The document describes career exploration trips organized by IU SPEA to connect students, alumni, and employers. The trips involve industry panels with alumni and employer representatives, site visits to companies and organizations, and an evening networking event. Requirements include securing alumni/employer contacts, facilities, and funding for travel. Benefits are connecting students to career opportunities and allowing staff and alumni to share experiences. Costs involve student travel, meals, staff time, and promotional materials. Extensive pre-trip planning and follow-up is required. Resources and examples from past trips in Washington D.C. and Chicago are provided.

1. Career Exploration Trips: Connect Employers, Alumni, and Students Scott Feeny Jacqueline Ackerman IU SPEA

2. Overview Description “ Requirements” Benefits Costs Pre Post Resources Closing

3. Description Need Origin Big picture Format Panels Tracks Site visits Evening networking event (colloquium/keynote) Opt-in/out, but always on-time Examples

4. Requirements Alumni/employer contacts information Location, alumni/employer hub Conference space* Budget for travel, buy-in Timing pros/cons considerations Template emails Liability form assistance* Is there a need?

5. Benefits Connect students to employers/alumni (vice versa) Connect career services with employers/alumni (vice versa) Students “experience” a city Staff learns from “ horse’s mouth” High-profile/ marketable event

6. Costs 1 Student Travel Food/meals Attire Business cards/ resumes Time Pre/during/post

7. Costs 2 Staff’s time (opportunity cost) Student assistant’s wage/time Travel/accommodations/per diem for staff Conference space Evening networking Promotional /signage/ nametags/ table tents, etc.

8. Pre 1 Budget Facility reservations Partner w/ alumni affairs/assoc on-campus and in city Develop mock itinerary Outreach to alumni/employers Student callout meeting Reminders Solicit students for suggestions* Student registration

9. Pre 2 Trip Listserv Special advising hours Reminders Invite alumni in visiting city to networking event Collect bios, assign contacts to panels Confirmations Student prep tips, research employer bios Develop evaluation Collect resumes for virtual resume book Reminders

10. Post Send student evaluations Thank yous Document relationships Brag Follow-up w/ alumni/ employers leads

11. Resources 1 From: Mahaffey, Cathy L On Behalf Of Reingold, David A. Sent: Wednesday, March 02, 2011 1:57 PM To: BL-SPEA-All Bloomington Fac-Staff Subject: Congratulations to the Office of Career Services and Alumni Relations! Colleagues: Congratulations to the Office of Career Services and Alumni Relations for their recent success with SPEA’s Chicago Career Exploration Trip (2/24-2/25). Under the direction of Scott Feeny and Jennifer Dawson Payton, the two-day event connected 40+ students (20 UGs; 20 Grads), with SPEA alumni and employers through: o 10 industry-focused panels, with 40+ panelists, including the Heartland Alliance, the EPA, Crowe Horwath, and many more – see link for more info ; o 4 site visits, including Standard & Poors, Shedd Aquarium, and the City of Chicago - Office of the Mayor and the Department of Environment;

12. Resources 2 o an Alumni Reception/Networking Event which attracted an additional 50+ alumni, including a keynote address presented by Lydia Murray (MPA ’95), former deputy chief of staff to outgoing Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. The event was standing room only and provided lively debate on Chicago politics and the future of the City. This event was the second of two successful career exploration trips, the first taking place in Washington, DC (1/3-1/5). The Washington, DC Trip had a similar format as the Chicago Trip with 17 industry-focused panels and 4 site visits, connecting 35+ students (30 Grads; 5 UGs) with 50+ panelists and an additional 70+ alumni at the networking event – see link for more info . These events enable students to meet with established SPEA alumni, learning about their personal career paths and their employers. Panelists give our students tips for success, advice on how to best utilize their time while in SPEA, and also help students develop a professional network. If you have suggestions for future panelists or questions about the career exploration trips, please see Scott Feeny, IU SPEA Assistant Director of Employer Relations ( [email_address] ). If you have suggestions for alumni events please contact Jennifer Dawson Payton, Director of Alumni Relations ( [email_address] ). DR (DR = Dean Reingold)

13. Resources 3 Pics Callout meeting ppt Release forms DC & Chicago itineraries Sample panelist invite letter Sample panelist bio Sample emails sent through listserv

14. Closing Files/Examples/Templates Coming soon to cdpi.org Questions Scott Feeny [email_address] 812.855.7455