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.