Wingspans

For those of you who I have worked with in the past, you know how much I value authenticity and working for companies whose mission and vision are aligned with making the world a better and more inclusive place. I’m excited to share that I will be working as an SDR for a company whose mission and vision is very aligned — Wingspans. Over this past week, I’ve been reflecting on the start of my own professional career. In full transparency, my story is a textbook example of just how messy starting your educational journey can be without good role models to show you what is possible and help you see and understand the journey to success. Wingspans is an award-winning career navigation platform that uses authentic, real-life career stories to show students what is possible while also being able to prepare them for the world of work. These stories are not just about a day in the life of the job, but go deeper into who they are, what they have accomplished, and barriers they overcame along the way. Experience the power of our story-telling for yourself. See several examples at https://lnkd.in/ga7qNYdh Want to help us spread the word? If you are connected to an Educational Leader whose focus is Student Success or Career Services? Help us get connected. Follow Wingspans on Linkedin if you want to continue to be inspired by our future stories too.

I wanted to send this message https://bit.ly/3E2JfRi to the MNT-EC community and partners updating you on what is happening in Pasadena and the surrounding area. I first want to start by wishing everyone directly affected by the fire safety and health.??? Two important links below. PCC is closed and many of our students and faculty have been evacuated and several have lost their homes. Several of you have asked how you could help.?Two of MNT-EC’s internship students lost their homes, Ani Hakobyan and Jose Gadea. Many of you have met them at ATE PI Conference in the case of Ani or at TechConnect for Jose. I wanted to share both of their GoFundMe sites and if you have been thinking about supporting people affected by the fire they could use help. Here is the link to Ani’s site: https://gofund.me/6d1725d7 Here is the link to Jose’s: https://gofund.me/3e1149e8 Jared

Vocational education in the U.S. has undergone a major transformation over the past 30 years, evolving into a robust system of Career and Technical Education (CTE). Once considered "second class," CTE now offers high-quality programs that rival traditional high schools in academic performance and graduation rates. In their article for the American Educator, Kerry McKittrick and Bob Schwartz explore what it means to be "college and career ready," the role of community colleges, and the potential of career-connected learning nationwide. They highlight key takeaways for policymakers, areas for innovation, and actionable recommendations to scale equitable, career-focused education. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/gSy3Tpez

A big thank you to the participants and partners who made this year’s AI and Education – From Access to Impact convening such a great opportunity for sharing, learning, and collaboration. After two days of discussions and demonstration sessions, we are excited about the work that lies ahead to realize AI's potential to transform higher education, emphasizing the need for equitable access. We will be sharing more insights and recordings from the event over the following weeks, but wanted to post some initial impressions, building on the insights we heard from college presidents and provosts, technology innovators, non-profit intermediaries, and students from broad access institutions. ?Navigating Rapid Change: The pace of change and how to respond to it was a recurring theme and the challenge of adopting AI in under-resourced institutions highlighted the importance of a strategic approach to prevent widening gaps. ?Including Student Voices: At this year’s event, each panel had a student representative and it highlighted the importance and benefits of prioritizing student input. Only by listening to the students can we make sure that their needs are being met and the solutions we develop address the most urgent problems. ?Fostering Collaboration: The cost of AI is significant and even well-resourced institutions are having to make hard decisions about where to invest. Strong partnerships are essential for developing and implementing impactful AI solutions that serve all institutions and students. ?Thinking Outside the Box: There are many immediate challenges that universities face where AI could help improve efficiency or save costs. But we need to balance the focus on short-term incremental improvements with an openness to exploring more radical new approaches and innovative ideas about how AI could enhance post-secondary learning. We appreciate our speakers, attendees, and organizing partners – Complete College America, Partnership for Education Advancement, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and MIT Schwarzman College of Computing. Your commitment is driving meaningful discussions and advancing inclusive and accessible education for all. Stay tuned for a fuller reflection and key takeaways from the convening! #AIEdEquity

September Recap: As part of International Update Your Resume Month, our department hosted two informational tables on campus, sharing career insights and introducing students to our resume-related resources. (Ex. We suggest using tools like Wingspans, which creates a pro resume and e-portfolio within minutes!) Getting the chance to speak with students about their dreams and goals adds joy to my job.