CCD develops alumni network

By Maha Aziz     2/4/14 6:00pm

The Rice University Center for Career Development and the Association of Rice Alumni plan to create an alumni career network to provide career guidance to current students.

"Alumni can provide students with insights based on real-world experience about careers, industries, companies, organizations and graduate school as those students make decisions on majors, apply for internships or graduate school, and prepare for interviews," Michael Maher, the chairman of the Alumni Advisory Board, said.

Maher said the focus is now to increase student awareness and to work on how the CCD can help to connect students with alumni.

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According to the CCD website calendar, on Feb. 7 there will be a Fall Career and Internship Expo, which includes an Owl Career Mentor Nest. 

Rice Owl Career Mentor Network Coordinator Katy Portell said the Nest is a booth at the Expo with alumni volunteers who are stationed there to help students create a game plan for meeting with company recruiters at the Expo.

"It can be very nerve-wracking for students attending an event like the Expo," Portell said. "The alumni at the Nest will help students practice their handshakes, eye contact and greeting, as well as offer encouragement to the students.

Portell said another initiative of the Rice Owl Career Mentor Network are Alumni Mentor drop-in hours. There is one Wednesday, Feb. 5 from 5-7 p.m. at Huff House, and Portell said the CCD may continue these during Expo time in the future.

"Students will meet with alumni volunteers mainly for resume review, but volunteers will help with other things such as interview skills and personal skills," Portell said. "The alums are happy to be a resource to the students."

Portell said the Rice Owl Career Mentor Network LinkedIn group is an imperative part of the alumni network. Students can connect and reach out to alums online in a low-risk, flexible and accessible way to find opportunities that interest them. McMurtry College Peer Career Advisor Adriana Bracho said the alumni on the LinkedIn page are very responsive and easy to contact.

"It can be a little awkward trying to contact someone over the phone or by email for the first time, and the network being in the format of a social media site will make it easier for students and alumni to connect," Bracho, a senior, said.

Bracho said the college PCAs will be an important piece of the network as a whole, and she believes this network will make searching and preparing for career and internship opportunities a better experience for both alums and students.

"The PCAs are here to help jump-start the program and create new topics so the alumni will continue to help Rice students," Bracho said. "I think this new approach will highly benefit both students and alumni because it makes the whole experience a lot more personal and alumni can better direct students to opportunities they otherwise might have overlooked."

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