Experiential Learning and Career Education

The Experiential Learning and Career Education (ELCE) office supports students and alumni as they navigate their career development process. We also work with employers, providing a strong workforce to ensure organizational success and fostering a healthy and vibrant local, statewide, national, and global economy.

Your CAREER starts here

Whether you’re a new student looking for ways to jump-start your career exploration, or a seasoned professional who wants to advance your career, the ELCE has resources at your disposal.

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Employers

Are you looking for strong, innovative, and culturally competent talent?  Cardinal Stritch University trains a diverse student population, providing local, state, national, and global employers with candidates who can build and support organizational success. We are proud of the partnerships we have established, and continue to explore opportunities to facilitate connections between students, alumni and recruiters. To gain additional insight into our students and our institution, check out Stritch-Quick-Facts and our current First Destination Survey.


Do you have internships or positions to post?

Posting your opportunities on StritchBriefcase (powered by PurpleBriefcase) – is FREE. Simply register on StritchBriefcase to begin sharing your internships, experience building part-time positions, and professional opportunities with Stritch students and alumni. Check out these resources to help you connect with Stritch Talent:

  • Easy to use Employer Guide for help navigating the StritchBriefcase system.
  • Starting and Maintaining a Quality Internship Program – this guide, authored by Michael True, Senior Associate, Talent Development & Marketing at Messiah College, provides excellent insight into establishing a strong and effective internship Program.


Would you like to connect with students on campus?

  • Schedule an appointment with a career professional to discuss opportunities to build and internship program or to explore other ways to connect with Stritch students and alumni.
  • Schedule a Recruiting Table at www.calendly.com/csu-elce-career.  Connect with students during lunch in our Student Union to introduce your organization and share opportunities. We host recruiting tables on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 11:30am to 1:30pm. If your goal is to connect with accelerated evening program students, we can schedule from 4:30pm to 6:00pm on those days. To promote these events, please submit your request at least two weeks in advance.

Students and Alumni

Located in Bonaventure Hall (bottom floor), the Experiential Learning and Career Education Center provides services for our students and Alumni. Interested in learning more about your personality, interests & values and how it relates to finding a satisfying job? Never written a resume? Need to enhance your cover letter? Unsure about your interview outfit? At the ELCE, our online resources, workshops and programs, and seasoned counselors can help guide you. From networking to job opportunities to salary negotiations, our mission is to help you grow your professional life and keep it humming well beyond graduation.


