New Action Plan Expands and Strengthens College-Career Connections
At a moment of economic uncertainty, Beloit is enhancing its support of students as they forge successful career paths.
The college launched an updated Beloit Action Plan in April, a year after Beloit’s original plan met unprecedented societal and economic challenges caused by the pandemic.
The revised plan responds to the moment by enhancing support for students to create successful career paths after Beloit.
“At this moment of economic uncertainty, bridging the gap between college and career has taken on a new sense of urgency,” President Scott Bierman said in April. “While providing a rich and forward-thinking education with a focus on career preparedness has been integral to Beloit’s mission since our founding, this reimagined Action Plan deepens our commitment. As a result, students will feel more connected throughout their college experience, career search, and well after graduation.”
The plan includes five major initiatives:
Career Works is Beloit’s newly renamed and recently relocated career center in Pearsons Hall (shown above). Led by Director Jessica Fox-Wilson’98, its renewed vision is to help students directly link their coursework, internships, and community-based learning to careers.
Career Channels offer students a structure for following their interests in an area, or channel, that transcends an academic major. Channels such as justice and rights, health and healing, or business and entrepreneurship involve special resources and a professional community of peers, faculty, alumni, and outside experts to broaden students’ vision of their futures.
The highly successful Career Accelerator, held for the first time in January-February, offers students two weeks of workshops, panels, and networking opportunities between the fall and spring semesters. In its first year, more than 100 alumni and nearly 400 students participated.
Beloiters Helping Beloiters began as a lifeline during a global crisis last spring, when seniors faced graduation without traditional in-person networking opportunities. BHB is a network of alumni mentors for current seniors, who can receive inspiration, practical guidance, and assistance accessing professional networks.
The Power Grid is a group of alumni and friends of the college working in professions Beloit students are drawn to—green technology, entrepreneurship, digital media and marketing, law and social justice, and more. Students access these sought-after professionals through Career Works, Career Channels, Career Accelerator, and Beloiters Helping Beloiters.
