Wednesday
April 12th
Mindful Networking
10:00 AM
In Person, Penn Museum Classroom L1
First time at Beyond Penn? Want to learn how to network with our speakers, panelists, and alumni? This workshop will go over the basics of networking at Beyond Penn’s panels and social events, providing a foundation for you to develop and refine your skills at future events. You will learn how to use networking to build strong, authentic, and helpful relationships with alumni and other professional contacts. Workshop led by Career Services.
Effective communication during interviews
11:30 AM
In Person, Penn Museum Classroom L1
Nervous about interviews? This workshop is designed to help you understand what effective communication looks like in the context of different kinds of interviews. Learn how to turn your interview into a compelling story, answer questions you haven’t prepared for, and understand why your interviewer is asking each question. Workshop led by Career Services.
Non-traditional Career paths
2:00 PM
In Person, Penn Museum Classroom L1
Interested in pursuing a career that may not be directly connected to your academic discipline? Our workshop will show you what you can do both on-campus and after you graduate to position yourself for a career that may not be directly connected to your degree. Learn how to explore new and non-traditional career paths, and market your transferable skills to employers. Workshop led by Career Services.
Changing Career Paths (Keynote: Dr. Carl June)
3:30 PM
In Person, Penn Museum Widener Lecture Hall
Changing Career Paths: Industry, Academia, and Beyond
4:15 PM
In Person, Penn Museum Widener Lecture Hall
Thinking of a career that path that may not traditionally be associated with your degree? This panel will feature Penn Alumni who are currently working in a variety of fields, but who have come from non-traditional backgrounds. Our panelists will share their journey, challenges faced, advice for navigating the job market, and current trends in hiring.
Changing career paths: Careers in Tech
5:30 PM
In Person, Penn Museum Widener Lecture Hall
Interested in a career in Tech, but missing a degree in technology or engineering? Our panel will feature Penn Alumni who are currently working in Tech but have come from non-traditional backgrounds. Our panelists will share their journey, challenges faced, advice for navigating the job market, and current trends in hiring.
Thursday
April 13th
Keeping in touch with Penn
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
In Person, Towne 225A
Planning to pursue your career goals outside the USA? Learn how various alumni have maintained and strengthened the networks they built up at Penn while working abroad! Workshop led by ISSS.
VISA, Optional, and Curricular Practical Training
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
In Person, Towne 225A
Are you an international student? Interested in gaining work experience during or after your time at Penn? This workshop will go over different VISA options, as well as both the Optional Practical Training and Curricular Practical Training programs that allow students to take on internships either prior to or immediately after the completion of their degrees. Workshop led by ISSS.
International Students: Academia and beyond
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
In Person, Towne 225A
Want to pursue a career in academia? Wondering what the process is like for international students? Our panelists will feature Penn Alumni, who were once international students at Penn and are now faculty. Our Panelists will share their unique journeys in academia, along with their successes, challenges, and lessons they learned along the way.
International Students: Industry and beyond
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
In Person, Towne 225A
Interested in going into industry? This panel will feature Penn Alumni, who were once international students at Penn and are now working in a variety of fields in industry, policy, finance, and more! Our panelists will share their successes, challenges, and lessons learned, with current international students who want to study outside academia once they graduate.
From Academia to Entrepreneurship: Bridging the Gap
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Virtual, Zoom link
Has your research given you an idea for a startup? Are you interested in creating a company after you graduate? Then come to our virtual panel, featuring Penn Alumni who have translated their research into real-world companies. Learn about the intersection between academia and entrepreneurship, as our panelists share the challenges and opportunities they have encountered while transitioning from the world of academia to entrepreneurial endeavors. Cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset, and learn how to apply your academic knowledge to real-world business scenarios.
