Christendom College hosted the first-ever Cardinal Newman Society Career Services Conference June 7-9, 2023, welcoming career services directors from different Catholic colleges across the nation.
The conference was organized by Christendom’s director of career and professional development Kristin Stephens, who has had ample experience organizing these types of events in the past. As a long-time member and current president-elect of the Virginia Association of Colleges and Employers (VACE), Stephens has been instrumental in helping lead their annual conference for a number of years, giving her the requisite experience to initiate this new gathering of like-minded professionals.
Sponsored by Catholic Gigs, the attendees heard talks, participated in round table discussions and small groups, and built personal connections, strengthening their departments and enabling them to better serve students and their career goals. Additionally, the conference attendees participated in discussions with many employers, learning directly from them about what they are looking for in potential employees and how to better prepare students for the workforce after college. Most of the employers were invited by Stephens, and, based on their relationship with Christendom, were happy to attend. A notable high point in the conference was hearing from Cardinal Newman Society President Patrick Reilly about the legal threats to religious freedom currently facing the nation as a whole.
Cardinal Newman Society President Patrick Reilly spoke about the legal threats to religious freedom currently facing the nation as a whole.
According to Dan Selmeczy from Thomas Aquinas College, attending the conference both as a speaker and as a participant served as a reminder of how important it is for the Newman Guide colleges to work together in a shared mission.
“It was inspiring to hear about the amazing work of my counterparts at the other Newman Guide colleges,” says Selmeczy. “I learned so much from the great questions they asked and the resources they shared. Maybe we can move faster on our own, but this conference makes it clear that to do the great work of renewing the Church, we can go much farther together. I am deeply grateful to the Newman Guide and Catholic Gigs for putting on this event and for the generous hospitality of Christendom College.”
The conference attendees participated in discussions with employers, learning directly from them about what they are looking for in potential employees and how to better prepare students for the workforce after college.
At Christendom, the career and professional development office prides itself on ensuring that every student is well-prepared to enter the workforce after graduation or go directly into married or religious life. Rather than focusing solely on careers, the department focuses on a student’s vocation. Over the past three years, over 98% of the graduates are employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation.
The goal of the Cardinal Newman Society Career Services Conference was to help each Newman Guide college be better prepared to achieve similar outcomes with their graduates, resulting in even more well-educated Catholics entering the workforce and impacting it for the better.
“From the perspective of Catholic Gigs, this conference was a huge gift,” says Mallory Wheeler from Catholic Gigs. “This conference not only provided us with numerous valuable ideas and opportunities but also brought us immense joy and excitement. I think this conference was the beginning of lifelong friendships and connections for us.”