<br/>Walsh University has integrated a chemistry career seminar throughout the chemistry curriculum to prepare students for post-baccalaureate experiences. The seminar series comprehensively develops students’ professional skills over a four-year period with students taking a course in the series every semester. The focus of the first two years is exploring chemistry as a career. Students hear from guest speakers who hold a variety of chemistry-related jobs, select chemistry topics to explore, read scientific articles and give oral presentations. On the more practical side, students write resumes and cover letters, so they apply for internships or jobs related to their aspirations. In their final two years, the emphasis is in on developing their professionalism. The fall of junior year is about preparing students for their internship experience. Students discover the traits of true professionals while learning the value of applied emotional intelligence, situational management tactics, Thomas Kilmann conflict modes, the concept of “pre-main-post” in project planning and the importance of authentic feedback. These experiences are collectively called the “Premier Skills” and have great value in the professional world. In the spring or over the summer, chemistry majors complete an internship where they are expected to apply these concepts and look for evidence of their use by professionals in the field. After students complete their internship, they close the loop by giving a presentation to first- and second-year students about their internship and how the seminar helped them succeed. In their senior year, topics expand to include professional multimedia presentations, 360 evaluative feedback processes, personal branding through social media and webpages, the value of professionals networking at conferences and a deeper dive into the “Premier Skills”. The seminar series capstones with seniors applying everything they learned in facilitated case study discussions. Learning outcomes include practical professional skills, increased awareness of professional habits and an appreciation for the value of professionalism in chemistry careers.<b> </b>The efficacy of the seminar series has been assessed with pre-post survey tools and reflection exercises developed internally. Results clearly indicate that students who completed the seminar series valued the experience, learned substantial practical tools and were able to apply what they had learned during internship experiences.

Helping students bridge the professional transition: Integrating "premier skills" into the undergraduate chemistry curriculum

ACS Fall 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.