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Before the career path revelation, before the interview of a lifetime, before the golden opportunity, there are usually people who helped you get there. Someone who opened your eyes to a major you hadn’t thought of, opened the door to a line of work that excited you, or believed in you and gave you the support to be confident in yourself. These are professors, advisors, and any number of people in and out of the classroom. In a sense, these are your .

Beyond a student's individual efforts, their ‘social capital’ or connections with empowered people are key in determining their career outcomes. We know that not everyone has access to connected people and career knowledge. This is especially the case for minoritized, first-generation and non-traditional college students. published in the Journal of College Student Development demonstrated that relationships and awareness of career knowledge are the biggest factors affecting students' future trajectory for career mobility, ultimately breaking down barriers of inequity. This is why the integration of career preparation into the classroom is indispensable for historically disempowered students. 

“I was a transfer student and was experiencing a lot of personal difficulties,” said Rachel Lamond, “but Dr. Ann Merriwether's class always felt like a safe environment for me. It is rare that a course could motivate me to the extent that hers did, and it really provided me the opportunity to excel and feel confident in my abilities as a college student. Dr. Merriwether asked me to be a TA for this fall 2022 semester, and I gladly accepted. Being able to work alongside my amazing fellow TA's and the incredible Dr. Merriwether has taught me so much. It was one of the reasons I felt like I truly belonged at ��������”.

Professionals in academia have a unique opportunity to address generational inequity with career knowledge just by showing up and sharing information. Many students who form bonds with faculty are much more likely to interact with and learn from them than to specifically seek support from their university career center. Faculty who connect existing course content to career competencies and career exploration are thus helping to bridge the gap and foster equity in the higher education system. 

"Dr. Adriane Lam works really hard to help me to develop my career,” said student Alex Corsello in his nomination. “She sends geology related professional development opportunities all the time and is always willing to provide advice and help with graduate school review. But most importantly she is so supportive of pursuing my career goals, asking how things are going and cheering me on. I would not be the scientist that I am without her!". 

The Career Champions initiative was created in 2015 to recognize the importance of this work. The Fleishman Career Center is actively building stronger partnerships with faculty and staff from across campus by providing career resources, assignments, workshops, awareness and eventually, financial support for faculty to better integrate career education in the classroom. 

Career Champions are individuals—such as faculty or academic advisors—who provide opportunities for students to explore majors and career options, network with professionals and alumni, apply for graduate school, connect with employers for jobs or internships or gain technical and professional skills needed throughout life and in the workplace. They leave a student feeling more empowered, connected and aware of how their education connects to their future career. 

�������� another Career Champion, Corsello added, “Dr. David Campbell has also helped me figure out what kind of path I want to take. He helped me to connect with a variety of people in the community, from NOMA in Downtown �������� to alumni in many different fields. He even walked me through his own career path. He has enormous passion and is willing to deal with my many questions and different initiatives.” 

The Fleishman Career Center hosts a Career Champions Breakfast to honor those who enrich the lives of their students. This year in Old Union Hall on the morning of Friday, March 17, 121 Career Champions and their guests celebrated the ongoing collaboration between students, faculty and staff. All attendees received their nomination letters from each student, breakfast, and an umbrella printed with our Career Champ Baxter Bearcat decal as a gift. Key speakers discussed the important impact of being a Career Champion and integrating career exploration into all parts of University life.

Our Career Champions can truly have a reverberating impact on students. Any faculty member who would like advice on integrating career knowledge into their work is encouraged to reach out to Jessica Lane-Rwabukwisi at jlanerwa@binghamton.edu. 

by Erin Zipman