its-kind event was aimed at educating employers in the community while equipping students with career readiness resources and jobs, furthering the DEI mission of UCCS.
The primary purpose of the event was to connect students with career development and employment opportunities, especially those from historically marginalized populations. Networking events serve as a crucial platform for individuals to connect, exchange ideas and build relationships within their professional community.
Spanning an entire day, the event took place in three parts. The first was a DEI Employer Influencer Breakfast where the UCCS Office of DEI Education and Outreach hosted an educational training on a variety of DEI-related topics. Following the training, there was a networking and career preparation resource fair. Company representatives and UCCS campus partners, including MOSAIC, International Affairs, Disability Services, Family and Student Connections and Pre-Health, led roundtable discussions, resume reviews, elevator pitch development and networking tips to support students in showcasing their skills and gaining insights in successfully landing internships and jobs.
Hearing directly from professionals who have overcome similar challenges in the workplace can serve as guidance for students and a launching pad to finding mentorship in most professional fields. During the final portion of the event, Student-Employer Networking, industry leaders from the Colorado region were also able to share their company’s commitments to DEI, such as their support for affinity organizations, employee resource groups, mentorship programs, strategies for advancing historically marginalized employee groups and provide information on how to apply for internships and permanent positions.
“We are grateful to the T. Rowe Price Career and Innovation Center for hosting the Diversity Career Networking Event and empowering our student leaders to share their incredible experiences and build connections,” said Rame Hanna, Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. “Events like these help us foster inclusive learning and work environments and engage Colorado Springs’s commitment to DEI through action.“
The T. Rowe Price Career and Innovation Center is always working on ways to empower the student communities at UCCS and help them navigate the workplace successfully. Most recently, the center has developed student affinity pages for a wide variety of groups across campus, from first-generation students and students with disabilities to LGBTQ+ students and veteran or military-affiliated students.
These pages will serve as online communities to bring together career resources available on campus and throughout the local community to support students who share common identities, backgrounds and interests. The new affinity pages will be available on the career center website in early spring at career.uccs.edu.