Students engage in conversation with alum

By Cyanna Rosa ‘22

Last month, over 80 UCSB students and alumni gathered at Mosher Alumni House for the first in-person event of 2022, Launch Your Network. Sponsored by the A.S. Office of the President, this inaugural event provided guidance and advice from expert panelists, as well as an opportunity for Gauchos to practice their networking skills.

Abigail Merkel ‘23, the Career Intern and Gaucho Network Representative introduced the panelists Miguel Moran-Lanier ’00, Tom Jevens ‘87, and UCSB Career Counselor Maya Hargens. These guest speakers gave notable insight on networking with faculty, alumni, and future employers. After the Q&A session, ten UCSB alumni joined a networking session with students interested in their specific work field.

The panelists and alumni emphasized the importance of face-to-face networking while also highlighting the advantages of the digital age – such as interviewing via Zoom, attending virtual office hours, and building community on the Gaucho Network.

The Gaucho Network, UCSB’s hyper personalized professional network built for Gauchos, continues to grow – to date, there are over 8,000 registered users on the platform. Our attendees learned about the site’s features and how to use it and registered for a lifelong opportunity to connect with alumni.

Merkel said, “the Gaucho Network is a perfect place for alumni to invest in our future. With more face-to-face events in store, Gaucho Network is the first step in lending a hand to the Gaucho community.”

Register for Gaucho Network today and contact programs@alumni.ucsb.edu to volunteer for our fall networking event.