Staff and faculty are being asked to promote Alumni 101 this week and sign up as facilitators for First-Year Aggie Connections in the fall — opportunities to help our undergraduates at both ends of their UC Davis journeys.

Graduate students also are welcome as First-Year Aggie Connections facilitators. More about this program later.

We are starting with Alumni 101, presented by the One Aggie Network, which includes the Cal Aggie Alumni Association.

Alumni 101, from Monday through Friday (April 3-7), comprises a series of discussions for current students and recent graduates to help them jump-start their lives after commencement. Participants can attend as many sessions as they like, free of charge.

Topics include job search, applying to graduate school, building community, managing personal finances, developing expertise on LinkedIn, and more. See all sessions below.

One of the Alumni 101 organizers, Christina Cadang, assistant director of Alumni Careers, Cal Aggie Alumni Association, had this message for faculty and staff, knowing they have great connections with students in the classroom and through student employment:

“Help us support UC Davis’ undergraduates by encouraging them to attend Alumni 101. We at One Aggie Network are dedicated to helping all students chart successful paths for their futures. Alumni 101 is a robust resource you can urge your students to take advantage of to support them in life after UC Davis.”

(A possible enticement faculty and staff might want to mention: For every Alumni 101 session a student attends, they are eligible for one entry in a drawing for a $100 UC Davis Stores gift card!)

ALUMNI 101

Some sessions are online, others are in person.

• Monday, April 3
  • “Overview of UC Davis Alumni Career Resources” (remote)
  • “Resume Writing for Students and Recent Alumni” (remote)
• Tuesday, April 4
  • “Interview Basics” (remote)
  • “Grad School 101” (remote)
  • “Unlocking the Power of LinkedIn” (remote)
• Wednesday, April 5
  • “Remember Me? Asking for Letters of Rec” (in person, 114 South Hall)
  • “Recruiter/HR Pros Panel: Insights and Advice for Early Career Starters” (remote)
• Thursday, April 6
  • “Making Friends and Building Community” (remote)
  • “Maximizing the Gap Year(s)” (remote)
• Friday, April 7
  • “Networking: What It Is, Why It Matters and How to Get Started” (in person, 114 South Hall)
  • “Post-Grad Personal Finance” (remote)

Find overviews, times and registration information for each session here.

Campus presenters include representatives from Alumni Careers, Cal Aggie Alumni Association; Internship and Career Center; Pre-Graduate/Pre-Law Advising; and Temporary Employment Services. Other presenters include representatives from LinkedIn, COOP Careers and University Credit Union.

Make a ‘connection’

“Creating connections both in and out of class is an essential part of the first-year student experience and for building success at UC Davis,” Rachel Bingham said in an email calling on staff, faculty and graduate students to consider being facilitators for First-Year Aggie Connections, or FYAC, in the fall.

“Right now we are looking ahead to the newest wave of undergraduate scholars preparing to arrive at UC Davis by different paths,” said Bingham, the program coordinator. “Becoming a First-Year Aggie Connections facilitator is your opportunity to help foster an inclusive environment, promote a sense of belonging and be a part of a unique program at UC Davis to help new students succeed.”

Every facilitator will meet with their “connection” — a group of 25 or fewer students who are new to UC Davis (freshmen, transfer students and international students) — a minimum of six times during the quarter. The average time commitment is 20 hours.

Each connection is built around a common interest or theme, which prospective facilitators are asked to put forth in proposals for fall connections.

“Get creative,” Bingham said. Also keep in mind connections should appeal to a diverse student body.

Or you can adopt a “vacant” connection theme to get started quickly and easily. Contact First-Year Aggie Connections staff about vacant connections.

Returning facilitators can contact FYAC directly to renew an existing or previous connection theme.

Need help with your proposal, or want to know more before you sign up? Bingham and her team are ready to help with two remote meetings:

• Virtual Information Session — Program overview and facilitator expectations. Review timeline, proposal and next steps. 10-11 a.m.Wednesday, April 12. Register for the Zoom meeting here.
• Theme Proposal Co-Working Session — Get help with connection theme ideas, writing a description and submitting your proposal. 10-11 a.m. Tuesday, April 18. Register for the Zoom meeting here.

The priority deadline for proposals is Friday, April, 28, via this form.

Questions? Contact First-Year Aggie Connections by email.