By Josie Hutton and Katelyn Kennedy
IMC Graduate Students
The upcoming two-day IMC Connect! interactive conference will give students career and networking opportunities designed to help them in their future careers.
IMC Connect!, sponsored by the University of Mississippi’s School of Journalism and New Media, will bring in top educators and speakers from industries all over the country. Students will hear from these speakers at panels and workshops over the course of the March 30-31 event.
“IMC Connect! was an amazing experience unlike any other,” said Haughton Mann, an Ole Miss student who attended the first IMC Connect! in 2022. “Having the opportunity to meet and interact with industry leaders is not something everyone gets to encounter. I am very grateful for this experience.”
Not only are students able to hear and speak to these industry professionals, but they can participate in hands-on workshops that can better prepare them for job opportunities. PRSSA will host a fundraiser in which students can have a professional headshot taken for $10, payable with cash or Venmo. The headshots will be taken before or after the Q&A Job Prep Panel taking place from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on March 30.
On Friday morning, students can enjoy a free Chick-Fil-A breakfast and a tour of the Ole Miss Student Media Center while learning how to build a professional portfolio. Larz Roberts, director of the SMC, and Jared Senseman, manager of media technology, will walk students through the basics to develop the ideal digital portfolio. Students are encouraged to bring their laptops to the event. Pre-registration for the portfolio-building workshop is encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome.
Following the morning portfolio-building workshop, students can head to the Student Union Ballroom to the Career Center table to have their resumes and/or digital portfolios critiqued and reviewed between 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Students will need to have their printed resume/portfolio or laptop available for review. This is a come-and-go event from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. that students can also pre-register for, but walk-ins are welcome.
“As professors, we continually stress to students the importance of having a strong resume and portfolio,” said IMC Professor Graham Bodie. “IMC Connect! goes a step further, providing a space for students to get feedback from diverse perspectives. These kinds of opportunities are invaluable to anyone who wants to be more marketable in an increasingly competitive job market.”
Registration is open to students now for IMC Connect! 2023, and a full schedule of the event can be found here.
