Career Catalyst Program
About
CC’s Career Catalyst Program brings professional experience into the classroom, and CC students out into the real world. These immersive courses connect liberal arts learning to hands-on, curriculum-connected projects in a wide range of industries.
Unlike traditional internships, Career Catalyst courses are designed and led by faculty in partnership with the organizations and take full advantage of the Block Plan’s flexibility. Whether on campus or embedded at a partner organization, students work in teams to solve problems, collaborate with professionals, and gain the confidence and skills needed to thrive after college.
GRATITUDE TO OUR DONORS
With the generous support from donors, we’re working to ensure cost is never a barrier to opportunity and Career Catalyst Blocks are accessible to all students.
Thank you to Liz MacLean Larned ’83 P’21, P’23 and Barry MacLean P’83, G’21, G’23 for their transformational $2.5M gift in support of the Career Catalyst program.
[Read More About Their Gift →]
How it works:
Students and faculty embed within partner organizations for immersive, on-site learning. These experiences typically span a full Block:
- Week 1: On-campus preparation
- Weeks 2–3: On-site learning and team-based project work
- Week 4: Reflection and final deliverables
Example:
In January 2024, 20 students and 2 faculty members traveled to Mattel’s global headquarters in Los Angeles. Students explored how toys go from concept to shelf, then pitched their own ideas to company executives.
Future off-campus opportunities span industries and disciplines, from the role of educational non profits to wildfire journalism or from concept to product launch.
Up Next in Block 2, students will travel to Washington, D.C. for Evolving How We Narrate Evolution: National Geographic and the Role of Educational Nonprofits.
For on-campus Career Catalyst Blocks students work in interdisciplinary teams to consult with live clients — often alumni or industry partners — on real organizational challenges. Past projects have focused on biotech, finance, real estate, environmental science, manufacturing, nonprofit education, and more.
These experiences take place in the classroom but are structured like professional consulting engagements. Students define the client’s needs, conduct research, and present actionable recommendations — building professional skills along the way.
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Benefits for Students
Career Catalyst Blocks are innovative courses that integrate classroom learning with real-world challenges and offer students the chance to apply what they’ve learned in a fast-paced, professionally engaged setting — without pausing their academic journey.
- Gain experience working on real‑world challenges
- Develop skills in communication, critical thinking, and creative problem solving
- Learn directly from industry professionals partnered with CC faculty
- Build confidence and clarity around your professional goals
- Earn academic credit in an immersive, high‑impact format
“Having that layer of a CC professor to guide the experience takes it to a whole other level.”
— Olivia Xerras ’24, Marketing Analyst, Mattel Inc.
Partner with Us
Interested in hosting a Career Catalyst Block or live client project?
We’re seeking industry, nonprofit, and public-sector partners who want to work with creative, motivated liberal arts students on real-world challenges. Blocks can be structured to meet your organization’s needs while creating meaningful educational experiences for students.
Let’s build the future together.