PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMMING

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.

112 workshops and presentations offered for professional development

1,373 unique current students and Davidson alumni attended these events

105+ students participated in Training the Street workshops, including 3 in person workshops covering an introduction to banking, corporate valuation/financial statement analysis, and technical interview prep. These workshops, and others covering Excel and financial modeling, were also offered in an online format for students.

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.

$3,860 average grant amount

$289,520 awarded to students to facilitate low-paying and unpaid summer internship and research experiences for Summer 2024.

120 applicants

62% of applicants funded through 22 available grants

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 2025 academic year over $55,123 was provided to 81 students.

Greater Charlotte Law School Fair

In November, Davidson College hosted the Greater Charlotte Law School Fair. Law school admission representatives from 52 different schools were eager to return to campus where they met with over 90+ students and alums of Davidson College and local colleges and universities.

Prelaw Advising & Programming

Through 1:1 appointments with Prelaw Advisor Kelli Robinson, students (first-years through graduating seniors) and alums discussed their interests in and preparation for law school. Additionally, programming focused on preparing for the application process and learning about working in the law profession. Guest presenters included admission representatives from multiple law schools across the country and alumni guest speakers working in law. The Davidson College Prelaw Society also hosted events that connected students with Davidson alums completing their first year of law school as well as alums working in various law-focused roles.

Pre-Health & Sciences Programming

Pre-Health & Sciences Advisor Aisling Zaccarelli led a new charge of programming for pre-health and science students this year, holding 25 programs for students, including programs that focus on shadowing, research, gap year opportunities, interview tips, and clinical experiences, as well as 20 info sessions with employers! A total of 727 total appointments were held this past academic year with 385 unique students receiving 1:1 advising assistance.

Health & Science Networking Receptions

In September 2024, Davidson College hosted a Health & Science Networking Reception immediately preceding the Fall Research Symposium showcasing student research. We welcomed 38 alumni back to campus and had over 100 students in attendance. And, in conjunction of Alumni Reunion Weekend in June 2025, we held another Science & Pre-Health Networking Reception for students who were on campus or in the area conducting research. Our Networking Reception welcomed 46 alumni and 105 students to mix and mingle.

Secure the Bag: Resumania

In October, we hosted our fourth 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. We also offered several 30-minute resume workshops throughout the year 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 156 students attended and received personalized advice for their resume/CV!

Senior Career Kickoff!

Completing job and graduate/professional school applications can be a daunting task during senior year. Often, simply “getting started” can be the biggest challenge for students. To help make this process less intimidating, we hosted our first Senior Career Kickoff event in September. This drop-in event held in the Alvarez College Student Union Atrium allowed students to learn more about LinkedIn, Networking, Handshake, and Resume Building - based on where they felt they were at in the career process. Our team was thrilled to meet with 78 seniors to help discuss their unique journeys and provide tangible next steps 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

Hosted by the Political Science department, 35 students participated in the eight week program that took Davidson students to Washington, D.C. to complete one of two seminars and professional experience (Internship, career networking meetings, etc.). Matthews Center adviser, Kelli Robinson, assisted students with their internship preparation and searches.

Davidson in East Asia

A group of 17 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.

First Generation Senior Pinning Ceremony

In partnership with the Office of Alumni and Family Engagement, we hosted our 4th Annual First Things First Pinning Ceremony to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of Davidson’s 64 first-generation graduating seniors. Nadia Campbell and Joselin Serpas '23 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.

Career Compass and Resume Workshops

The Career Compass program offered both virtual summer options as well as an-person cohort during Fall Break in October 2024. Our virtual cohort saw 36 student check-ins across 3 events throughout the summer. The 2nd annual in-person Career Compass cohort saw 8 students attend the half-day program. Both programs provide exploring students with helpful tools to navigate the career exploration process through assessments, workshops, and individual guidance. Session topics include: Understanding the Career Exploration Process, Wise Wandering, Self-Awareness with MBTI, Identifying Career Values, Holland Code Exploration, and an Overview of Experiential Learning and Industries with Matthews Center Advisers.

Over the course of the year, 75 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.

Career Advantage Program

Team Events

Throughout each academic year, the Career Advantage program provides opportunities for teams to engage in career and professional development on a customized basis. These events can include workshops, team-building exercises, individual advising, and more!

In 2024-25, Career Advantage conducted 16 custom team events covering:

Resume building
Pre-season team building
DiSC Profile Assessments & the DiSC Game Show
Clifton Strengths Team Workshops
Emotional Intelligence
Navigating Healthy Conflict
Leadership Facilitation Training

Road Treks

This program provides services such as: one-on-one advising, alumni networking, employer info sessions, and campus tours at local graduate and professional schools. As team travel varies across the board, these treks are built to maximize the scholar-athlete experience as schedules allow.

In 2024-25, the following teams participated in Road Treks:

Women's Volleyball (Richmond, VA)
Women's Soccer (Philadelphia, PA)
Women's Field Hockey (St. Louis, MO)
Men's & Women's Swimming & Diving (Ft. Lauderdale, FL).

"Career Convos" Series

The "Career Convos" series provides current students with opportunities throughout the year to connect with alumni in various industries over lunch.

In 2024-2025, we hosted:

16 Career Convos with Alums

134 Student Attendees

14 Industries & Topics:

Arts
Biotech Engineering
Consulting
Finance
- Capital Markets
- Financial Crime Investigations
- Private Equity
- Wealth Management
Navigating the World of Work Through the Disability Lens
Non-Profits
Poetry
Publishing
Public Health
Law
Screenwriting & Showrunning
School Counseling
Tech

Davidson Investment Banking Academy

The Matthews Center, in collaboration with the Davidson Investment Banking Club, professor of finance Barrett Kollme, and alum Jay Harris '90 (JPMorgan), launched a series of workshops during the 2024-2025 school year designed to prepare students for the rigorous finance interview process and ultimately their internships and analyst positions. The Davidson Investment Banking Academy met 9 times between October-April and had 81 unique students attend the sessions. Topics covered included basic finance fundamentals, technical prep, deeper dives into M&A, Debt Capital Markets, and Equity Capital Markets, as well as visits from alums in various IB firms in Charlotte.

Sophomore Summit

In January, the Matthews Center hosted the inaugural Sophomore Summit, a day-long conference-style program designed to assist, inform, motivate and engage sophomores in the career development process. Approximately 50 students participated, learning about topics that included:

Identifying their skills and values as they relate to the world of work
Building a professional brand through LinkedIn
Learning about multiple career exploration resources designed to introduce students to a variety of professional paths
Becoming confident in networking and interviewing

By the day's end, student feedback indicated the sessions helped ease anxieties and stresses they were feeling regarding their career development. The Matthews Center for Career Development is excited to build upon this first event for future sophomore classes.

A special thank you to our keynote speaker, Janet Stovall '85, and to our session leaders Kelley Shaw (Community Partner), and Michelle McKown-Campbell (Community Partner), Kelly Weaver (The Hurt Hub), and Jennifer Johnston (Student Health & Well-Being) for their invaluable support and contributions to the program. Their insights and presence made a meaningful impact on the student experience.

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