Central College hosted its fourth annual Career Kickstarter with more than 40 participating second-year students, Jan. 9-13. This weeklong program during winter break offered students career strategy building workshops, micro-internships and networking opportunities with Central alumni and area business professionals.

Career Kickstarter is offered through the Career Development and Civic Engagement Office and is available at no cost to all Central sophomores. All students participating in the program were paired with an alumni mentor or other local professional and engaged with a local organization.

“We have an awesome group of alumni and area business partners who worked with students to impart career building knowledge,” says Jessica Klyn de Novelo, Central’s associate dean for career and civic engagement and a 2005 Central graduate. “This unique pairing of employers and students provides workplace experiences and connections to help Central students prepare for careers.”

Sinikka Waugh, a 1996 Central graduate and president/founder of Your Clear Next Step, presented the keynote address “Make Every Step Count” on Monday morning to launch the career building program.

Danny Beyer, author, speaker and shareholder and senior advisor for the retirement plan management division at Iron Horse Wealth Management and a 2004 Central graduate, lead a discussion focused on “Networking or Notworking.”