Southwestern Magazine | Spring 2020

THIS PASTJANUARY, CAMPUSBUZZED with excitement as students, alumni, faculty, and staff gathered for SU’s new SOAR (Skills, Opportunities, Action, and Results) summit. Organized by Southwestern’s award- winning Center for Career & Professional Development (CCPD), this immersive event introduced sophomores to career- management skills, such as effective self-marketing in résumés and interviews. SOAR’s keynote speakers—including We and Me Inc. cofounder Chad Littlefield, etiquette expert DianeGottsmanP'21, digital marketing expert JohnGrimshaw, and former NFL coach Daron K. Roberts—discussed how to build a professional network and use proper dining etiquette. Students also connectedwithnationally renowned industry experts and Southwestern alumni. Alexandra Anderson, senior associate director of theCCPD, appreciates the energy of a “group of students participating in these things together.” That dynamic, she adds, was only enhanced by the participation of SU alumni. “We always have extremely generous alumni who come out of the goodness of their hearts to help students throughout the year,” she says. “Th[at] connection between the students and alumni is one of the things I value about my job here.” The CCPD provides resources and individual consulting on topics such as writing an effective LinkedIn profile and applying for internships and graduate school. But the annual SOAR summit is a unique program because it is intensive, enabling students to focus solely on career development for two full days. Moreover, scheduling SOAR outside the academic year means that the conference is not “taking away from any of the other experiences they’re having in their classes, in sports and arts, and in jobs they might have,” Anderson says. “In fact, it will build on those experiences.” Sophomores SOAR ABOVE: Former NFL coach Daron K. Roberts shares with SOAR participants how he landed his dream job. BOTTOM LEFT: Cler Estoesta ’22 gets advice from a professional on her job-search materials. BOTTOM RIGHT: Students and CCPD staff celebrate a successful first annual SOAR summit. 12 SOUTHWESTERN T H E C O MM O N S