The threats facing higher education and the economy have accelerated amid a global pandemic and have made future paths for students and recent graduates unclear. To provide them additional support, Southwestern University has joined the BridgesAlliance, a growing network of 50 universities worldwide launched by PeopleGrove, the engine for SU’s PirateConnect mentoring platform. Members of the BridgesAlliance have pledged to connect students to meaningful experiential learning and open doors to nontraditional career opportunities.

“Through our partnership with PeopleGrove and other BridgesAlliance schools, the pathway to networking and mentorship opportunities for our students will be expanded in a way to help launch their careers and ultimately enhance our collective future,” says Daniel Orozco, director of the Center for Career & Professional Development. 

In addition to Southwestern University, founding members of the BridgesAlliance include Johns Hopkins University, Middlebury College, Wellesley College, and more than 45 other schools. These institutions will leverage their networks, including alumni, parents, supporters, and corporate and nonprofit partners, to provide students with real-world career experiences.

“Hiring freezes and the withdrawal of jobs and internships are just a couple of challenges today’s students and recent graduates are facing. We must tap into the wealth of knowledge and innovation that exists in higher education,” says Adam Saven, cofounder and CEO at PeopleGrove. “Universities from across the world have banded together to form BridgesAlliance and will work to identify new ways to get graduates into the workforce at a time when their skills are needed most.”

PeopleGrove helps higher-education institutions bring personalized, connection-focused communities to students and alumni. The BridgesAlliance elevates PirateConnect one step further as an online platform to empower students and universities to tap into their network of alumni, families, and friends for short-term, project-based work. 

To learn more about how you can sponsor a short-term virtual project for Southwestern students and recent graduates, visit https://pirateconnect.southwestern.edu/page/projects. To learn more about the BridgesAlliance, please visit bridgesalliance.org. 

ABOUT SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY

Southwestern University is a selective, nationally recognized undergraduate liberal arts and sciences college located in Georgetown, Texas, with an enrollment of approximately 1,500. Established in 1840, it is the first institution of higher learning in Texas. Southwestern’s residential campus offers an experiential education, with numerous internship and collaborative research opportunities. The world is changing—and at an accelerating pace. In a 21st-century career, it is important to advance the frontiers of knowledge, adapt quickly to change, problem-solve new and complex challenges, and anticipate what’s next. We’ve created an experience that prepares students for these new realities. Southwestern University will equip students with the skills required to adapt, create, collaborate, and view challenges from multiple perspectives. These skills represent a valuable piece of a much broader, more relevant education for the tomorrow that awaits Southwestern scholars, innovators, and global community leaders.

ABOUT PEOPLEGROVE

PeopleGrove connects every student and all alumni with the network and resources they need to realize their full potential before, during, and after their time in college. Founded in 2015, PeopleGrove works with more than 250 institutions worldwide, including Stanford University, the University of Michigan, Wellesley College, and University of Maryland Global Campus. Headquartered in San Francisco, PeopleGrove is backed by Reach Capital, and other leading capital partners. To learn more about how PeopleGrove is working to ensure all students and professionals have access to the community and connections needed to succeed, visit peoplegrove.com.

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Media Contact:
Scarlett J. Moss
Southwestern University
mosssj@southwestern.edu
512-599-3363