Career Catalyst was designed to answer one of the biggest questions facing today’s college students: How do I connect what I’m learning in the classroom with the career I hope to build?
At Colorado College, the answer begins with the Block Plan.
Through the Career Catalyst Program, students leave campus and spend seven to fourteen days embedded inside some of the world’s most recognizable organizations—from Mattel and the National Geographic Society to the Aspen Institute and the Superior Court of California. They work alongside executives, researchers, nonprofit leaders, attorneys, judges, and innovators. They tackle real challenges while discovering how a liberal arts education translates into professional success.
For Olivia Xerras ’24, that experience launched her career.
From Barbie Dreams to the Boardroom
When Xerras arrived at Mattel’s headquarters in Los Angeles during Colorado College’s inaugural Career Catalyst course in January 2024, she expected an unforgettable learning experience.
She didn’t expect to return less than a year later as an employee.
“It would be a dream to work for them,” Xerras recalled during the Career Catalyst course. “They want creative, worldly thinkers, which I think the Block Plan cultivates.”
That dream became reality.
Today, Xerras serves as an Associate Marketing Analyst on Mattel’s Hot Wheels team. She collaborates on partnerships with globally recognized brands including Nintendo, Batman, Marvel, and Super Mario while helping plan product strategies for retailers such as Target, Walmart, and Amazon.
Her path from student participant to marketing professional illustrates what Career Catalyst was created to accomplish.
Students don’t simply observe professionals at work. They become contributors. During the Mattel experience, multidisciplinary teams tackled real business challenges, developed strategic recommendations for the company’s future, and presented their ideas directly to company executives.
Those presentations weren’t classroom simulations. They addressed real questions Mattel leaders were actively considering.
“We all had different skill sets, different majors, and different backgrounds, so we had a variety of perspectives,” Xerras said. “We had a short time to put together a presentation. It tested my abilities to be quick on my feet and stay organized and focused.”
The experience also introduced students to the relationships that often shape careers.
When Xerras joined Mattel months later, many of the professionals she had met during Career Catalyst remembered her.
“When my intro email came out to my team, so many people that I engaged with from the Mattel Block emailed me,” she said. “They reached out to say they remembered me and were excited that I was joining them.”
A Liberal Arts Advantage
Career Catalyst reflects a distinctly Colorado College approach to career readiness.
Faculty members build courses around real-world challenges that combine academic preparation with immersive professional experiences. These efforts encourage students to think critically, communicate effectively, collaborate across disciplines, and solve complex problems.
Those skills proved invaluable during Xerras’ interview process.
“I would not have been able to do it without the Block Plan,” she said. “I had five days to prepare for my first round interview with Mattel. I had never been in a marketing interview like this before. But it ended up being just like my preparation for tests or exams on the Block Plan. I was able to be focused in such a short time frame.”
Even more important, she credits Colorado College with teaching her how to think differently.
“My director said the main reason she hired me was because she was really impressed by the way I answered the questions,” Xerras said. “It was the CC brain. She was impressed with how I was thinking differently.”
That ability to approach challenges from multiple perspectives is intentional.
Career Catalyst courses bring together students from across the liberal arts—economics, biology, political science, journalism, computer science, music, history, psychology, and more. This allows organizations to benefit from diverse viewpoints while helping students appreciate the value of interdisciplinary thinking.
One Program, Many Pathways
Every Career Catalyst experience is unique.
Students interested in storytelling and nonprofit leadership spent two weeks at the National Geographic Society in Washington, DC. While there, they collaborated with professionals and developed ideas for the organization’s new Museum of Exploration.
Another cohort worked alongside leaders at the Aspen Institute, studying how one of the world’s most influential nonprofits convenes people and ideas to address society’s most pressing challenges.
Students exploring law and public service immersed themselves in California’s judicial system. They observed court proceedings, met judges, toured correctional facilities, and examined the human realities behind the legal system.
Different organizations.
Different industries.
One shared outcome.
Students leave with expanded professional networks, greater confidence, and a clearer understanding of how the skills developed through a Colorado College education apply far beyond the classroom.
As one National Geographic participant described the experience, it felt like “professional speed dating,” with dozens of conversations that reshaped the way students thought about careers and possibility.
Proof That Experience Matters
Career Catalyst launched in 2024 with support from a $2.5 million endowed gift. And it continues to grow through partnerships with organizations that recognize the value Colorado College students bring to the table.
The program also reflects the flexibility of the Block Plan itself.
Because students immerse themselves in a single course at a time, they can devote their full attention to complex projects. They learn to adapt quickly to professional environments. And they get to contribute meaningful work in just days—a quality that industry partners consistently praise.
For Xerras, the greatest lesson was discovering that she belonged in rooms where important decisions are made.
“I was able to learn so much from my time at CC and just really put myself out there,” she said. “It’s allowed me to really be comfortable in an environment where I’m communicating with people of all different levels. There is so much about CC I am thankful for. I’m just really appreciative of it all.”
Her story demonstrates what Colorado College’s Career Catalyst Program is designed to achieve. Career Catalyst connects a world-class liberal arts education with meaningful professional experiences that help students graduate not only with knowledge, but with the confidence, relationships, and practical skills to thrive.
For Olivia Xerras, the Career Catalyst experience was just the beginning. After nearly two years as an Associate Marketing Analyst for Hot Wheels at Mattel, she is now a Creative Analyst at Chief Detective, a digital marketing agency and brand partner focused on helping companies achieve explosive growth. Her journey is a reminder that at Colorado College, career preparation isn’t about finding one job after graduation, it’s about gaining the experience, confidence, and perspective to keep moving forward.
