Valenti Career Workshop Connects Students with Industry Pros and Opportunities
More than a dozen employers and industry professionals packed the Rockwell Pavilion on Thursday, April 11, for the annual Valenti Career Workshop — a high-energy event that gave students the chance to network, learn and get one step closer to landing their dream jobs.
“This is truly an extremely invigorating event because students get immediate feedback from employers about what they need to get a good job, how to interview and what the job market looks like,” said Jennifer Vardeman, Director of the Valenti School. “A lot of the people representing organizations here are our alumni and love Valenti, so they are passionate about being here and want to help students.”
Organized by Kristina Werner, Valenti’s internship program manager, the workshop featured professionals from different companies and organizations spanning public relations, journalism, advertising, media production and corporate communications.
“We have 16 different employers talking to students and giving them networking opportunities,” said Werner. “We’ve got someone represented from every communication field, so I hope all the students enjoyed the event.”
In addition to one-on-one conversations and résumé reviews, the event also offered free professional headshots — a popular stop for students hoping to level up their LinkedIn presence.
“It’s so important to have a good headshot for things like your résumé or a LinkedIn profile,” said headshot photographer Starns Leland. “It’s nice to be able to provide this free opportunity for students here.”
Students from all majors and class levels made their way through the event, many leaving with new contacts, internship leads and a renewed sense of confidence.
“I came to the workshop because I heard there were great opportunities,” said media production senior Dimantai Johnson. “It was really fun and I feel way more comfortable and confident in getting a job.”
Sydney Commonford, a journalism senior, echoed the sentiment.
“I decided to come to the career workshop because I saw a list of amazing opportunities and this is a way to connect to people and get your name out there,” she said. “Houston is obviously a diverse city and a great place to make connections, so when I saw that there were opportunities to network, I thought, why not!”
Representatives from companies like Pierpont Communications, United Airlines, KHOU and KPRC joined the event to share advice and talk about careers in their fields.
“Pierpont sponsors the career workshop — we’ve been sponsoring for a couple of years now. I teach strategic communication here at the university, so I have a really good connection with the Valenti School,” said Uniqua Williams, an Account Executive at Pierpont Communications.“It’s such a fun event today and I love coming every year.”
University Career Services was also on-site, offering help with résumés, elevator pitches and more.
“It’s so good to be here,” said career development specialist McKell Peidi. “I’m here to talk with students and help them with cover letters, résumés, how to engage with employers and working on an elevator pitch.”
The Valenti Career Workshop remains a staple event for students looking to build their future. With strong employer turnout, a welcoming environment, and meaningful professional connections, this year’s event was another success.