Academy of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College Vice President Nelson Lees (right) dined with Sophomore Summit attendees to offer career perspective and mentorship. Photos courtesy of Ayana Wallace
Eckerd College sophomores explored career pathways and built professional connections outside of the classroom during this year’s Sophomore Summit—a two-day special program for second-year students.
Originally developed through the College’s retention committee, now part of Student Success and the Career Center, the Sophomore Summit has changed significantly. Organizers said the event once relied heavily on workshops. This year, Dwayne Peterson, Director of the Career Center, refocused the experience around intentional goals, such as connecting academic interests and strengths to careers, encouraging exploration and helping students build networks.
Using a design-thinking framework, students reflected on how their experiences connect to larger career goals and how to view challenges through multiple perspectives.
Students interacted with a range of Tampa Bay employers, including Dynasty Financial Partners, The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art, Clearwater Marine Aquarium and Pinellas County Government. The variety of organizations, from nonprofits to government agencies and private companies, was intentional and highlighted the variety of opportunities available to Eckerd graduates.
Participants also visited Dynasty Financial Services.
At The James Museum, students participated in a panel featuring multiple senior-level professionals, while Clearwater Marine Aquarium representatives shared career journeys that began with internships and evolved into full-time roles.
After touring the James Museum Western & Wildlife Art, students were treated to panel discussion with industry experts.
“We wanted to broaden their mindset to show them there’s multiple ways to do things and gain different perspectives from the four employers we showed them,” Peterson said.
Feedback from previous years helped shape the redesign. Some participants wanted more direct access to career resources and more opportunities to engage in meaningful dialogue with employers. In response to the feedback, organizers reduced traditional presentations and created smaller discussion groups that encouraged active listening and thoughtful questions.
Lunch sessions paired students with alumni, faculty, and Academy of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College members, with no more than six participants per table. The smaller setting aimed to help students feel comfortable sharing ideas while building connections.
Students also got a behind-the-scenes look at operations at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
To gauge student feedback and measure the program’s success, organizers reviewed data collected from Sophomore Summit participants recorded from Perplexity AI, which showed strong learning gains and high overall satisfaction, especially in areas such as career clarity, networking and confidence in their Eckerd education. Students also were found to think that the experience helped them understand that career paths are “rarely linear” and that majors do not determine future opportunities, easing pressure about choosing the right path. Employer site visits, alumni and ASPEC lunches, and small-group discussions were cited as the most valuable components, because they offered practical advice on networking, resumes and next steps toward career goals.
Both Peterson and Madison Nelson ’21, assistant director of the Career Center, hope students leave the summit with increased confidence in the Eckerd experience and a clearer understanding of how campus resources, internships and professional relationships can shape their futures.
