The Career Sip: Your Weekly Dose of Higher Ed Hustle!
Welcome back to your go-to spot for the buzz in higher education career development, where the coffee is always strong and the news always fresh.
Dive into this week's Career Sip for the latest in higher ed strategies, career development tips, and a surprising fun fact that'll leave you craving more!
Don't miss out—read till the end!
Latest News in Higher Ed
Tribes and Native Students Sue Trump Administration Over Devastating Staff Cuts
The lawsuit, filed last Friday, claims these sweeping cuts—about 25% of the staff—are gutting essential services and jeopardizing student success at these historically significant institutions.
In a major development that’s sending shockwaves through higher ed, several Native American tribes and students have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. At the heart of the issue? Drastic staff reductions at the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) and two of its higher education institutions—Haskell Indian Nations University in Kansas and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in New Mexico. The lawsuit, filed last Friday, claims these sweeping cuts—about 25% of the staff—are gutting essential services and jeopardizing student success at these historically significant institutions.
The details are grim. At Haskell, the staff cuts reportedly left 34 classes without instructors, forced the cancellation of athletic programs, delayed financial aid payments, and even created basic campus service breakdowns—think overflowing trash cans and dining halls struggling to feed students. Over at Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, the situation is no better, with staff shortages stalling critical maintenance projects and leaving students in dorms with brown-colored water. These issues, according to the 54-page complaint, stem from the layoffs implemented by the Department of Government Efficiency and compounded by chronic understaffing at the BIE itself.
What’s at stake here isn’t just operational functionality—it’s the education and welfare of Native students. The plaintiffs, including the Pueblo of Isleta, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, and the Cheyenne and Arapahoe Tribes, argue that these cuts were made without the legally required consultation with Tribal Nations. They’re calling for the layoffs to be reversed, emphasizing the harm done to their communities, schools, and students. This case underscores the critical need for advocacy and action to support marginalized communities on campus.?
What are we reading this week?
Book Recommendations
This week, we’re diving into “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance” by Angela Duckworth.
If you work in career services, chances are you’ve already had plenty of conversations about resilience, but Duckworth’s research-backed take on grit gives you a whole new framework for advising students (and, honestly, for recharging your own batteries). It’s a powerful reminder that talent is overrated and that long-term success comes from sustained effort and passion—something every student needs to hear, especially when they’re job hunting during uncertain times.
Duckworth’s book is packed with insights you can weave right into your coaching sessions: how to help students bounce back from rejections, how to encourage a growth mindset, and how to remind them that setbacks are often just pit stops on the road to their dream job.
Events
TODAY: Insights from Portugal’s Leading Experts
Unlock the Secrets to Successful Career Services: Insights from Portugal’s Leading Experts
Career services are evolving rapidly, and universities worldwide are rethinking how they engage students, build employer partnerships, and enhance employability. If you’re looking for fresh ideas and proven strategies to take your career services initiatives to the next level, this is the webinar for you!
?? Date: Tuesday, March 11th
?? Time: 17:00 - 18:00 CET
?? Speakers: ?? Fernanda Correia – Psychologist & Career Facilitator, University of Porto ?? Helena Faria – Head of Career Services, ISEG ?? Moderated by: Albert Segura Mollà, Head of Career Services at CareerOS
Why You Should Attend:
? Boost Student Engagement – Get actionable tips to increase student participation in career services.
? Strengthen Employer Collaboration – Learn how to build strategic partnerships that lead to real job opportunities.
? Enhance Student Employability – Discover Portugal’s approach to preparing students for the workforce.
? Expand Your Career Services Impact – Ensure career services are a key part of the student experience.
?? Spots are limited! Register now: Sign up here
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from Portugal’s top career services leaders and walk away with practical strategies you can implement immediately. See you there!
Tech
Small Language Models (SLMs) Are the Future of AI on Campus
What’s small, mighty, and could save your institution serious time and money? Small Language Models (SLMs). These compact versions of Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT are making big waves in higher ed—and for good reason.
Unlike their hefty LLM counterparts, SLMs use fewer resources, cost less to run, and offer more flexibility and privacy. While LLMs are the Ferraris of AI, SLMs are more like fuel-efficient hybrids that still get the job done. And that’s exactly why universities are paying attention.