  • About us
  • Access our job and internship database: Purple Briefcase. The ELCE has a job and internship database that allows students and alumni to engage with over 2,000 employers. On the other side, employer are able to post internship and job opportunities as well as browse resume and portfolios to actively recruit from our talented community. 
  • Four Year Professional Development Pathway: Career planning is an on-going process that is fluid in nature. The Experiential Learning and Career Education staff is here to support you as you go through that process. To schedule an initial appointment visit Calendly Career Advisors. To see a step-by-step guide on how to prepare yourself for your ideal career while in college, the Four Year Professional Plan helps provide a path for professional development.
  • Major and Career Discernment: Choosing a major or career path that fulfills your purpose and fosters happiness and success requires self-knowledge. Click the following PDF on the Engage, Explore and Experience pathway to achieve long-term career satisfaction by exploring the Major and Career Discernment Guide.
  • Yearly ELCE Events and Workshops:
    • Career Fair Dates and Preparation Materials
    • On-Campus Career Fairs
  • Fall Part-Time Job and Internship Fair: Held the first week of September, this event offers both on and off campus opportunities for you to explore. Undergraduate students are encouraged to attend – not only to connect with employers, but also to network and make connections for your future.
  • Summer Job and Internship Fair: This February event is a great opportunity for students to connect with employers to learn about both full and part-time Summer Jobs and Internships. Attending this event will also prepare you for the annual WorkForce Career & Internship Fair
  • Workforce Career and Internship Fair: Co-sponsored by the schools in the Wisconsin Private College Career Consortium (WIPCCC), and held at State Fair Park each February, this event is open to students and alumni from each of the participating institutions.  With an average of 1000 students and alumni, and close to 200 employers, many employers indicate this is the best career and internship fair in the state.
  • Reverse Job Fair: At the end of each semester, the ELCE brings together interns from each academic department, who will showcase their internships, acquired skills, talents and personalities. Local employers are invited to visit with each of the interns to hear their stories and to build their network of qualified candidates for potential internships or prospective employment. 
  • Employer Campus Visits: Employers schedule recruiting tabling events on weekly basis inthe Student Union to meet students and let them know about part-time, full-time, seasonal, and internship opportunities. Check out the schedule of who’s coming on Purple Briefcase, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
  • Internships: Real-world experiences are often the best way to ignite your interests, clarify your goals and develop skills. Through the ELCE’s experiential opportunities, you can build your resume, hone in on your areas of interest and build your network within the field you hope to enter upon graduation. Whether you are studying studio art, on track to join a big company, or entirely undecided, internships can be a beneficial experience.
  • Job and Internship Recruiting Deadlines: When beginning your search for job and internship opportunities it is important to have three basic criteria established: industry and hiring timeline, function, and compensation. Knowing these will help you begin to search for opportunities of interest.
  • How to Prepare for a Career Fair Guidelines
  • Professional Dress Options
  • Interview Tips
  • Resume Guidelines and Tips
  • Cover Letters: Cover letters serve as the bridge between your resume and the specific job to which you applying.  Therefore, there is not a “one size fits all” cover letter. A cover letter is a reflection of your writing skills, so take the time to conduct a spell check and grammar check, and proofread, proofread and proofread again. The key to a great cover letter is to be specific to the organization and position – a generic cover letter will HURT you, not help you.
  • Networking Tips, Examples, and Professional Communication: It is never too early to start networking. And if you want a job when you complete your diploma, it helps to know people in the industry in which you work. 
    • i.Informational Interviews: Reaching out to alumni and other contacts to learn more about their industry is a useful tool to build your network in a no pressure environment. Request for Informational Interviewing Email example (Networking) 
    • ii. Thank You Letters, Acceptance Letter, The “Stall” Letter, and Withdrawal Letter Examples
  • On-Campus Employment: Campus employment opportunities for students allow you to work on campus and earn a paycheck. Employment is limited to 20 hours per week when school is in session. For more information, please email the Student Employment Coordinator, Kathryn Markgraf, to learn more.
  • ELCE Handbook
  • First Destination Survey: See where are graduates work and what they are doing
  • Upcoming Career Events

Parents & Families

Thank you for taking an interest in your student's career development process. Many parents & family members are eager to learn what services the University offers for career development. We believe that the ideal combination for future success consists of parents and families providing support and encouragement, while empowering their students to take responsibility for their own career exploration and decision making process. 
 

  • Career Development Services
  • Professional Development and Academic Integration: Four Year Professional Development Pathway: Career planning is an on-going process that is fluid in nature. The Experiential Learning and Career Education staff is here to support you as you go through that process. To schedule an initial appointment visit Calendly Career Advisors. To see a step-by-step guide on how to prepare yourself for your ideal career while in college, the Four Year Professional Plan helps provide a path for professional development.
  • Online Tools: Our ELCE Handbook provides an extensive guide on our services, take personality assessments to explore their strengths and interests, how students can map out their professional development while in college, resumes, cover letters, and other professional communication how-to’s.
  • Handbook
  • Personality Assessments
  • Engaged Fellows Program, Student Employment, and Internship Programs
  • First Destination Survey: See where are graduates work and what they are doing

Faculty Resources

Career Development is an integral aspect of the college experience.  As such, the ELCE staff welcomes the opportunity to connect to explore career/curriculum integration strategies.
 

  • ELCE Resume Guide
  • Internship Guide
  • Online Career Tools – The ELCE can administer and interpret self-awareness assessments that provide valuable insight into one’s personality, interests and values positioned in a career


To schedule an appointment with a member of our staff, feel free to go to their individual calendars:
 

About

Located in Bonaventure Hall bottom floor, the Experiential Learning and Career Education Center provides services for our students and Alumni. Interested in learning more about your personality, interests & values and how it relates to finding a satisfying job? Never written a resume? Need to enhance your cover letter? Unsure about your interview outfit? At the ELCE, our online resources, workshops and programs, and seasoned counselors can help guide you. From networking to job opportunities to salary negotiations, our mission is to help you grow your professional life and keep it humming well beyond graduation.
 

To schedule an appointment with a member of our staff, please go to their individual calendars to set up an appointment:


 

Experiential Learning and Career Education

Bonaventure Hall, Suite 022
8:30am – 5:00pm • Evening hours by appointment
(414) 410-4157

Useful Links

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Contact Us

6801 N. Yates Road
Milwaukee, WI 53217
(414) 410-4000
(800) 347-8822
admissions@Stritch.edu