Student Information
You’re invited to attend the College of Arts and Letters Career Conference on Thursday, February 23rd and Friday, February 24th.
Registration is FREE and is required. Be sure to register by February 22, 2023.
What is a Career Conference?
The College of Arts and Letters Career Conference gives you the opportunity to learn more about the transition from your career as a student to whatever the next phase is for you. Some of the benefits for you include opportunities to:
- Network with alumni from the College of Arts and Letters
- Hear stories about experiences from CAL alumni
- Discover valuable strategies for pursuing careers
- Find out how to maximize the impact of attending a Career Fair
- And more!
This is different from a career fair. The University Career Center has a Career Fair scheduled for Tuesday, February 28th and Wednesday, March 1st. Different employers will be attending each day. We encourage you to attend our event to prepare for the upcoming Career Fair.
Featured Programming
Sample Schedule
Thursday, February 23, 2023
8:45-9:15 Registration
9:30-10:45 Opening
Welcome from Dean Aguirre
Keynote speaker
11:00-12:15 Session 1
Careers in Liberal Arts: Knowing – and selling – the strengths of a liberal arts degree
Post Graduate Fellowships and Awards with Merideth Malburne-Wade
Networking: online and in person
Internships: What is an internship and how to use Handshake to find internships
12:30-1:30 Networking Lunch
1:45-3:00 Session 2
How’d you get there?: Circuitous paths after graduation
Beyond the Bachelor’s degree: Graduate and professional education
Careers in Doing Good: Jobs that make a difference
Knowing where to start: Job search strategies for finding your first job(s) and how to use Handshake
3:15-4:30 Session 3
Do’s and don’ts for thriving in your first job
Say What?: Communication skills in the workplace
Balancing Acts: managing work, life, and passion projects
On the Job: What I learned from work that I didn’t learn in the classroom
Friday, February 24, 2023
8:45-9:15 Registration
9:30-10:45 Session 1
Navigating Gender and Identity in the workplace
Law Panel sharing how alums got into law careers
Careers in Liberal Arts: Knowing – and selling – the strengths of a liberal arts degree
Building a social media presence
Doing business with a Liberal Arts Degree
11:00-12:15 Session 2
Federal Government Jobs
Law Panel sharing different stages of law careers
Working in a non-profit
Employer/Faculty session: How can faculty help students
Career Fair 101
12:30-1:30 Networking Lunch in Ballroom
1:45-3:00 Session 3
Navigating usajobs.gov
Balancing Acts: managing work, life, and passion projects
Networking: online and in person
Insights from Employers
3:15-4:00 Closing Networking event
Alumni Information
Lodging Information
We've negotiated a lodging rate with Hotel Madison for alumni at $149/night Thursday 2/23 and Friday 2/24. Reservation available until February 10, 2023.
Parking Information
EVENT VISITOR permits have been issued for the attendees, valid 2/23/2023 7:00:00 AM-2/25/2023 10:00:00 PM. These permits will enable alumni guests to park, free of charge, in all standard spaces on campus.
To redeem their virtual permit, guests should go to https://jmu.aimsparking.com and click on “Redeem Event Permit.” They will be prompted to select their event, enter the event code, and enter their vehicle information. Upon confirming the transaction, they will receive an email receipt. Directions for redeeming visitor permits can be found online here.
Please see the email you received for the event name and code to redeem your virtual permit. If you did not receive that information, contact Shannon Wilson (wilso4sl@jmu.edu).