PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMMING

A career adviser is standing next to a student in her graduation gown. They are both laughing, and the student is about to receive am honorary diploma at the first-gen graduation ceremony.

KEY PROGRAMMING

The Matthews Center is dedicated to encouraging every student to participate in immersive educational experiences. Experiential learning allows students to connect their academic work with direct experience and provides the opportunity to apply problem-solving, critical-thinking, and communication skills in industry settings.

222 workshops and presentations offered for professional development

1,056 unique current students and Davidson alumni attended these events

104 checked in students at Training the Street workshops concentrating on financial modeling, financial statement analysis, corporate valuation, and technical interview preparation. In addition, 90+ students also registered to access the online Training the Street portal to complete workshops on Excel and financial modeling.

SPOTLIGHT: Last year in partnership with The Hurt Hub @Davidson, NEXT (Network Engage eXplore Together) Level was designed to offer up to 15 first-generation sophomore students mentorship, through professional guidance, and paid project work, through real-world experience. The first cohort, spring 2023, welcomed 12 students into the program. Students were matched with a company or entrepreneur in the Davidson area that provided a paid short-term project through the Gig-Hub program. Over eight weeks, working 5 hours a week, students completed their project. NEXT Level students met with their client once a week to discuss progress on the project and engage in a mentoring session.
Additionally, personal and professional development sessions were conducted monthly during the program to foster skill building. Sessions conducted by campus partners include Academic Access & Disability services to discuss various time management techniques and the Theatre Department to showcase presentation skills and tools to utilize when speaking to a crowd.

Summer Internship Grants

Thanks to the generosity of numerous alumni, parents and friends, we were able to provide summer internship grants to students with unpaid or low paying summer internships, making it possible for Davidson students to pursue an enriching summer experience.

$3,533 average grant amount

$243,820 awarded to students to facilitate low-paying and unpaid summer internship, research experiences, and career related certifications and programs for Summer 2023.

127 eligible applicants

54% of applicants funded through 19 available grants

8 committee members across multiple campus departments reviewed and scored applications

Professional Development Grants

The Matthews Center provides professional development funding to support high-impact, career related professional development experiences through the generous support of donors. Opportunities for students include, professional certifications, industry specific training, conferences, and graduate, medical, and law school testing prep programs. During the 2023 academic year over $66,500 was provided to 91 students.

Greater Charlotte Law School Fair

In November, Davidson College hosted the Greater Charlotte Law School Fair for the first time in person since 2019. Law school admission representatives from 33 different schools were eager to return to campus where they met with over 85 students and alums of Davidson College and local colleges and universities.

Prelaw Advising & Programming

Prelaw Advisor Kelli Robinson held appointments with students and alums to discuss their interests in and preparation for law school. Programming focused on preparing for the application process and learning about working in the law profession. Guest presenters invited by the Matthews Center included the Assistant Director of Admissions at Duke University School of Law, and Davidson alum Sarah Boyce (‘07), Deputy Solicitor General for North Carolina (in collaboration with the English Department). The Davidson College Prelaw Society also hosted events including a Law School Mock Admissions Panel comprised of law school admission representatives and programs featuring Davidson alums completing their first year of law school as well as alums working in various law-focused roles.

A students stands in front of a Law School Fair table, speaking a Law School rep standing behind the table. They are in the Alvarez College Union.

A large group of Davidson students dressed in casual attire, sit around the table in the Matthews Center conference room, listening to a presenter.

Pre-Health & Sciences Programming

Pre-Health & Sciences Advisor Aisling Zaccarelli led a new charge of programming for pre-health and science students this year, adding 19 new and/or updated programs, including programs to focus on shadowing, research, gap year opportunities, interview tips, clinical experiences, and more! A total of 456 total appointments were held this past academic year with 243 unique students receiving 1:1 advising assistance.

Secure the Bag: Resumania

In October, we hosted our second annual #Resumania, an event designed to prepare students for upcoming applications through resume reviews and elevate their individual brands with professional headshots. Advisers were stationed in the Alvarez College Student Union Atrium from 10am-6pm offering 15-minute resume review appointments. Students were able to pre-register for a time slot or drop-in. We also offered two 30-minute resume workshops to assist students in learning the basic resume formatting principles and transitioning from a high school resume and/or creating a professional resume. Davidson College student photographers were on site offering professional headshots. The event was a huge success, as 187 students attended and received personalized advice for their resume/CV!

The Matthews Center team wearing teal t-shirts stands outside of the Alvarez College Union, in front of giant balloons. One large balloon spells out Resumania.

A student sits at a table with a red tablecloth speaking to a career adviser. There are other tables in the background with red tablecloths and students and advisers chatting.

All Aboard! The Career Express

Career Exploration can be a daunting task and often simply “getting started” can be the biggest challenge for students. To help make this process less intimidating, we hosted our first “All Aboard! The Career Express” event in February. This drop-in event held in the Alvarez College Student Union Atrium allowed students to see an adviser and start on one of four “tracks” - based on where they felt they were at in the career process. From first-years to seniors, we met with 42 students to help discuss their unique journey and provide tangible next steps for them to complete after the event.

A students wearing business professional attire stands on the steps outside of the Capital building, smiling at the camera.

Davidson in Washington

30 students participated in the eight week program that took Davidson students to Washington DC to complete one of two seminars and professional experience (Internship, career networking meetings, etc.).

A student wearing a t-shirt and shorts stands in front of what appears to be an old temple.

Davidson in East Asia

A group of 18 students embarked on an enriching journey through the East Asia Internship Program, exploring diverse countries in the region. They ventured into fields spanning from Bioinformatics to social work and education, gaining valuable work experience. Alongside their professional growth, these students had the privilege to immerse themselves in the captivating East Asian culture, broadening their horizons and advancing their career goals.

A Davidson student and Alum shake hands, smiling at each other in the 900 room of the Alvarez College Union, celebrating accomplishments at the First-Gen pinning ceremony.

First Generation Senior Pinning Ceremony

In partnership with the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion and Office of Alumni and Family Engagement, we hosted our 2nd Annual First Things First Pinning Ceremony to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of Davidson’s 63 first-generation graduating seniors. Dr. Brenda Flannagan and Ben Garcia ‘13 shared remarks during the ceremony. First-generation alumni, faculty, and staff members participated in the ceremony presenting each student with a pin and certificate. A reception was held following the ceremony.

Exploration Academy and Resume Workshops

Entering its third year, the Exploration Academy saw 90 students attend the program throughout the year. This virtual program provides exploring students with helpful tools to navigate the career exploration process through assessments, workshops, and individual guidance. The program’s main session runs each July over the course of four weeks, with an additional series of workshops running each January during winter break. Session topics include: Understanding the Career Exploration Process, Wise Wandering, Tools & Resources for Maximizing Your Career Exploration Journey, and an Overview of Industries with Matthews Center Advisers.

Over the course of the year, 85 students attended the “From High School to Professional: A Resume Workshop” program to build and enhance their resumes in preparation for internship, research, job, and fellowship applications.

A group of students in casual winter type attire sit around different desks in the Matthews Center classroom. They appear to be brainstorming and writing on large poster boards.