Opening Keynote Speaker
Idea to Impact: Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Academia with Dr. Katie Reuther
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM
In Person, Penn Museum Widener Lecture Hall
From Idea to Business: Navigating the Entrepreneurial Journey
4:15 PM -5:15 PM
In Person, Penn Museum Widener Lecture Hall
Do you want to learn how to build a business from the ground up? Want to know what it takes to keep your business operating smoothly for years? This panel will feature Penn Alumni who have become career entrepreneurs, across a range of industries from biotechnology, to finance, agriculture, and humanities. Our panelists will discuss how they have turned their ideas into successful businesses, as well as the challenges and lessons they learned along the way.
Innovation and Disruption in the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
In Person, Penn Museum Widener Lecture Hall
Ever wondered how companies keep up with new and disruptive technology? Are they always worth integrating into your business? Our panel will feature Penn Alumni who have run established companies for years, and seen more than their fair share of disruptive technologies. Learn how to stay ahead of the curve, embrace innovation, and determine if the newest sensation is right for your business.
Closing Keynote Speaker
EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED: THE (NOT SO) SURPRISING PATH TO ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS with DR. THOMAS A.V. CASSEL
6:45 PM - 7:15 PM
In Person, Penn Museum Widener Lecture Hall
Entrepreneurship in the modern era.
Beyond Penn Alumni Mixer (Tickets required)
7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
The Inn@Penn
Friday
April 14th
Mindfulness in the Workplace
9:00 AM
In Person, Penn Museum Classroom L1
Mindfulness is essential to any graduate moving into the workplace. Join us to learn how to become mindful using meditation and other techniques. Our program will be led by experts from Penn Wellness and discuss mindfulness as we walk you through guided meditation and some yoga movements. Workshop led by Wellness @ Penn.
Financial Wellness
10:00 AM
In Person, Penn Museum Classroom L1
Wondering how to start investing? Stressed about your student debt? Trying to figure out how your credit score is calculated? Then join us for a workshop on financial wellness, where we will be covering a broad range of topics on investing, debt management, and more! Workshop led by Financial Wellness @ Penn.
Work-life balance: Overcoming the odds
12:30 PM
In Person, Penn Museum Classroom L1
Considering a career path that may not have the best reputation for work-life balance? Interested in learning how to balance your personal and professional life, despite the challenges your career may pose? Come to our panel, featuring Penn Alumni who have reached a suitable work-life balance despite the heavy demands of their career. Our panelists will share their experiences, challenges, and successes in coping with a stressful job and how they found their own personal balance.
BEYOND BORDERS: DISCOVERING OPPORTUNITIES ON A GLOBAL SCALE
2:00 PM
Virtual
Interested in working on the world stage? Want to make a positive impact around the globe? Our panel will feature Penn Alumni who have pursued careers at a variety of international organizations, including UNESCO, World Bank, United Nations, and UNICEF. Our panelists will share the challenges and opportunities they’ve had while pursuing their careers, as well as the diversity of positions available to students who want to work on the world stage.
Academia: University Administration
3:30 PM
In Person, Skirkanich Hall Berger Auditorium
Interested in running a university one day? Have a passion for helping student groups on campus? Join us for a panel featuring Penn Alumni that work for various branches of university administration, ranging from student career development, to student life and university clubs, to running a department or university. Our panelists will discuss the path they took to their current positions and why they chose to pursue a career in university administration.
Academia: Becoming faculty
4:30 PM
In Person, Skirkanich Hall Berger Auditorium
Interested in running your own research group? Want to lecture at a small liberal arts college? This panel will feature Penn Alumni who have gone on to pursue academia in all its shapes and forms. From running a research group at a large institution to teaching small classes of tight-knit undergraduates at a state-funded community college, our panelists will discuss the challenges and successes they have had seeking a career in academia. (In Person, Widener Lecture Hall)
Beyond Academia: Industry
5:30 PM
In Person, Skirkanich Hall Berger Auditorium
Interested in working outside academia? Concerned about the current job market? This panel highlights Penn alumni who are currently working in anything but academia. From the technology start-ups in silicon valley, to the biotechnology giants in Boston, to consulting and policy, our panelist will discuss their careers outside academia and current trends in hiring. (In Person, Widener Lecture Hall)