Friday, November 16, 2018

UNCW Student Ambassadors are collaborating with several campus partners to launch HawkTalks, a new series of panels and networking events designed to connect current students with alumni working in a variety of professional fields. The initial panel discussion on Nov. 28 will focus on careers with the federal government.

Jules King ’19, vice president of Student Ambassadors, envisions HawkTalks as a way for students to learn more about careers that interest them from UNCW graduates with relevant experience.

“The job market is filled with a variety of different careers that require their own specialized skillsets,” King said. “Attending career events can help students learn more about these skills and traits that are needed in the field of work that they are interested in.”

The first HawkTalks will be held at 7 p.m., Nov. 28 in the Burney Center. The event is open to UNCW alumni and students. 

The panelists include UNCW alumni, parents and community leaders: Amanda Williams ’09M, Department of State; Jennie McClain Counts ’06, ’10M, U.S. Geological Survey; Tammy Stoker, Environmental Protection Agency, and parent of Travis Stoker ’19; Arthur Liberty, Chief Administrative Judge; Courtenay Mencini ’14, FBI; and Jenny Owens ’86, Army Corps of Engineers. There will be a Q&A session after each speaker followed by a networking reception.

The College of Arts and Sciences, Undergraduate Studies, the Career Center, the UNCW Alumni Association and other campus partners have supported the Ambassadors’ effort to launch HawkTalks, said King. Additional events are in the works for the spring 2019 semester.

“I have never seen so many administrators, professors and groups work together. It's really special and exciting to be a part of that,” she said. “HawkTalks would not be the event it is today without all of their input, and it would not have attracted the prestigious guests that we are so fortunate to be welcoming back to campus.”

The UNCW Strategic Plan focuses on providing students with a variety of academic, leadership and experiential learning experiences designed to prepare them for post-graduation career placement.

-- Logan Matthews ’19

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