Student-Athlete Development hosts annual Career Jumpstart event

Virginia Tech’s Student-Athlete Development Department held its annual Career Jumpstart on Sept. 22 in Cassell Coliseum.

The event hosted companies ranging from Coca-Cola to the Blacksburg Police Department, allowing student-athletes to dedicate time from their busy schedules and focus on life post-graduation.

“Athletes spend a lot of their time focusing on athletics and academics because their schedules are so hectic,” said Natalie Wimmer, assistant athletics director of student-athlete development. “We want to make sure that they also have an opportunity to figure out their identity outside of their sport, and spend some time while they’re in undergrad planning for what's next.”

Before the career fair, there were roundtable discussions with professionals, which allowed student-athletes to learn what goes into working in each field and explore how they might fit in that environment.

For Paloma Zubiri, a freshman volleyball player, the conversations helped her find paths she would not usually think about and discover what careers interest her the most.

“I feel like it’s important for me to build strong connections, and I feel like it’s a way to discover which position you want to work in the future,” Zubiri said. “Most [student-athletes] get in a major expecting some sort of work or position, and we end up doing something different because we end up finding some things that we like better.”

After the discussions, professionals broke out into their respective tables and held a more traditional career fair. The event hosted 20 businesses and included a table for a resume review, mock interviews, and professional headshots to sharpen student-athletes’ LinkedIn profiles and confidence with employers. 

“Just going up to a table and embracing the conversation, going up to a resume review and listening to their suggestions for you, on the feedback side, it’s very valuable,” said track and field student-athlete Dylan DeCambre. “When you go to your in-major career fair or maybe a career fair somewhere else, you’re better prepared because of the tools they give you here.”

Career Jumpstart gave student-athletes the time to plan for their futures with businesses that suited any major and any interest. 

“It’s awesome, it just gives me an opportunity where after my practices, that I can actually make a plan,” said swimmer Brendan Whitfield.

“I just want to make sure that [student-athletes] have as many opportunities as a regular student has to find a career that they’re going to be successful and happy when they leave Virginia Tech,” Wimmer explained.

The event is just one step in the Student-Athlete Development Career Gameplan, and gives student-athletes the experience and connections to further advance their prospects professionally once their athletic careers conclude.