The UCR Alumni Association has recently launched the UCR Career Network, a new online platform powered by PeopleGrove. The site is designed for students and alumni with the ultimate goal of helping Highlanders build up their network. The program encourages students to cultivate a successful mentor relationship and forge connections with university alumni in relevant career fields.
In an interview with The Highlander, Brock Cavett, director of young alumni engagement at UCR, talked about his support for the new program. “The UCR Career Network does a great job guiding students through the process of making connections by providing message templates and tips on how to nurture the connections they have made,” he stated.
In order to be a part of this program, students must register themselves into the system. They are first asked a series of initial questions to determine their interests and help match them with recommended alumni connections. Once finished, students gain immediate access to the entirety of the platform. They are given a profile in which they can edit and add their own personal, academic and career-related information for others to peruse. Students on this system may also choose to contact connections or continue to sift through potential mentors in different industries or cities. With the current features, students can either directly message or set up a live video chat with those in their connections list.
Cavett added that he anticipates the new career networking program will make facilitating connections between students and alumni a smoother process. He concluded by stating, “We hope that this platform makes finding mentorship opportunities easier for current students while giving UCR alumni the chance to give back by sharing their experiences and career advice.
