Through immersive career treks, global experiences, and alumni-led mentorship, Gettysburg College empowers students and young alumni to discover their purpose, refine their leadership, and translate a liberal arts education into meaningful pathways that extend far beyond the classroom.
Career exploration at Gettysburg College doesn’t pause when the fall semester ends. Instead, breaks in the academic calendar become a powerful extension of the College’s year-round commitment to preparing students—and young alumni—for lives of purpose and impact.
This year, more than 400 students and alumni registered for career programming over winter break, the highest total in the last four years. But the numbers tell only part of the story. What stood out most was how intentionally the College leveraged the break to connect students with alumni, employers, and communities worldwide.
Getting started in your career
A cornerstone of this winter’s career exploration was the new “Getting Started In” series, a set of virtual panels led entirely by members of the Burgians of the Last Decade (BOLD) Council. The sessions focused on industries such as sales, public policy, higher education, communications and marketing, and the medical field.
“Along with a robust variety of offerings, including AI, communicating across cultures, financial literacy, and grant writing, the ‘Getting Started In’ series was the perfect complement to our career development offerings,” said Jim Duffy, assistant vice president for co-curricular education. “Students interacted and learned from recent alumni about a variety of industries, preparing them for life after college.”
For alumni presenters, the opportunity to mentor students was both meaningful and mission-driven. Caitlin Malia Yap ’22, a health sciences major who attended The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health after graduation, spoke during the medical field session and emphasized the importance of grounding career goals in personal values.
“Finding my values helped me identify which graduate programs would be a good match for me,” said Yap, who now works as a sports physical therapy resident in Houston, Texas. “I wanted to be a clinician who could interact with people who are different from me and consider social determinants of health when I treated them. That’s why I went out of my way to take courses in sociology, religious studies, and Africana studies when I was at Gettysburg.”
Students described the panels as candid and empowering. Annie Bolenbaugh ’26, a history and cinema and media studies double major from Ellicott City, Maryland, attended sessions on higher education and communications and marketing to better understand administrative and storytelling roles within institutions and organizations.
“While I already knew that the Gettysburg Network was very active and involved, their enthusiasm to connect with us personally reaffirmed the fact that there is impeccable support at Gettysburg College, even after graduation,” Bolenbaugh said. “All of the panelists were very candid about their experiences and offered nuanced and uplifting advice on how to break into and operate within the industry.”
Immersive learning experiences
The Center for Public Service (CPS) and Garthwait Leadership Center (GLC) led students on immersion trips in Morocco, Texas, Alabama, and Chile. At these locations, student worked alongside local organizations and community leaders to better understand issues ranging from education and migration to economic opportunity. These experiences encouraged students to engage thoughtfully with communities while reflecting on how their own values and skills can translate into meaningful impact.
“The world needs more leaders, and these types of experiences help students to not only strengthen their leadership ability, but help them realize that they have an ability to lead,” said William Lightcap ’26, an economics major from Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, who took part in the GLC’s leadership expedition to Chile. “I learned not only about a whole new culture and way of life in Patagonia, but also how to lead without a title and find my role within the group.”
Students affiliated with the Eisenhower Institute further broadened their global and policy perspectives. Undergraduate fellows spent nine days in Japan examining the country’s prioritization of scientific research and policy. Their itinerary included visits to universities, research labs, funding agencies, and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, offering insight into how research, education, and national strategy intersect.
“Our Japanese hosts were exceptionally generous with their time and offered unique insights into the modern goals of Japanese science and how they are pursued through research and education," noted Harold G. Evans Professor of Eisenhower Leadership Studies and Biology Prof. Ryan Kerney, who led the trip and is continuing the program on campus throughout the spring semester.
Inside the workplace
Hands-on exposure remains one of the most transformative elements of career exploration at Gettysburg. Led by the Center for Career Engagement (CCE), students traveled to Orlando and New York City in January for immersive career treks designed to provide both breadth and depth across industries. This exposure prepares students as they consider opportunities for Career-Ready Experiences across campus, an integral component of the Gettysburg Approach.
In New York, 14 students participated in site visits to LinkedIn, Google, and Piper Sandler. Alumni welcomed Gettysburg students into their workspaces with Conor Barry ’16, Brian McIntosh ’01, and Elaina Blair ’19 serving as hosts at LinkedIn, Piper Sandler, and Google, respectively.
At LinkedIn, students explored sales, marketing, and business strategy, hearing from staff and alumni about recruiting, data-driven decision-making, and career pathways. At Piper Sandler, students gained insight into investment banking, research analysis, and global macro strategy while learning how to break into finance. Google welcomed students for conversations about sales, operations, and business strategy within the technology industry.
A second group of students traveled to Florida to explore the brand marketing and strategy within the family vacation industry. Organized by ValidFill CEO Greg Edelson ’87, P’18, P’21, the Orlando excursion included meetings with business leaders and marketing executives at Universal Studios, Coca-Cola, SeaWorld, Legoland, and Disney World, offering students insight into branding, operations, guest experience, and large-scale business strategy.
Beyond structured panels and Q&A sessions, nearly 30 students completed individualized job shadows and site visits across a wide range of organizations—many hosted by alumni—observing day-to-day operations and testing career interests in real time.
Lifelong career development
Career exploration at Gettysburg does not end at graduation. From Jan. 26–29, the College offered a virtual Alumni J-Term to support young alumni as they navigate early career transitions and life milestones. The sessions weren’t just reserved for young alumni; alumni spanning classes from 1968 through 2025 were among the attendees.
Offerings included workshops on building a professional brand on LinkedIn, understanding AI’s impact on leadership, developing coaching-based leadership skills, and navigating life after college. Presenters joined from across the United States and abroad—including Dubai—demonstrating the Gettysburg Network’s global reach.
The through line across every offering—whether for first-year students or members of the Class of 1968—was connection. By pairing alumni expertise with student curiosity and providing structured opportunities for reflection and exposure, Gettysburg continues to ensure that career development is not a single moment, but an evolving journey—one that begins on campus and extends for a lifetime.
Discover your professional potential with a Career-Ready Experience at Gettysburg College.
By Corey Jewart
Photos by Alyssa Riegel, Abbey Frisco, Paul Miller, and Ryan Kerney
Posted: 03/16/26