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Weinberg Career Summit

September 23, 2024

The annual Weinberg College Career Summit is the best career exploration event for undergraduates curious about their post-grad options! What happened this year?

Career Summit signOver 300 students and 30+ alumni joined us the day before classes started to participate in the annual Weinberg College Career Summit, sponsored by the Waldron Student-Alumni Connections Program!

Students learned about valuable campus resources, practiced networking for the first time, and engaged with alumni mentors across almost every industry: finance, energy, sustainability, tech, social impact, healthcare, and more!

The day-long event also featured panels focused on the hot topics facing the world of work right now, such as AI disruptions, career pivoting, and work/live "balance" in typically intense industries.

Our alumni shared TONS of amazing advice...

  • "Nobody regretted trying something they thought they would love. It's the only way to test the hypothesis."
  • "It’s okay to not have it figured out."
  • "Thinking of networking as "what can I provide" instead of "what can I receive" is a good way to take the nerves out of the experience."
  • "It's never too early to give back; you are already somewhere someone else wishes they were."
  • "It is most important to stay flexible and open-minded when deciding your path; value soft skills like communication and authenticity as well as hard skills."
  • "Being curious is the easiest way to be remembered."

We had TONS of fields represented!

  • Student signing up at tablesTech & Startups
  • Social Impact
  • Consulting
  • Politics & Policy
  • Law
  • Healthcare
  • Finance
  • Energy & Sustainability
  • Communications, Marketing, and Media
  • Big Data

And incredible conversations about hot topics!

  • AI Disruptions Across Industries
  • Climate Change
  • Data Science Throughout Every Field
  • Gap Year, Grad School, or Industry?
  • Personal Identities & Career Decisions
  • Pivoting in College & Beyond
  • What You Can Do With a Humanities Major
  • Work/Life "Balance" in Grueling Industries

First-years, sophomores, juniors, and seniors all found valuables insights throughout the day!

  • "I loved talking with other students and alumni, it was a great experience!"
  • "I learned to really put myself out there and use the resources at my disposal."
  • "NU has so many resources to help me explore, it’s so helpful!"
  • "There's importance in understanding how you feel represented wherever you take yourself post-undergrad."

"The Career Summit was an incredibly organized way to meet some wonderful Northwestern alumni across all kinds of disciplines. I found people who came to NU with a similar background as mine, walked the very same paths to and from classes, and, today, have memories and insightful experiences to share with current students."

— Preena Shroff '26

Be sure to check out the other great resources from the Waldron Student-Alumni Connections Program!