Professional Development Program

Handshake is Santa Clara's official job and internship board, built specifically for college students and the employers who want to hire them. Search thousands of postings, register for on-campus career fairs and info sessions, and message recruiters directly through the platform. Because postings are curated for Santa Clara students, it's often the fastest way to find internships and jobs actively looking for Leavey talent.

Available to students and alumni.

Bronco Exchange connects you directly with Santa Clara alumni for career advice, mentorship, and honest conversations about life after graduation. You can search for Broncos by major, industry, or even shared interests, then reach out to ask about their career path or request an informational interview. Because everyone on the platform has opted in to help, response rates run far higher than a cold email–making it one of the easiest ways to start building a real professional network before you graduate.

Available to students and alumni.

The Undergraduate Business Program offers professional headshots for business majors at no cost to you. These images will be yours to use for LinkedIn or any other professional profile needs.

Available only to current business students.

The Santa Clara Career Center offers weekly drop-in 1:1 coaching in the Lucas Hall lobby. Dedicated Career Center staff are available to answer any career questions, including resume review. See Handshake for more information.

Available only to current business students.

The Santa Clara Career Center offers across campus a quarterly career fair called the Career BASH (Business, Arts, Social Sciences, Humanities). Students can sign up to participate on Handshake.

ACE Leadership Program – Through seminars, internships, and alumni engagement opportunities, you’ll gain the experiences and connections to achieve your goals and become the capable, ethical, and caring business leader Santa Clara alumni are known for. 

Silicon Valley Executive Presence Program – Prepares students for professional conversation, relationship-building, and career exploration through small-group lunch meetings with Silicon Valley executives. Students also complete a companion workshop to build the skills and confidence needed to engage with executives and network effectively.

Senior Leadership Academy – Provides undergraduate business seniors with an in-depth exploration of a leadership topic relevant to life after graduation, paired with a sustained mentoring experience. Each senior is matched with an alumni mentor who provides one-on-one mentorship and support on topics like personal and professional development, career exploration, and work-life balance.

At Leavey, each of the following Centers and Institutes offers a variety of courses and initiatives that support individual career development based on your interests.

Center for Accounting Research and Education (CARE) – Along with the student-led SCU Accounting Association (SCUAA), CARE organizes and manages accounting informational events, career planning experiences, accounting career fairs, and recruiting activities for SCU undergraduate business majors.  CARE also collaborates with SCUAA to support the  Accounting Alumni Board which builds community and mentorship among accounting/A&IS students and recent Accounting Department graduates.

Ciocca Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship is an on-campus resource that introduces and encourages the Entrepreneurial Mindset. With experiential programs accessible to all students, across disciplines and faculty, staff and alumni Ciocca Center prepares future innovators and leaders with full access to possibilities and opportunities that inspire and empower.

My Own Business Institute (MOBI) – MOBI’s popular online courses teach new entrepreneurs how to start a business and experienced entrepreneurs how to grow a business. Through video, audio, and text, our online students learn how to pick a business, how to finance it, how to build clientele, and how to create a successful team. MOBI students come from all over the world and represent every kind of business imaginable.

The Retail Management Institute provides undergraduate students with the minor in retail studies and the skills needed to succeed in the changing retail industry. Open to all SCU undergraduate students, the minor prepares students for a diverse set of leadership roles including e-commerce, buying, merchandising, planning and allocation, digital  Marketing/Merchandising, and supply chain management and analytics. In addition, students participating in the minor participate in retail conferences in NY, corporate visits, and have the ability to access certifications,internship experiences and learn from industry experts from Senior leadership panels.

The Sustainable Business Institute (SBI) is an institute focused on creating transformative programs that empower students to become agents of positive change in an evolving global business landscape. Through practical research, undergraduate and graduate education, co-curricular programs, and corporate and community engagement, SBI will prepare future leaders to think about business with a long-term, sustainable mindset—one that creates value for companies while serving society and the environment.