Leavey Ambassadors Program Blogs

Broncos Help Broncos

When I first started thinking about recruiting and career opportunities, the idea of reaching out to alumni felt intimidating. I do not always know what to say, what questions to ask, or whether people would even respond. But over time, I realized that alumni conversations are one of the most useful ways to learn about different industries, companies, and career paths. If there’s one piece of advice I’d give any underclassman at Santa Clara University, it’s to take advantage of the alumni network and start earlier than you think you need to. Starting early takes the pressure off because you are not only reaching out when you need something. You are giving yourself time to learn, ask questions, and build relationships naturally before recruiting becomes stressful. At this point, I’ve had coffee chats with well over 20 alumni, and one thing became very clear: Santa Clara University alumni are incredibly responsive and genuinely willing to help, especially when you already share a connection through a club or organization. Before each coffee chat, I tried to research the other person’s role, company, and career path. These conversations did more than just help me build a network, they helped me become comfortable having professional conversations and navigating the recruiting process.

Over time, I became more confident introducing myself, asking thoughtful questions, and explaining my own interests. Each conversation gave me a little more practice, which made professional settings feel much less intimidating. By the time I sat down for actual interviews, I had already gone through countless versions of those conversations with alumni, and it showed. One experience that really highlights the strength of the SCU alumni network was when an alum drove all the way from San Francisco just to meet with me in person. She then coached me through every round of the interview process for an internship that ultimately became the role I’ll be returning to full-time after graduation. The career fair works the same way. A lot of alumni come back specifically to recruit SCU students, which makes it feel less like a lottery and more like a direct pipeline. So send the message. Go to the coffee chat, and come prepared. Most alumni genuinely want to help, all you have to do is ask.

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