The last time Georgia Kirkpatrick MS’26 looked for a job, she sent out dozens of applications. She got one interview request.
This time, all it took was one conversation.
As a student in Willamette University’s Master’s in Data Science program, Kirkpatrick spotted a notice for a career event on campus featuring KEEN, the Portland footwear company. She already had a soft spot for the brand: its sandals are what she wears to hike Opal Creek, her favorite spot.
“Because I associate hiking through turquoise-hued, crystal-clear streams with wearing my KEENs, I've always had a fondness for the brand,” she says.
At the event, she talked with KEEN’s recruiters about her background in the fashion industry and her passion for mission-driven business. She told them the internship would be a dream role and asked to connect with the recruiters on LinkedIn.
“I knew Willamette had connected me to a unique opportunity,” Kirkpatrick says.
A few weeks later, Kirkpatrick received a message on LinkedIn. Not only did KEEN have a new data-focused internship opportunity available, but the recruiter had recommended Kirkpatrick for the role. At the end of the internship, she received a long-term position as a Sustainability Data Scientist, putting her Willamette degree to work driving environmental impacts at a company she loves.
Kirkpatrick's previous job search experience captures a frustration on both sides of the hiring process. In a survey by Equifax, 71% of HR professionals said they had encountered AI-generated misrepresentation in application materials. Applicants, meanwhile, send off resume after resume with little sign that a person, rather than a keyword-scanning bot, ever reads them.
Willamette’s Office of Career Development and the Office of Career Design at the Pacific Northwest College of Art are launching an event series focused on small, curated events that put students in the room with the Pacific Northwest's leading employers.
“It's a tough job market out there, and students simply cannot rely on job boards and databases alone,” says Executive Director of Career Initiatives Anne Lapour. “By ensuring students have opportunities to be in the room with alumni and employers, we're introducing students to the networking and relationship-building skills essential to both their job searches, as well as meaningful career discernment.”
While traditional “cattle call” career fairs offer crowded convention centers, brief resume exchanges, and little chance for follow up, Willamette’s Career Symposium event series is carefully crafted to set up students and employers for success — all in a low-stress atmosphere. The result is meaningful connection, exposure to a wide range of industry professionals, and valuable networking experience for students at all stages of their career journey.
“One of the best ways for students to stand out or be seen is to meet recruiters and employers in person on campus,” says Claire Martin, Director of Employer Engagement at Willamette University. “And that is exactly the environment that we're trying to provide.”
Papa Amelemah MBA’26, JD’29 attended the inaugural Career Symposium event this fall, which included industry experts from finance and accounting. He was impressed with the range of perspectives offered, and the ability to get access to leaders in his field.
“What stood out to me was that even though the panelists had very different careers and ways of contributing to their organizations and communities, skills like interpreting data and translating it into something meaningful were fundamental across the board,” Amelemah says. “I made some great connections as well.”
As he makes the transition from Willamette MBA graduate to 1L student at Willamette’s School of Law, Amelemah took from the event valuable conversations with industry insiders from companies like Intel that will help guide his law school journey.
Curated conversations over cattle calls
Kirkpatrick and Amelemah’s stories illustrate exactly the kinds of connections that Willamette career events are designed to create — where one face-to-face conversation can change a student’s trajectory and put them on a new path.
Over the series, Willamette and PNCA students will get the chance to have those conversations with representatives from the Northwest’s powerhouse companies, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies. A symposium at PNCA focused on advertising and branding in Portland will feature the legendary Wieden + Kennedy agency as well as regional leaders like OMFGCO and Industry. Later in the fall, the Salem campus will take advantage of the university’s legacy of civic leadership with an evening focused on public service. Representatives from local, county, and statewide government will be present.
All students — no matter their major, program, or stage in the job search process — are welcome. At each stage of the process, the Career Symposium events are carefully structured to create the opportunity for meaningful engagements to flourish. Employer attendees often have worked previously with Willamette students or are Willamette alums themselves, making them eager to connect with current students.
“Networking is both essential and intimidating, and we find these smaller, curated events give everyone a positive experience,” Lapour says. “Employers get to hear from students in a non-rushed, authentic setting. And students, in turn, receive stellar advice and a warm welcome from the alumni and employers who are generous with their time and expertise. This kind of insight — for both employers and students — is key to building solid industry connections and hiring pipelines.”
For Kirkpatrick, getting her dream job at KEEN could not have been more different than her last job search before coming back to school at Willamette. Back then, she applied to dozens of jobs, but received only one interview request.
“Ultimately, I am glad that unsuccessful search brought me back to the drawing board,” Kirkpatrick says. “I am very grateful for Willamette’s master’s program. The KEEN internship information session gave me a huge advantage in my career search by bringing me face-to-face with senior recruiters from one of my favorite Portland brands.”
Learn more about the Career Symposium series
During the 2026-27 academic year, the Office of Career Development and PNCA’s Office of Career Design Career Symposium Series create unique networking opportunities in the highest-demand industries for the Pacific Northwest.
Interested students can register for the fall events now on Career Connector.
Fall 2026 Events
- Sept. 10 — Meet the Industry: A Finance & Accounting Career Panel
- Sept. 22 — Creative Connect: Advertising & Branding in Portland
- Oct. 15 — Government Industry Night: From Local to the Legislature
- Nov. 5 — Careers that Care: Mental Health & Social Work Pathways
- Nov. 19 — Innovation Night: Meet Your Local STEM Employers
Spring 2027 Events
- Jan. 21 — Storytelling Beyond the Page: Finding Your Place in the Media Industry
- Feb. 18 — Making A Difference: Mission Driven Careers in Non Profits
- March 11 — Healthy Places, Meaningful Careers
- TBA — Pathways into Public Health
- TBA — Beyond the Game: Careers in Sports & Athletics
