Contributing to a Diverse Workplace
The University Career Center is excited to host our 6th annual Skilled and Savvy professional development conference.
Date: Wednesday, January 22nd, 2025
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Student Activities Building / 515 E. Jefferson / Ann Arbor, MI 48109
At This Conference, You Will:
- Learn how to flourish in the workplace by bringing your intersecting identities, talents, and skills to work
- Enjoy a keynote speaker who will share their experiences and tips for succeeding in the workplace
- Select free business attire from the UCC Clothes Closet to use for interviews and networking events
- Connect with professionals and other students to learn what's happening in the world of work
- Ask questions and hear from a panel of employers about necessary skills, assessing organizational culture, useful on-campus experiences to consider, and more.
- Treat yourself to a slice of pizza and a cookie while connecting with others. FREE PADFOLIO *** For the first 70 students that attend the entire conference in person will receive a padfolio ***
Conference Agenda:
Wednesday, January 22nd, 5:00-7:00 PM
Aidan Sova
Sova is a Regional Product Lead at Google. Previously, he led the Big Ten Student Government Association as Executive Director and served as a Human Rights Commissioner for the City of Ann Arbor. He also contributed to the State of Michigan’s Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities and the Growing Michigan Together Council work group on infrastructure.
Aidan Sova is the Trustee and Treasurer of the Ann Arbor District Library, making him the youngest-ever Black person elected to any office in city history. Currently, he also is an Emerging Leaders Council Member for the Legal Services Corporation and Community Advisor to Grow Jackson.
Sova is a recipient of the City of Jackson’s Youth Citizen of the Year, the State of Michigan’s Youth Volunteer of the Year, Jackson Black Excellence, Jackson 30 Under, and the University of Michigan’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Service Awards.
Aidan is a graduate of the University of Michigan and earned a Bachelor of Arts. He also holds a Master of Liberal Arts from the University of Pennsylvania.
Building a Strong Community & Networking
From this employer panel, you will gain insights into:
- How to make connections with other professionals and expand your network
- How to flourish in the workplace by bringing your talents and skills and intersecting identities
- How to assess organizational environments to ensure it is a solid fit (based on your needs)
- Understanding spoken and unspoken workplace norms and expectations
- How to share insights and ideas for making the workplace a better place for all employees
Participants include: Crowe LLP, Eli Lilly, Hilton, and Teach for America
After you’ve attend the keynote, show your Skilled & Savvy passport for the opportunity to shop the Clothes Closet at the end of the conference.
From Previous Conferences:
"It's important to bring your whole self to the career development process. UCC supports the intersectionality of your identities and professional choices. The Skilled and Savvy Conference is a great way for you to connect with recruiters that share your identities and value them in the workplace."
- 93% agreed / strongly agreed that this professional development conference should be offered again in the future.
- After attending last year’s Skilled and Savvy students gained an “understanding of their talents and how to be their most authentic self in the work field."
- Over 80% of students shared they agree / strongly agree they made new connections with conference participants and/or employers.
Student Org Partners:
Arab Student Association (ASA), Black Business Undergraduate Society (BBUS), First-Generation College Students @ Michigan, Graduate Rackham International (GRIN), Out For Business Undergraduate, and Out in Science, & Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (oSTEM)
Employer Partners:
Crowe LLP, Eli Lilly, Hilton, and Teach for America
