Lasell’s Fall Career Readiness Symposium showcased the work of more than 130 students in a dynamic digital format, a triumph for flexible teaching and learning amid COVID-19. The December 2020 event was reimagined to celebrate and showcase the ties between career preparedness and Connected Learning, thanks to a three-year grant from the Davis Educational Foundation.

The Fall 2020 Symposium included presentations and forums that focused on four of the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ (NACE) career-readiness competencies:

• Global and intercultural fluency
• Professional/work ethic
• Leadership
• Career management

Live content kicked off with a keynote presentation from Tauren Nelson, a doctoral student at Brandeis University. Nelson’s talk, “Getting Free: Towards Anti-Colonial & Black Feminist Praxis in Public Policy,” spoke to her prior work on community-engaged projects that centered Black women and mothers in Chicago, and fostered discussion on the need for radical social policies for those marginalized by “interlocking systems of white supremacy, patriarchal violence, and economic exploitation.” A follow-up series of “education stations” and a closing guest panel discussion on Black lived experiences rounded out the day’s featured programming on the African Diaspora.

“The Fall Career Readiness Symposium showcased student work and experiences, especially ways in which students have applied Connected Learning to develop their careers through internships,” said Provost Eric Turner. “The event highlighted competencies in leadership and global/intercultural fluency with an emphasis on ways our students lead and serve by example.”

In addition to course presentations, recent alumni participated in panels to share advice with students about job applications and life as young professionals. Both live sessions and on-demand content were made available to participants, as well as recordings of live presentations following the event. Content is still accessible on Canvas for students to explore.