The Entrepreneurial Mindset
The role of the CALS Career Center is to offer broad support to all students in CALS in preparation for post-degree careers. The Center’s focus is to help students refine personal narratives and identify career paths that align with individual interests and needs. The resources available support students in developing the CALS Career Competencies and entrepreneurial mindset encompassing the transferable skills that allow CALS graduates to lead and innovate in any sector or industry.
What is the entrepreneurial mindset? According to the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, “an entrepreneurial mindset is a set of skills that enable people to identify and make the most of opportunities, overcome and learn from setbacks, and succeed in a variety of settings.” The CALS faculty recognize the importance in preparing all students to be able to lead and innovate in the jobs of the future and strive to integrate to the entrepreneurial mindset into all courses.
What are the CALS Competencies? The CALS Competencies are the specific skills embodied in the entrepreneurial mindset that students can expect to develop throughout the CALS curriculum and extracurricular experiences. Students are encouraged to utilize the competency development plan to reflect on the skills, the ways in which the skills have been developed, and which skills need to be more fully developed.
Resources
Student Appointments – The CALS Career Center uses eSMS to schedule appointments. Staff are available to discuss career planning and strategies, application document review, networking and mentoring, and other career topics.
Graduate Center – The University of Arizona Graduate Center is a resource for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. The programs and partnerships across campus are designed to help students develop inclusive leadership skills and collaborative opportunities. The Graduate Center resources section offers a wide array of links to resources ranging from career prep and job search to academic writin and research. Graduate Center events are integrated into the CALS Virtual Career Center calendar.
The Alumni Career Lab – The Alumni Career Lab offers resources for career planning, mentoring networks to connect with professionals and alumni, and conversations with professionals about their career path and successes. The Alumni Career Lab is not just for alumni – it is for students that will become alumni as well and is a great resource for building your network and exploring professional pathways.
The Beardown Network – The Beardown Network is a component of The Alumni Career Lab and is an application that allows you to make direct connections to other UArizona alumni, utilize discussion boards, and expand your professional network.
Opportunities
Graduate Impact Leader Fellows Program
The Impact Leader program is a professional development program for CALS graduate students. It is an honor to be selected for this program as an Impact Leader Fellow. The 24 Fellows represent the premier graduate students across the diverse disciplines of the College. As a cohort, Fellows will gain knowledge in developing effective teams, communicating with diverse individuals and navigating their careers. Additionally, Fellows will be matched with industry coaches who can give them industry perspectives, help to build a professional network, and highlight the skillsets required to be successful.
The CALS leadership team strongly supports participation in this professional development training and understands that this is an additional commitment on your schedule. We are committed to assist in conversations with your mentor, supervisor and/or course instructors to prioritize your participation.
Training Session Dates
Full participation in all training dates maximizes the impact this training will have on skill development and career trajectory. The most optimal modality for these trainings is in person on the University of Arizona main campus. Ensuring access is important; therefore, discussions on reasonable accommodations can be directed to Kirsten Limesand (limesank@arizona.edu). Additionally, this training will follow all University of Arizona instructional policies regarding in person and remote gatherings.
- Orientation meeting- December 8, 3pm
- First, Know Thyself- January 20, 8:00am-4:30pm
- Opportunities for Innovation | Entrepreneurial mindset- February 17, 8:00am-4:30pm
- High Performing Teams | Productive Conflict- March 17, 8:00am-4:30pm
- Communicate Your Story | Build Your Brand-
- April 7, 8am-1pm, in person
- April 21, 9am-1pm, hybrid
- Navigating Setbacks | Managing Your Career- May 5, 8:00am-4:00pm
- Closing reception May 5, 4-6pm
- Each student will be matched with an industry coach and five conversations (30-60 min each) will be scheduled based on mutual availability
- Flex dates for potential transition to virtual training will be communicated upon selection
