Career conference focuses on public sector jobs for UD students

9:43 a.m., Feb. 22, 2012--To commemorate its 50-year legacy of education, research and service, the University of Delaware School of Public Policy and Administration (SPPA) will host "Careers in Public and Community Service: Strategies for Success," a conference on Monday, March 19, for current students and recent graduates interested in the public service workforce. 

Bringing together notable leaders and alumni from government, public policy and the public and private sectors, the afternoon event at Clayton Hall aims to provide students across the University with strategies for gaining a competitive edge in their employment search while highlighting the diverse array of public service careers. 

The conference will begin at noon with a lunch and a keynote presentation by UD alumnus Tony Allen, communications executive at Bank of America, a member of the UD Board of Trustees and founding head of Public Allies Delaware and the Metropolitan Urban League of Wilmington.

The conference includes two sets of concurrent sessions and panels.

The first session, from 1:45-3 p.m., is tailored to current students, with concurrent sessions on the following topics:

• Career Launch: Making the Most of Your Undergraduate Education.
• Graduate School Options: What’s the Degree for Me?
• Careers in Public and Community Service: What’s Out There and How to Gain a Competitive Edge?
• The Social Media Revolution: Impact on Public and Community Service Professionals.

The second session, from 3:15-4:30, is also tailored to current students and features alumni panelists from the non-profit, public policy, government and private sectors.

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“As we celebrate a historic milestone, we are also rededicated to our longstanding mission of benefiting the communities we serve,” says SPPA Director Maria Aristigueta. “And what better way to do that than by encouraging our best and brightest to consider the public and community service workforce.”

The conference is co-sponsored by the UD Career Services Center, College of Arts and Sciences, state of Delaware, Bank of America, Delaware Public Policy Institute, State Chamber of Commerce, Laffey-Mchugh Foundation, Delaware Association of Nonprofit Agencies, Nemours Health and Prevention Services and the National Urban Fellows program.

The conference is free and open to all students and members of the campus community, although registration is required. 

The conference will be followed by a reception recognizing the SPPA's 50-year anniversary and celebrating its public, private, and nonprofit partnerships.

Article by Artika Rangan Casini