​​​Career readiness can seem like a daunting task for students, especially for freshmen acclimating to the novelty of university life. Writing resumes and cover letters, creating LinkedIn profiles and networking are all aspects of career preparation that often feel overwhelming, as many students may not know when and how to take these steps toward post-graduate success.

 For this reason, Brenda Williams, the managing director of the DePaul Career Center , is launching a new program called Career Champions. Introduced last month, Williams' program encourages faculty, staff and student employee managers to integrate career readiness into their curriculum or office schedule. Its goal is to help students approach challenging tasks with confidence.

“Career readiness is a process of exploration," Williams says. “I want to empower students to have career readiness conversations and explore what resonates with them and makes them happy. The Career Champions initiative has not been done before on this campus to this magnitude and I am excited to change that."

Williams says faculty can integrate workshops and assignments focused on career readiness into their classwork. Students can practice interviewing, networking at career fairs and receive guidance on creating LinkedIn and Handshake profiles, helping them take the first steps toward securing internships and building their resumes. 

Student mentorship and career readiness integration provides many benefits for faculty, staff and student employee managers too. These university members often stay on top of workplace trends, enhancing their ability to advise students on career readiness steps.

​There's an emotional benefit as well," Williams says. “Faculty, staff and student employee managers who get involved with the program have the benefit of feeling proud of the positive results of their actions. Knowing they have helped students grow is very fulfilling."

Another important aspect of the Career Champions program is creating opportunities for participants to support various diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, Williams says. She says that DEI is integral to all of the Career Center's resources, hence why the Career Center is planning a diversity networking night in the spring where Career Champions can volunteer. It's a special opportunity for faculty, staff and student employee managers to support students who face unique barriers to career readiness, gaining insight on how to improve career preparation activities in their courses and work schedule.

“We're also working on an end-of-the-year event where we invite Career Champions to celebrate one another," Williams says. “We will award outstanding faculty, staff and student employee managers who have contributed great things to the program, inspiring others to join."

What makes the Career Champions program especially unique is its roots [BW1] in DePaul's distinct Vincentian mission. Williams, who is also very involved with the Division of Mission and Ministry, says that her passion as a “mission ambassador" inspires the goals and values behind the Career Champions program.

“Everything I do is dedicated to helping others and how I can support students," she says. “The Career Champions program is influenced by this mission and reflects DePaul's vision of 'what must be done?'."

Find more information on the Career Champions and sign up to be a Career Champion here.

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