SLU Connect

SLU Connect Mission

The mission of SLU Connect is to strengthen the student experience and enhance alumni and parent engagement through off-campus career programming that focuses on exploration and preparation, professional interactions, and building meaningful connections, resulting in shared experiences and opportunities that enrich the Laurentian community.

Program & Objectives

SLU Connect is designed to provide students the opportunity to experience the Laurentian network first-hand while developing their professional connections and competencies, obtaining information on career and industry options, and exploring different geographical areas and work environments. The program brings selected students to various locations around the country to engage with alumni, parents, and friends through site visits, industry roundtables, and networking opportunities. Alumni, parents, and friends, acting as SLU Connect volunteers, share their industry knowledge, professional experience, and personal insights with students as they seek advice regarding career preparation. Through these interactions students are exposed to ideas and opportunities they may not have previously considered, while alumni, parents, and friends strengthen their connection to the University, our students, and each other.

It began in 2015 with a program in Washington, DC, and has since expanded to include Albany, NY; Boston, MA; Bozeman and Big Sky, MT; Burlington, VT; the San Francisco Bay area; and most recently, New York, NY.

Objectives of SLU Connect include:

1. Strategically engage alumni, parents, and friends as key volunteers to strengthen their connection to the University, enhance their understanding of the current student experience, and provide an opportunity for them to share their knowledge and experience.
2. To develop and implement programs in various geographic locations that provide students the opportunity to connect with the Laurentian network, gain exposure to industry and career options, and strengthen competencies in networking; professional preparation and personal branding; industry and career knowledge; communication and research; and understanding of organizational cultures and "fit."

SLU Connect Live

While we sadly cannot gather in person this semester for our traditional SLU Connect programs, we are excited to offer a series of virtual SLU Connect programs that will connect our students with industry experts in a variety of fields. We will be calling this SLU Connect Live to differentiate it from our in-person SLU Connect events, which we hope to resume next year.  Each SLU Connect Live will focus on a particular industry of interest and will include two expert round tables, a young alumni round table, and alumni networking event over the course of two days.

Upcoming SLU Connect Programs

SLU Connect LIVE - Finance: September 14, 2023

Burlington, VT: October 11 - 14, 2023 (Mid-Semester Break)

Student policies and program deadlines

SLU Connect is sponsored, in part, by the Alumni Executive Council. SLU Connect is a partnership between University Advancement and the Center for Career Excellence.

For more information, or if you have questions about SLU Connect, please contact Aaron Todd, Associate Director for Outreach in the Center for Career Excellence, at atodd@stlawu.edu.