October Assessment 365: A Career Center takeover!

Get ready for the Career Center takeover of our October 2026 Division of Student Affairs Assessment 365!

Michelle Breen and Annie Byrd will share their work on Student Voice as Genuine Data: Translating Lived Experience into Inclusive Career Practices.

At UMBC, student voices are shaping the future of access and opportunity. Through our partnership with the University Innovation Alliance (UIA), participation in the ASU Work+ Collaborative and the creation of the UMBC Career Center Student Advisory Council (CCASAC), we’ve gathered powerful insights from diverse student focus groups to reimagine how career education, on-campus work, and graduate student engagement can be more inclusive, equitable, and student-centered. This session highlights how listening empathetically to students led to practical changes in communication, access, and experiential learning design. Participants will explore how UMBC translated feedback from focus groups into scalable initiatives—like inclusive messaging and marketing strategies, redesigned on-campus job structures, and tailored graduate student supports—that foster belonging and early career confidence. Attendees will leave with replicable strategies and tools to elevate student voice as a lever for equity and innovation on their own campuses.

Dr. Rowena Winkler will share her research titled A Multi-Method Study on Meeting the Career Needs of Graduate Students.

This presentationis an overview of a multi-year, multi-method study at UMBC that investigates the "Engagement Gap" — a phenomenon in which 85% of UMBC graduate students report awareness of the Career Center, yet only 54% actively engage. By integrating three years of longitudinal Handshake data, a survey of 541 students, and 13 in-depth interviews with three specialized focus groups (International, Master’s, and Doctoral), we move beyond undergraduate-centric models to identify systemic and psychological barriers unique to the graduate population.

Marykate Conroy and Adam Morris will share their work on A Flexible Framework: UMBC’s PRAC Model for Equitable, Experiential Learning.

Grounded in the division’s commitment to data-driven student success, this presentation highlights how the Career Center developed and scaled UMBC’s PRAC (Practicum) model - a flexible, 0-credit framework that embeds NACE Career Readiness Competencies, intentional reflection, and equitable access across diverse student experiences. We will share assessment outcomes, student engagement data, and lessons learned that demonstrate PRAC’s measurable impact on student confidence and career readiness. Designed to celebrate divisional achievement and spark cross-departmental collaboration, this session offers practical insights on how PRAC’s adaptable framework and assessment strategies can inform, enhance, and inspire high-impact practices across other departments within the Division.

Assessment 365 is the free monthly professional development highlighting assessment work from the Division of Student Affairs open to DoSA staff and the entire campus community.