In 2017, Wesleyan College’s Center for Career Development (CCD) began a partnership with the career development platform Purple Briefcase, a central platform for promoting jobs and internships to students. This fall, ten students landed internships posted on Purple Briefcase, including the Victim-Witness Assistance Program through the Macon district attorney’s office; Radiology Associates of Macon; the U.S. Department of Labor-OSHA; Navicent Health’s public relations department; and The Tubman Museum.

Experiential learning is just one way that students are encouraged to explore career paths and build their networks. Wesleyan alumnae have long played a role in sharing professional knowledge, and in helping students gain an understanding of the career or post-educational paths they hope to pursue.  Alumnae have invited students to shadow them at work, offered internships and externships, and opened their homes when a student needed lodging. Recently, the CCD and the Alumnae Office partnered to launch an alumnae mentor platform through Purple Briefcase. The mentor platform facilitates professional connections between current Wesleyan students and alumnae who are willing to share industry knowledge and resources with students at various stages of students’ career exploration. Through this platform, alumnae users can post employment opportunities (such as jobs and internships), as well as indicate interest in engaging with students via the mentorship platform.

By creating a Purple Briefcase account and mentor profile, an alumna indicates her interest in connecting with students and sets parameters such as the number of students she wants to engage with and whether the commitment is for one meeting, a sustained mentoring relationship, or something in between. Alumnae can choose to help with informational interviews, resume reviews, job shadows, mock interviews, and long-term mentoring relationships.

Stephanie Baugh, director for the CCD said, “Alumnae have rich industry knowledge to share, and students love the direct, personal advice they hear from alumnae. Through creating a mentor profile, you are creating a supportive community, building up future leaders, and helping students overcome their fears of networking. We welcome and encourage you to be involved to whatever extent you are able - whether it’s a one-time phone call or a semester-long mentoring relationship.”