Event features alumni panel, advice on exploring experiential learning, and more
Clark students nearing the midpoint of their undergraduate experience have a chance to explore career avenues at the upcoming Sophomore Summit. The event, held each semester, is a conference-style day filled with advice on exploring interests, building leadership skills, pursuing experiential learning opportunities, and networking with alumni, peers, and Clark faculty and staff.
The summit takes place from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31, in the Center for Media Arts, Computing, and Design. Students must apply to attend, and applications close on Tuesday, Jan. 27.
“It’s critical for students thinking about their future career — what they want to do right after college and long-term — to pursue experiential learning opportunities,” says Melisa Alves, associate dean and director of career education and experiential learning in the Career Connections Center. “Sophomore Summit emphasizes the importance of starting early to build career readiness skills, helping students make intentional choices that set them up for success as they approach their senior or fifth year and beyond.”
The Sophomore Summit supports students in exploring academic interests, learning about key campus career resources such as funding for experiential learning opportunities, and making connections between disciplines and potential career pathways.
“One of the best ways to do that is to hear from alumni and from their peers,” says Alves.
Alumni and peers speaking on a panel during the sophomore summit include:
- Corey Bernstein ’17, child-focused recruitment social worker, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
- Allegra Marra ’14, CDP ’15, director of corporate and volunteer engagement, Women’s Lunch Place
- David Quiroa ’17, community and government affairs manager, City of Worcester
- Kefiana Wairimũ Kabati ’17, third-grade ELA teacher, City of Holyoke
- Ashley Valois ’25, MPA ’26, federal practice intern, Results for America; district intern, U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Jim McGovern; Congressional intern, U.S. House of Representatives, Congresswoman Andrea Salinas; fall intern, United States Attorney’s Office
- Navy Vela ’26, animal care intern, EcoTarium
An important element of the summit is preparing students for experiential learning opportunities. “It’s important to understand the competencies employers value and to begin identifying experiences at Clark and beyond that help build those competencies,” says Alves.
Summit schedule
During check-in and breakfast, sophomores will be able to chat with juniors and seniors who have completed internships or research to ask about their experiences.
Alves and Midaly Carrasquillo Delgado, associate director of career education and experiential learning at the Career Connections Center, will lead sessions on the Strong Interest Inventory, a career assessment tool that identifies an individual’s interests and links them to occupations and educational pathways. Students will review their own Strong Interest Inventories and receive guidance on how to interpret the results.
Four sessions are offered during the summit, and students choose two to attend. The sessions focus on:
- Building a strong professional network and LinkedIn profile
- Applying for an internship
- Unlocking research, fellowships, and career preparation
- Developing and highlighting career competencies
The sessions are led, respectively, by Adwoa Sakyi-Lamptey, senior associate director of employer and alumni engagement at the Career Connections Center; Lisa Chase, associate director of internships and experiential learning at the Career Connections Center; Steven Moon, director of special academic opportunities; and Rosalie Torres-Stone, sociology professor.
Students will also be able to get a professional headshot for their LinkedIn profile taken during the event.
“The Sophomore Summit feedback is overwhelmingly positive,” says Alves. “Students feel like they walk away with new knowledge and the confidence to figure out the next steps they need to take.”
