Last semester, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences had a record number of 29 students finish the LAUNCH Professional Development Series this semester. The number of CALS students who completed the program greatly exceeded those from any other college. Alex Ricciuti, an NC State graduate student who is running the program, discussed the importance of students attending these workshops, “because any student who attends will be more prepared for their future than most students,” says Ricciuti.

The LAUNCH Series is a program that trains students in career readiness and professional development and prepares them for career planning. There are 11 workshops throughout the semester that include topics such as: Preparing Resumes, Preparing for Career Fairs, Learning LinkedIn, and Going to Grad School. The workshops are led by Student Career Ambassadors who are trained in teaching other students about career development.

Freshman Food Science major Hannah Klemmer completed her certification and said “I am currently applying for summer internships and the LAUNCH workshops helped me feel more confident in my internship applications.”

To complete the program, students must attend at least six sessions during the semester. Students who complete the program receive a certificate signed by their college dean and a t-shirt.

Dr. John Dole, CALS Associate Dean and Director of Academic Programs, says “the topics of the LAUNCH workshops touch on little things which really add up during an interview to separate those students who are prepared from the rest of the applicants.”

In addition to completing the program, Alex Ricciuti also strongly encourages CALS students to become Career Ambassadors because CALS is currently the most underrepresented college in this group. Encourage your students to attend the LAUNCH series!

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