Signing Day 2024

Signing day2024

Signing Day Celebrates 
Graduates Entering the Workforce

Signing Day Photo Gallery Signing Day Video Alfred State Got Me a Job Back to TopAlumni Magazine Home

Most people have seen pictures or watched news stories that highlighted students signing letters of intent to play sports at a higher level. Last year, Alfred State flipped the tables on this tradition by celebrating graduates signing with employers to begin their careers.

The Career Development Office, in partnership with the Office of Marketing Communications, hosted a career Signing Day for graduates’ days before Commencement in 2023. The event focused on celebrating the new careers students were about to start. Students signed “letters of intent”, posed for pictures, and took part in a celebratory video. Some students were joined by their employers while others celebrated with friends, classmates, and professors.

The event was popular with both students and employers and even garnered an award from the SUNY Student Affairs Office for excellence in student affairs programming.

With the success of the initial signing day, the event grew, and the second Signing Day focused on creating stronger bonds between students and their new employers. Close to thirty students were joined by their new employers to pose for pictures and enjoy a meal with each other.

“It really is a full circle moment for us, some of these students we have helped from the beginning of their time here through the job search and interview process. It is so rewarding to see how they have grown. We are so proud of them all!”Senior Career Development & Planning Associate Valerie Daciw

“This was such a fun event,” commented Director of Career Planning & Development Maureen Sibble. “It was amazing to have employers on campus to celebrate their new hires. We have worked with many of these students throughout their time here and to see them smiling while interacting with their new employers is quite rewarding.”

Chris Napoleon, President and Chief Engineer of Napoleon Engineering Services, was one of the many employers that attended the event to celebrate a pair of ASC graduates joining his company.

“We have been extremely successful as a business with the quality of the students and the educational foundation that has been provided to the Alfred State graduates. We hire graduates from the Mechanical Engineering Technology and the Machine Tool Technology programs. In fact, 38% of our employees are Alfred State graduates!”

The signing day is an important part of the recruitment journey for Napoleon and his company. “The signing day event is outstanding. It is not only fun, but it elevates the employment experience for the students and the employer. They feel like franchise players on our team. These new hires are the future of our organization, and this is the culmination of their hard work.”

“This is my favorite event of the year,” commented Senior Career Development & Planning Associate Valerie Daciw. “It really is a full circle moment for us, some of these students we have helped from the beginning of their time here through the job search and interview process. It is so rewarding to see how they have grown. We are so proud of them all!”

The Career Development Office hosts Career Fairs on both the Alfred and Wellsville campuses each semester fostering connections between students and potential employers. The success of career fairs and the connections started through the Career Development Office is one of the reasons Alfred State has achieved a 98% employment and continuing education rate for over the last ten years.

Photo of ASC students at Signing Day 2024.
Photo of ASC students at Signing Day 2024.
Photo of ASC students at Signing Day 2024.
Photo of ASC students at Signing Day 2024.