A student stands with a bag that says, “Where passion meets profession” 
Augsburg Music Business professor, Professor Scott LeGere, hosts a panel 
Molly Bahneman from Minnetonka Public Schools leads a session called, “Land the Job!” 
Professor Moumita Dasgupta leads a session telling students about the new Augsburg Engineering Minor! 
Students are prepared for Career Exploration Day. 
Professor Kiyoko Sims leads a workshop called, “Critical Thinking through Storytelling” 
A student reads the workshop descriptions for Career Exploration Day. 
Professor Melissa Hensley, Social Work, leads a session called, “Social Work: A Major and a Career” 
Professor Jeremy Myers, Christensen Center for Vocation, dicusses THRIVE in a session called, “Building a Career Path that Fits You” 
Professor Darcy Engen, Theater Department, leads a session called, “How to Wow Co-Workers with your Voice and Confidence!” 
Kathy McGillivray, Director of CLASS, leads a session called, Disability in the Workplace: Getting the Job You Want and the Accommodations You Need
On March 3, 2026, Augsburg University’s Strommen Center for Meaningful Work hosted Career Exploration Day. This campus-wide event was designed to provide experiences for students to connect their academic journey to real-world career possibilities and build confidence in their future goals. Classes were canceled for the second half of the day to encourage participation. Students, staff, faculty, and employers showed up to Career Exploration Day events in the Hagfors Center with energy and curiosity!
By the Numbers
This year’s event brought together a range of participants and experiences:
- 368 students checked in on the day (with 237 registered in advance through Handshake)
- 118 students were served lunch through the event’s voucher program
- 28 breakout sessions led by faculty, staff, and employer presenters
- 11 employer organizations participated in sessions and direct student conversations
- 4 employers hosted off-campus Employer Trek – a brand-new initiative in 2026
- 42 juniors and seniors (and a few sophomores) participated in a trek
- 3 employers were financial sponsors for the day, each donating $500.
What the Day Looked Like On and Off Campus
- On Campus: Breakout sessions ran across three 45-minute concurrent blocks, with faculty, staff, and employer presenters leading conversations that spanned industries and career pathways.
- Off Campus: For the first time, the Strommen Center launched four Employer Treks, sending students (mostly juniors and seniors) into the workplaces of Best Buy, the Metropolitan Council’s Water Resource Recovery Facility, Ovative Group, and St. Paul Academy and Summit School. Each visit offered a distinct look at what meaningful work can look like across industries.
Overall Themes & Takeaways
Students came to Career Exploration Day with questions, and most left with something useful: a new connection, a clearer direction, or at least a better sense of what questions to ask next.
Networking was a big theme throughout the day. In the student survey, many students talked about how the sessions helped them understand what networking looks like in practice and how important it is. When asked, “What was the most important thing you learned?” One student said, “How to network with people, how it’s really important. One day whoever you meet can help you get your dream job or help you figure out what you want.” Others connected it directly to action – writing that they learned that, “There are many opportunities to network authentically through things you already do,” and “The most helpful thing I learned was how to form a networking conversation and how it can create opportunities for you in the future.”
Students also took time to write about their employer trek experiences. A handful of students wrote blogs or LinkedIn posts. Ruben Rodriguez Basilo wrote:
“I truly appreciated the team’s transparency in sharing their experiences, advice, and perspectives on transitioning from college to a professional environment. Conversations like these make the bridge between academics and industry feel much more tangible and exciting.
Thank you to the Ovative team for hosting us and investing time in sharing your knowledge. Experiences like this continue to shape my interest in pursuing opportunities where strategy, analytics, and creativity intersect.”
Read the rest of Ruben’s post here: LinkedIn Post about the Employer Trek to Ovative
Aemun Munwar also wrote about the trek to Ovative:
“Would I do it again? Absolutely! My visit to Ovative was one of my favorites, and I think it’s because it felt so real and eye opening. They are great people, and they want to show up, work in a team, and be part of something. As I’m trying to figure out the path I should take in computer science and data science, working for companies like this, and walking into the office of Ovative brought me both clarity and excitement. I hope one day you have the opportunity to meet with Ovative!”
Read the full post here: From Classroom to Corporate: My Visit to Ovative
Avery Cheeseman wrote about the trek to Metropolitan Council’s Water Resource Recovery Facility:
“I feel like a big positive of this experience is that you learn about opportunities that you never even thought you would be interested in. I learned quite a bit more about lab-related opportunities that this plant offers. I didn’t even know that they were hiring for lab-related interns, so this was a great thing to learn. I also think that taking the opportunity to talk with everyone around you during this experience is another big thing that I took away and recommend that anyone who is going on a future career trek field trip should do. You really get the opportunity to engage with so many students and also professionals alike. Both of these groups of people will eventually be your peers.”
Read Avery’s full blog post here: Metropolitan Council Career Trek Review and Advice for Future Career Treks
Notes of Gratitude
We are grateful to our sponsors for making Career Exploration Day possible: Minnetonka Public Schools, Northwestern Mutual, and Second Harvest Heartland. Their investment made this campus-wide initiative financially sustainable.
We are grateful to our employers who led sessions: Ameriprise Financial Services, Benedictine, EisnerAmper, FilmNorth, Minnetonka Public Schools, Northwestern Mutual Minneapolis, Second Harvest Heartland, Shakir Consulting Services, SpringPath Mental Health Services, St. David’s Developmental & Therapeutic Services, and Youth Frontiers.
We are grateful to the Employer Trek host organizations: Best Buy, Metropolitan Council, Ovative Group, and St. Paul Academy and Summit School.We are grateful to the Augsburg faculty and staff who presented, volunteered, and kept the day running smoothly.
