As college students, many of us will find that there are multiple pathways to success. It can be a winding route of self discovery, but within the past year, I found out that one of the most effective ways to learn more about our interests and potential career paths is by networking with professionals who work in industries we wish to enter and learning from their experiences.
This was why I attended UC Irvine’s third annual UCI Women’s Empowerment Networking Event this past Tuesday, January 31. This event was co-sponsored by Student Affairs and the Academic & Professional Women of UC Irvine, and was hosted by the Women’s Empowerment Initiative on campus. Working together, they reached out to 32 professional women working in various industries, from neurology to banking to computer science. The event was aimed to help students gain insight into a woman’s pathway to success by giving her the opportunity to expand her professional network.
As an attendee for this event, I was pleasantly surprised by the number of motivated young women who showed up to network. Each of us were matched up with two professional women who worked in career fields that related to our studies. In total, there were three 15 minute networking sessions in which we had the opportunity to ask questions and listen to the professionals share their experiences, career roles, and advice for students. It was honestly a really great opportunity to get a better picture of how these women were impacting their communities and challenging social stigmas as professionals in their respective industries.
If you had missed this event, don’t worry! The opportunity will come around again, and I strongly recommend attending. I say, “Take any and all opportunities offered!” Expanding your network of contacts and getting to know your peers is not only a great way to meet interesting, accomplished individuals, but it is also a great way to help you shape your own pathway to success.