As SLMs can bring the power of AI closer to campus operations and student services—without breaking the bank or compromising data security. If your institution hasn’t started exploring SLMs yet, now’s the time.
Fun
Meme of the Week
Latest in Career Development
Seven Smart Strategies Colleges Are Using to Boost Student Employability
If you’re wondering how colleges are raising the bar on career readiness, you’re not alone. The latest National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) survey revealed that 43% of graduating seniors didn’t feel very or extremely well prepared to enter the workforce. That stat has career services teams—and institutions as a whole—rethinking their strategies. It’s no longer enough to offer career counseling and host job fairs. Forward-thinking institutions are turning to programs that deliver hands-on experiences, real employer connections, and tailored support for students from all backgrounds. The result? A more competitive, more confident class of job seekers.
Take cooperative education programs (co-ops), for example. At Georgia Tech, students alternate between full-time study and full-time, paid work in their field. It’s a simple but effective way to give students deep, industry-relevant experience without compromising their education timeline.?
Other schools are taking a different approach—UC Berkeley auto-enrolls students in their career development tool, making it nearly impossible to ignore the career center. Berkeley has also doubled down on targeted programs for first-gen, veteran, and transfer students, offering pre-career fair brunches where they can casually network with recruiters before heading into the more daunting fair itself. Across the board, colleges are creating pathways tailored to different student populations, offering everything from boot camps for reskilling to entrepreneurship programs for budding startup founders.
It’s not just about getting students to graduation day—it’s about ensuring they’re career-ready from the jump. Hackathons are helping students sharpen their problem-solving skills in real time, while partnerships with major employers are turning campuses into launchpads for the workforce.?
At NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering, students work alongside giants like Bank of America and Target, while at Michigan, a $75 million partnership with Ford has led to cutting-edge robotics programs. Whether it’s through certificates, internships, or hands-on projects, colleges are finding new ways to bridge the gap between education and employability.?
For career services teams, the takeaway is clear: the most successful strategies are the ones that meet students where they are—and get them where they need to go.
Opportunities
Job Opening in Higher Education
Looking for your next career move in higher ed? Here are some exciting opportunities to make an impact in career services, employability, and student support:
?? Careers and Employability Placement Officer ?? GBS Malta | Malta Help students bridge the gap between education and the workforce by coordinating career placements and employability initiatives. This role involves building employer relationships, supporting students with job placements, and enhancing career services. ?? Apply here
?? Careers Information and Events Assistant ?? University of Reading | Reading, UK Support the delivery of careers events, employer engagement activities, and career information services. This role is ideal for someone passionate about helping students access career opportunities and resources. ?? Apply here
?? Careers & Employability Officer (Term Time Only + 4 Weeks) ?? Hopwood Hall College | Manchester, UK Provide career guidance, employability workshops, and one-on-one support to students. This role is focused on helping students build career confidence and secure meaningful opportunities. ?? Apply here
?? Staff Counselor ?? Colby College | Waterville, Maine, USA Support student mental health and well-being by providing counseling services to staff and faculty. This role focuses on fostering a healthy and supportive campus environment. ?? Apply here
?? Health Careers Coordinator, Netter Center for Community Partnerships ?? University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, USA Develop and coordinate programs that help students explore and prepare for careers in healthcare. This role is perfect for those passionate about career pathways in health and community engagement. ?? Apply here
Know someone looking for a new opportunity? Share these job openings and help them take the next step in their higher ed career!
Learn something new
The Fun Fact of the Week
Octopuses have nine brains, but only one controls their central decision-making. The other eight are decentralized, each controlling an arm—giving them a remarkable ability to multitask independently.
What does this have to do with careers? Well, scientists have actually studied octopus intelligence to inspire new models of decentralized leadership and teamwork. In fact, some companies are rethinking their management structures by using this concept: giving team members (or "arms") more autonomy while still keeping a central mission aligned.
So, if you ever feel like you’re juggling a million things in career services—coordinating events, meeting with students, developing partnerships—you’re basically the octopus of your office. And hey, maybe that’s not such a bad thing.
Definitely an unexpected icebreaker for your next team meeting!
That's a wrap for this week's The Career Sip. Keep brewing your career development strategies, and we'll be back next week with another steaming cup of higher ed updates.
Stay caffeinated, my friends!