“Right now, we’re seeing trends across the nation that three out of five graduating seniors in the Class of 2026 are feeling scared,” says Kim Churches, president and CEO of The Washington Center (TWC), a renowned national organization that has been placing students in internships and preparing them for the workplace since 1975.
“Universities must skill up and make sure our students are building the muscles they need to be prepared for this competitive marketplace,” she continues. “Not every college and university is doing that, but the way UNC Greensboro is approaching it IS the future!”
Churches is referring to the efforts of the University’s Career & Professional Development (CPD) office. There, supportive staff are using connections with alumni and local employers, and forging partnerships with career-prep experts to leverage their services for students.
This year, CPD and TWC came together to meet UNCG students where they are in the first-ever weekend workshop TWC has hosted on a college campus.
Stronger Together
UNCG’s CPD office has been building a relationship with TWC for years now. They send students to their career prep seminars and participate in TWC’s summer internship programs, where students are laced in paid internships and enjoy housing in TWC’s Washington, D.C. residence halls. It’s a partnership that gives them incredible work experience and skills to tackle their post-graduation job searches.
While attending the College and University Partner Summit hosted by TWC in Washington D.C., CPD Director Megan Walters heard about TWC’s plans to take their seminars on the road to college campuses, and she couldn’t wait to volunteer to be their first stop.
Hence, the Career Launch Bootcamp was born. The event would combine TWC’s seminar experience and UNCG’s connections with alumni and local employers to lead sessions and network with the student attendees.
Building a Bootcamp for Spartan Success
Walters began establishing the application process and booking meeting spaces in Elliott University Center for the three-day program set for Oct. 24–26. Seminars would cover topics such as résumé building, public speaking and interview tips, artificial intelligence in the workplace, and negotiating salary and benefits.
“In a highly competitive marketplace, it’s not enough for colleges to provide book-learning,” Churches says. “They must also build the skills that employers are looking for, like project management, professional communication, and critical thinking.”
A call for applications across campus yielded massive interest; 75 third- and fourth-year Spartans were accepted to participate in the bootcamp. Students covered various fields of study, from business and humanities majors to kinesiology and social work majors.
“One of many highlights is that we had several fully online students who came to Greensboro specifically for this experience,” says Walters. “It’s great to see students making connections beyond their careers – they are also building community and their sense of belonging at UNCG.”
A Pilot Program Whose Time Has Come
Those attending the Career Launch Bootcamp dove into the seminars, soaked up the experience of their session leaders, and reveled in the networking practice throughout the weekend. Churches raved about how “amazing and engaging” the UNCG students were: “Their pencils are sharpened, and they are ready to dig in,” she said.
Jaren Doby ’07, ’12 M.S.W. shared his experience as a mental health therapist at Novant Health and a traveling public speaker. He was impressed with the enthusiasm in his public-speaking seminar: “They are doing a great a job of collaborating with each other and utilizing their resources in order to make themselves more marketable.”
He lingered after his presentation for individual conversations with students, where he emphasized the importance of networking. “If you’re interested in a job in health care, call me or send me a message,” he said. “Even if I don’t have an opportunity for you, I may know someone.”
Marisol Marin is a third-year political science major on the law school track. She applied for the bootcamp to help secure an internship this summer.
“I’m so happy that I got chosen for this Career Launch Bootcamp activity because it not only helped me sharpen my skills, but it also helped me build so many connections and realize the community I have around me,” says Marin.
Ashanti Evans is a student in her last semester at UNCG. Even though she has already secured a job after graduation at Reynolds American, she particularly enjoyed the salary negotiation session and the opportunity to broaden her connections. She met Reynolds’ Vice President of Strategic Engagement Mary Elizabeth Tillman Barwick in the opening session, who will become her “co-worker” in January.
“CPD partners with companies to give students opportunities that other schools may not have,” Evans explains. “Without the staff at CPD, I wouldn’t have a full-time role prior to graduation. Their career counseling and opportunities like this bootcamp have set me up for success.”
Taking in the impact of its first Career Launch Bootcamp on a college campus, TWC staff was also thankful for its special relationship with UNCG’s CPD office. “This is the first time we’re getting out of Washington, but it won’t be the last,” says Churches. “Now we’re seeing campuses all around the country trying to follow UNCG in their footsteps.”
Story by Becky Deakins, University Communications.
Photography by Sean Norona, University Communications.
Videography by David Rowe & Chase Cofield, University Communications.
