Career Kickstart kicks off at Ogg

​All 600 Ogg residents are part of a unique immersive career program that will help them connect their academic pursuits to professional goals.​

September 4th 2015 | Tom Ziemer
L&S Career Initiative, Students
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John Karl Scholz the dean of UW-Madison’s College of Letters & Science, couldn’t hide his enthusiasm in welcoming students to the new program in Ogg Residence Hall. 

“You’ve embarked on an opportunity to go through this period of self-discovery,” Scholz added, “You have the opportunity to think a little more purposefully about your future. … You will have a lot of resources at your fingertips.”

Career Kickstart launched this semester as part of the Letters & Science Career Initiative. All 600 Ogg residents — roughly two-thirds are from L&S, with the rest coming from schools across campus — are part of the one-of-a-kind immersive career program, which will help them connect their academic pursuits to professional goals and discover their places in the world of work.

The students have access to on-site academic and career advising and exclusive opportunities to interact with alumni mentors and employers to develop their resumes, interviewing skills, networking and more. They can also take special sections of the L&S career development course (Inter-LS 210) that will meet in Ogg.

“You’ve made an absolutely brilliant decision,” he told the group of sophomores, juniors and seniors at the career-themed residential program’s kickoff event Tuesday afternoon.

American Family Insurance, a sponsor of Career Kickstart and the L&S Career Initiative, brought a team of UW-Madison alumni to the kickoff event and will help students build their professional skills throughout the year.

Jim St. Vincent, American Family’s Vice President of Human Resources, told the Kickstart students to use the opportunities available to them to broaden their career visions.

“Take a chance, take a risk, try something different,” he said.

Students interested in living in Career Kickstart in the 2016-17 can visit University Housing’s website to learn more.