Dear Colleagues —

On behalf of the Career Center, I am pleased to formally invite you to attend the 9th Annual Diversity Works Expo & Awards Ceremony on Thursday, February 12, 2026 from 4-7 p.m. in the Locatelli Student Activity Center. Diversity Works is a celebration of bringing our whole selves to school and work. (Watch this video to hear from our sponsors and past years' winners.)

Through the generous corporate sponsorship of Enterprise Mobility, the Career Center is awarding a total of $10,000 to five students and five student organizations who have demonstrated a commitment to and understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion in relation to career and professional development.

Announcing the 2025 Diversity Works Keynote Speaker

Who is Keynote Speaker Bria Alexander?

Bria Alexander (LinkedIn) is a Staff Design Program Manager at Adobe, where she shapes strategy across generative AI, design, and emerging technologies. Beyond her role at Adobe, she is both a seasoned emcee and conference curator: Bria has hosted alongside Kevin Hart and Nikole Hannah-Jones and serves as Master of Ceremonies and curator for global design and research gatherings, including Rosenfeld Media's Design Operations Summit, Advancing Research, and Adobe’s Design Summit. She was recently recognized as one of the Silicon Valley Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 and is also the founder of Sommeliaide, a lifestyle and tastemaking platform blending wine, travel, and culture. A certified sommelier with a passion for creative storytelling, Bria thrives at the intersection of technology, design leadership, and cultural experience..

Announcing the Diversity Works Award Winners

More than 170 students and student organizations completed a Diversity Works submission this year. Our five individual student awardees stood out for their original voice and clear and compelling articulation of how their identity is intertwined with their academic and career journey. Our five student organization awardees stood out for their high impact programming and commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion at Santa Clara.

Student Award Winners: Ellie Ngo '29, Star Ashby '28, Sergio Reyes '29, Ayden Eways '27, Dylan Ryu '26 | RSO Award Winners: Chinese Students Association, National Society of Black Engineers, Queer People of Color Association, Society of Women Engineers, Women in Investment

Faculty and staff are invited to attend and there are volunteer opportunities! Register today—your voice, presence and support is vital to the student experience.

Questions about Diversity Works? Email Dylan Houle at dhoule@scu.edu.

As always, I look forward to working together to deliver on the promise of higher education for all of our students: a good job, social capital, and economic mobility in pursuit of a more humane, just and sustainable world.

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The Career Center is excited to offer a full and dynamic menu of events, programs, workshops, and fairs this winter quarter. Up-to-date information on our events calendar.

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Stephen Voorhees '26 is a finance major who has found career success by using the many resources Santa Clara has to offer. As Stephen prepares to graduate this June, we invited him to share his reflections for our Student Spotlight series.

What advice would you give to students who may be curious or nervous about using the Career Center?

If there is an event at the Career Center that excites you, I would recommend attending, even if you are not 100% sure it is something you want to pursue. It is always good to keep an open mind when exploring different opportunities.

How has the Career Center helped you achieve your career goals?

The Career Center introduced me to Cornerstone Research through the Virtual Career Fair. At the fair, I learned more about the role and became excited to apply. Additionally, I attended a Case Prep workshop that helped me prepare for the case interviews I later encountered.

Stephen, congratulations on your upcoming graduation and all you have accomplished here at Santa Clara!

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Amelia "Lily" Chase '26, is a communications major who has found career confidence by using the many resources Santa Clara has to offer. As Lily prepares to graduate this June, we invited her to share her reflections for our Student Spotlight series.

What advice would you give to students who may be curious or nervous about using the Career Center?

It is so worth reaching out. I completely understand that making an appointment or walking into the Career Center can feel intimidating, but I highly recommend it. I honestly wish I had taken advantage of the Career Center before my junior year. Through it, I’ve gained valuable opportunities, meaningful connections, and so much insight that I feel incredibly lucky and grateful to have had.

How has the Career Center helped you achieve your career goals?

The Career Center has been an incredibly helpful resource throughout my time at Santa Clara, especially during my junior and senior years. I have found the resume refresh appointments particularly valuable, I always leave each meeting with more insight and confidence than I had going in. Through the Career Center, I have been able to build strong connections and feel comfortable reaching out to specific staff members whenever I need guidance. It has also been a great way for me to learn about additional resources available at Santa Clara and to access opportunities I likely would not have discovered without those connections. What began as support with my resume naturally grew into help with interview preparation and navigating the job search, which has made a meaningful difference in how prepared and supported I feel. I am now able to confidently talk about these experiences in job interviews and feel very lucky to have had this support, as it has been extremely beneficial to my growth and professional development.

Lily, congratulations on your upcoming graduation and all you have accomplished here at Santa Clara!

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On Monday, February 2 at 12-1 p.m., the Career Center, Ciocca Center and Human Resources will host an author talk featuring Noël Kreidler, Melisa Buie, PhD and Keeley Hurley, co-authors of the recently published book, Faceplant: FREE Yourself from Failure's Funk.

The first 100 attendees will receive a free copy of the book. Lunch will be provided.

REGISTER NOW

About Faceplant: "Flip the Script on Failure: By exploring your subconscious patterns of response to failure, Faceplant brings a fresh new mindset to life's tripping hazards. It's time to edit your story and let the adventure begin. Discover tools to define new patterns for yourself, create fresh opportunities for engaging in life, and support others as they navigate the gravity of their failures."

Faceplant is available for purchase through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Harvard Book Store, and more. An audiobook will soon be available.

Questions about Faceplant? Email Noël Kreidler at skreidler@scu.edu.

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Vania Tong, Associate Director of Career Development, and Myriam Bartz, Assistant Director of Career Development, were recently invited to co-present at the annual conference of the Mountain Pacific Association of Colleges and Employers (MPACE) held December 10–12, in Las Vegas, NV.

Their session, "Raising the Stakes in Student Engagement: From Survival Mode to Sustainable Success," focused on two of the Career Center's signature programs: the Career Clarity Retreat and the Recent Grad Job Search Program.

Session description: "Today’s students are navigating more than just job searches. They’re managing anxiety, uncertainty, and disconnection. This session highlights two adaptable programs that embed emotional regulation, peer connection, and reflection into career development: a Career Clarity Retreat and a Recent Grad Job Search series. Participants will experience select activities and explore how trauma-informed, equity-centered approaches can increase confidence, agency, and momentum, offering new ways to engage students who may otherwise feel overwhelmed or disengaged."

Congratulations Vania and Myriam!

Questions about their session? Email Vania Tong at vtong@scu.edu or Myriam Bartz at mbartz2@scu.edu.

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Not just the Career Center... your Career Center!

Meet Our Team.

Questions, concerns, ideas, suggestions?
Please email careercenter@scu.edu.