UR students acquire new skill sets at professional development programs
Student Experience
Preparing for the world of work, Spiders were active participants at Robins Q-camp, Arts & Sciences NEXT, and the Jepson EDGE Institute.
At this time of year, summer internships and jobs are top of mind for many students. The three undergraduate schools at UR recently hosted events to help students refine their networking and presentation skills.
The Robins School of Business Q-camp, a two-day conference held in January at the Westin Richmond hotel, provided opportunities for students to practice speaking to professionals, including at an etiquette dinner. They certainly gained more than advice about which fork to use or the best way to eat asparagus.
“Attendees learned that small talk is the appetizer to any relationship,” said Shelley Burns, director of the Center for Professional Skills & Development at Robins, who led the dinner. “They practiced specific behaviors such as listening to learn, asking open-ended versus closed-ended questions, and demonstrating effective non-verbal behavior.”
The 17th annual conference drew 97 mostly sophomore business students and 89 volunteers who interacted with student attendees during the dinner, mock interviews, and speed networking sessions. Alumni from 1973 to last year's graduates were present. James Derr, a senior sales operations manager at research and advisory group Gartner, attended the event when he was a student and has volunteered 10 times since graduating in 2015.
During one speaker session, students explored navigating AI in career development, including artificial intelligence trends shaping the job market and practical ways to enhance their personal brand using its tools.
“Q-camp was a wonderful experience,” said sophomore Jolie Martin. “It was a great opportunity to connect with peers, professors, and professionals, as well as practice soft skills that you hear business professionals talk about, but you never have the opportunity to hone until you are in the workforce.”
Celebrating its 10-year anniversary, Arts & Sciences NEXT took place over two days in February at the Omni Richmond Hotel. A record 128 students attended. On the first day, they selected one of five case study groups to take part in.
“I was on the ‘Hotter Planet, Hotter Richmond’ case study which was a good match for me because of my interest in the urban heat island effect and involvement in the geography department,” said first-year student Lina Webb Khatcheressian. Her group explored how large and small-scale climate modification strategies will impact Virginia and the Richmond community.
The students spent a few hours travelling to various sites in downtown Richmond to meet with community partners and learn more about their topics. Khatcheressian’s group visited the Science Museum of Virginia and met with representatives from the museum and Southside ReLeaf, a community-based organization focused on increasing green spaces. The next day, the students had about three hours to work through provided case materials and prepare a 15-minute group presentation. During this time, faculty, alumni, and community partners facilitated discussions. After lunch, the groups presented their findings, each followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience.
“As a first-year student, I found that A&S NEXT was a great opportunity to meet students and faculty outside of my circle and continue developing relationships with those I had already met,” Khatcheressian said.
There were 60 students in attendance at the 12th annual Jepson EDGE Institute, the career camp for juniors majoring in leadership studies. (EDGE stands for explore, develop, gain, and exceed.)
UR graduates plan and facilitate the day. Melissa Collins Cramer was one of 45 alumni, from fields including investment management, cybersecurity, and retail, who took part in the February event at the Jepson Alumni Center
“The goal of Jepson EDGE is to provide meaningful support for students as they search for their summer internship. EDGE gives the students tools for talking about their Jepson education and how to leverage the unique aspects of a degree in Leadership Studies,” said Cramer, a 2011 alum and corporate recruiter for Tiffany & Company.
Cramer co-chairs the Jepson Alumni Corps’ student engagement committee along with 2017 alum Erin Price, project manager at Cendyn and owner of Perfect Detail Planning, and 2019 alum and current Richmond Law School student Benedict Roemer.
The event’s focus is to give Jepson students an “edge” in their professional skills. During the first session, students met with alumni and practiced their elevator pitch — a brief introduction they can use at career-related events. The afternoon session included talks on how to ace an interview, what happens the first five years after graduation, and key competencies for a new professional.
Cramer found it hard to select just one highlight from the day.
“I love hearing the little moments of connection. Whether it be a student and an alum who went to the same study abroad program, a student who seeks out a particular alum because of their experience, or common bonds across many years over particular classes or professors,” she said.