Opportunities for Alumni Engagement: Experiential Learning and Student Career Preparation

Thank you for your interest in supporting current CSB/SJU students! The Office of Experiential Learning & Community Engagement (ELCE) and CSB/SJU XPD - Experience & Professional Development invite you to consider the following options (least amount of time required to greatest) to engage with CSB/SJU students.

• Serve as a contact for informational interviews and job shadowing experiences.
  Provide up-to-date contact information (job title, name of company, work address/phone/email, home address/phone/email  and year of graduation). Alumni should email Ruth Athmann at [email protected].
• Join the CSB/SJU "Career Connections" group on LinkedIn.
  Post internship and job opportunities, offer career advice and connect with students seeking to expand their network via this LinkedIn group.
• Participate in events and share your experiences.
  Volunteer to sit on a Career Exploration Series (CES) panel focused on a specific major or career area. Participate in a networking event including the Career EXPO Networking Reception (on-campus, November) or the reception prior to the Minnesota Private College Council's Job/Internship Fair (St. Paul, February). 
• Nurture/support internship, volunteer, or fellowship opportunities at your organization.
  Whether you could work directly with a student intern, volunteer or fellow - or might advocate for CSB/SJU student engagement opportunities with your employer's recruiting team - please consider providing this important experiential learning opportunity. The CSB/SJU job/internship/volunteer database, Handshake, offers an online tool for recruitment purposes for credit-bearing and non-credit bearing options.
  • For-Credit vs. Not For-Credit: As they're hired for a position, it is up to the student's discretion whether or not they earn credit for the experience. If students aren't registered for internship credits, you and the intern will work together to finalize the terms of their experience. If the student wishes to earn credit, he/she will take part in a 16-week experiential learning endeavor during the academic year (or 12-week experience during the summer). Although dependent on the number of credits they hope to earn, students typically need to spend at least 10 hours per week on-site for internships.
• Advocate for hiring a Bennie or Johnnie at your organization.
  Connect your employer with CSB/SJU XPD to discuss job postings on Handshake, on-campus interviews, job fairs and information sessions.
• Other: Join InterAction. InterAction matches current Saint Ben's and Saint John's students with the CSB/SJU alum network for a casual, informal, informational meeting. You will meet a current student for a one-on-one meeting to buy them coffee or a meal and discuss the student’s career plans and share your advice and experience since graduation.