Alumni Career Panels
Connect your career to the UNC Bear Network through on-demand, online and in-person career webinars, panels and events.
Alumni Career Panels
Explore career connections and gain valuable industry insight through the UNC Bear Network by joining an alumni career panel or networking event. These programs bring together UNC graduates from a wide range of backgrounds to share their experiences, offer practical advice, and help current students and fellow alumni navigate their own career journeys.
Panels are organized around shared industries, professional interests, or special career readiness topics such as graduate school preparation, leadership development, or emerging fields. Whether you are exploring new opportunities, building your professional network, or hoping to share your own expertise, these sessions are a great way to learn from and connect with other Bears.
Career panels are hosted on Zoom, making it easy to participate from anywhere. Each session includes time for Q&A as well as a representative from the Center for Career Readiness so you can engage directly with panelists and other Bears.
Below, you can view upcoming panels scheduled for this semester and explore recordings of past sessions produced by the UNC Alumni Association. Check back often for new topics and recordings!
Spring 2026 Alumni Career Panels
Careers in Healthcare Services
Tuesday, January 27 | 4 – 5 p.m. | Via Zoom
Healthcare is a rapidly growing field with diverse career options. Meet alumni working in clinical care, health administration, mental health, community wellness and more, as they talk about their roles, challenges in the field, and advice for preparing now.
Alumni in Global Careers
Thursday, February 19 | 4 – 5 p.m. | Via Zoom
Curious about careers behind the scenes that keep organizations running? Join us to learn from alumni working in administrative and operations-focused roles across sectors like higher education, government, healthcare, and beyond. This panel explores how leadership, coordination, and strategic planning shape the backbone of successful institutions.
Recent Graduate Insights
Wednesday, March 11 | 5 – 6:30 p.m. | In-Person (Location coming soon!)
Wondering what life after college really looks like? This panel brings together recent grads to reflect on their transitions into work, grad school, and adulting. Get candid advice and encouragement from those who were in your shoes not too long ago.
Registration coming soon!
Careers in Publishing, Writing and Editing
Wednesday, April 15 | 4 – 5 p.m. | Via Zoom
For those with a love of words and storytelling, this panel is for you. Meet alumni working in book publishing, journalism, content creation, and editorial roles. Learn how they’ve built careers through writing and editing, and what keeps them inspired.
Fall 2025 Alumni Career Panels
Careers in Community and Social Services
Careers in Admin and Operations Roles
Careers in Law, Policy & Justice
Careers in Creative Professions
Alumni Insights Across Industries and Identities
UNC entrepreneurs walk through how they launched – validating ideas, landing first customers, funding the early days – and the missteps they’d avoid, plus what the day-to-day actually looks like when you’re the whole team.
Alumni in recruiting, HRBP, and comp/benefits explain hiring cycles, handling employee relations, and how certifications and internships help, along with straight talk on HR tech, compliance, and earning manager trust.
Alumni share how they broke into finance and corporate roles, navigated bias, found mentors, and turned early analyst/associate jobs into leadership opportunities, plus which credentials and networks opened doors.
Grads working in campus, city, and corporate sustainability describe real project work (energy audits, waste diversion, policy), how GIS/data skills translate, and realistic entry paths from internships to coordinator roles.
From college athletics to pro teams, alumni talk internships, event ops, and the travel grind—where degrees like sport admin, marketing, or athletic training actually lead – and how to turn game-day roles into full-time jobs.
Curious what it’s really like to work in hospitality? Hear UNC alumni talk about breaking into the field, the must-have skills they use every day, and what makes a career in hotels, tourism, and events both challenging and rewarding.
Alumni in city, state, and federal roles cover hiring timelines, civil-service exams, grant and policy work, and why networking still matters – plus tips for tailoring résumés to government postings and navigating budgets.
Candid stories about belonging at work: how alumni have navigated identity, advocated for themselves and others, chosen employers with real inclusion, and used peers, mentors, and managers to grow.
Contact us
Teresa Castro
Assistant Director of Alumni Relations
University Advancement
Building on the reputation of more than 130 years of academic excellence and community impact, University Advancement elevates the brand of UNC, engages external constituents, and develops the philanthropic strategies that support UNC priorities.
- advancement@unco.edu
- 970-351-2551
- First floor of Carter Hall and Second Floor of Campus Commons