As the spring semester winds down, many of you are excited about what’s next. Whether you’re a senior and you have a job or graduate school lined up, a sophomore or junior getting ready for a big internship opportunity this summer, or a first-year looking forward to seeing all your friends back home, you’re getting ready for a big transition from academic life here on campus to something else, even if it’s for just a few months. 

Some of you reading this column, however, may not have definitive plans for this summer and beyond. If that’s the case for you, we’re here to help you maximize your summer, whether it be through exploring career options through SparkPath, building your network through LinkedIn and Laurentian Connection, finding experiential opportunities (have you heard of Parker Dewey’s micro-internships?), or creating/revising your resume through VMock. 

As a St. Lawrence student, you have access to all the platforms listed above. You also have access to a staff of professional career coaches who don’t operate on an academic calendar. While we spend a fair amount of our time in the summer planning for the year ahead, we also make sure to leave time open on our calendars for appointments with students and alumni. Yes, that’s right – we will help alumni work through career-related questions for up to five years after graduation! If you’re leaving campus without a clear plan, know that we are still here for you! Just log on to Handshake and make an appointment with one of our career coaches and we’ll be happy to set up a virtual meeting. (We are also happy to meet here on campus for those of you who will be local over the summer!) 

An important note to members of the senior class: Hopefully by now you realize just how powerful a tool Handshake can be. You will continue to have access to Handshake as an alum, but when you lose access to your St. Lawrence email address, you will lose access to Handshake! While you can always contact our office to regain access, the best way to ensure uninterrupted access to Handshake is to add your personal email to your Handshake account. 

Scan the QR code below to see a quick tutorial on how you can add a personal email address to Handshake and make it your primary email address! 

The entire Career Excellence staff is wishing you the best during finals week and beyond. We can’t wait to see what your plans are for this summer and beyond (did you fill out our survey yet? Do so by 4 p.m. on Friday to be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift card!), and we are looking forward to seeing our returning students in the fall.