For years, the Syracuse University Career and Internship Fair has been a campus tradition. But in response to shifting industry demands, Career Services is taking its own advice by staying nimble.
Enter the University’s inaugural Career Conference.
Undergraduates of all majors recently converged on the Schine Student Center for a power-packed program of workshops, interactive sessions, panel discussions and special presentations. Career-oriented games and activities, like Coffee Chats, Resume Reviews and Networking Bingo, were also on the bill.
The presenters weren’t just industry experts. Many of them were faculty, staff and alumni from nine of the University’s schools and colleges as well as the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families and Syracuse Athletics.
The mood was festive, and the excitement, palpable. The theme was “Where Curiosity Becomes Career.”
Students at Syracuse University’s inaugural Career Conference. The theme of the conference, which ran March 26-27, was “Where Curiosity Becomes Career.”
“I’m amazed at how many job resources the University has to offer,” remarked Julia Cunningham ’26, a dual major in biology and environment, sustainability and policy.
She attended a workshop led by Kristen Aust and Matt Wheeler G’26, directors of career advising and of employer and alumni engagement, respectively, for both the College of Arts and Sciences and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.
Titled “Discovering Your Career Identity,” the session helped Cunningham turn job exploration into opportunity. “They gave me a roadmap tool, which is going to help me create an action plan,” she said.
Lisette Child G’28, assistant director of employer relations in Career Services and the conference’s key organizer, welcomed this kind of feedback. She noted that the traditional career and internship fair isn’t going away entirely.
“Our goal is to offer the fair in the fall and the conference in the spring,” said Child between a rare break in the action. “We’re committed to career development, not just career exposure.”
Indeed, both formats are complementary opposites. Whereas a career fair focuses on high-volume networking and resume drop-offs, a conference plays the long game—meaningful interactions, career exploration and skill building.
“They provide significant professional benefits, helping students become well-rounded professionals,” she said.
A Human-Centered Approach
Career conferences emphasize meaningful interactions, notes Lisette Child G’28, assistant director of employer relations in Career Services. “We’re committed to career development, not just career exposure.”
In response to the growth of artificial intelligence (AI), multiple presenters emphasized the need for emotional intelligence (EQ) among job candidates.
EQ encompasses “soft skills” like empathy, self-awareness and adaptability. Couched with hard, technical skills, EQ can make or break a job interview, noted presenter Bradley Robinson, an account director at LinkedIn Learning.
“EQ also can be used with liberal arts learning, which develops critical thinking, creative problem-solving and effective communication,” he said.
Robinson and other presenters reassured students that AI isn’t coming for their jobs but, rather, enables them to become more efficient and productive at what they do.
An attendee at Career Services’ Iris Photo Booth, offered in partnership with the Division of the Student Experience.
Kyrie Castro, a senior majoring in communication and rhetorical studies, echoed these sentiments. Following a panel discussion about networking in the creative fields, she said that AI is on the minds of all students, regardless of their major.
“Those who take a human-centered approach to AI have a competitive edge,” Castro said.
That’s because technology enhances human capabilities, observed Bei Yu, a professor in the School of Information Studies.
During an interactive session on AI literacy, she and Shahaan Kahn, a master’s student in applied human-centered AI, presented a framework combining self-reflection and vibe coding—a software development approach where users generate apps with AI tools instead of line-by-line coding—to help students understand their own technological habits.
“AI literacy is a blend of technical, ethical and critical considerations,” she said. “Whether we’re in the classroom or on the job, each of us approaches them differently.”
Meaningful Interactions
A student at one of the conference’s multiple Resume Review sessions.
Most of the presenters were handpicked by Child and Adam Capozzi, director of career services, assessment and student success.
The wide range of speakers and topics reflected the complexity of the modern-day job hunt. “Career planning is one of the most important investments that Syracuse makes in our students,” Capozzi stated.
During her keynote address on the future of work, Julianna D’Urzo G’21 stressed the importance of proactive career planning—“continuously expanding your network to plan for your next job while currently being employed.”
The NewsNation creative producer recalled how, in 2021, she landed her “dream job” at CNN’s new streaming service, only to see it shut down seven months later.
“I had no choice but to pivot, and my network made all the difference,” she recalled. “You never know where a single conversation will lead.”
NewsNation’s Julianna D’Urzo G’21 (left) and ESPN’s Jalyss Lyann G’24 at the Career Conference. In their remarks, they stressed the need for adaptability in today’s job market.
Jalyss Lyann G’24, a production assistant at ESPN, pointed out that adaptability doesn’t come at the expense of authenticity. During an alumni discussion (moderated by D’Urzo), she urged students to “hold on to their core values” while adjusting their styles and strategies to meet the demands of the marketplace.
“Don’t change who you are to fit in the room. Be yourself,” Lyann added.
Afterward, she and her fellow panelists met with attendees seeking more nuanced advice. Their interactions reaffirmed the importance of humanity and connection in an otherwise fast-changing, tech-driven world.
“Every student has a story to tell,” Child observed. “Events like the Career Conference can help them transform their curiosity into a rich, inspiring narrative.”
