UAlbany Magazine

A Message from Lee Serravillo

Executive Director, UAlbany Alumni Association

An Emphasis on Career-Focused Relationships

What steps did you take to get where you are in your career? How did your UAlbany experience guide your path? Students and many of your fellow alumni are seeking career advice, and they want to hear from you: the UAlbany graduate who has walked in their shoes.

This year, the University at Albany is strengthening efforts in providing opportunities for students to seek career guidance by connecting with alumni. The Alumni Association recognized the needs of alumni and students, and is dedicating more resources to help fulfill their career objectives. This renewed focus on career development and networking has inspired a number of professional panel discussions and programs including “How to Network the Right Way,” a panel-and-practice event designed for students and led by well-networked alumni in the Albany area. This spring, Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) will gain insight from alums who’ve succeeded through strong personal branding, and Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) alumni in the Metro New York area will discuss how they can pay their success forward to current UAlbany EOP students.

The Alumni Association is currently in its fifth year of providing the UAlbany Career Advisory Network (UCAN), made up of 1,500+ alumni volunteers who are passionate about their careers and want to give back by offering advice. If you’re unable to attend an event in person, UCAN is the perfect resource to make a difference no matter where you are. The sign-up process is simple, and your role as an adviser requires minimal time commitment. As a UCAN adviser, you’ll be contributing to one of the University’s top initiatives in growing student-retention rates and successful graduate-to-career transitions.