UNE’s inaugural Career Connections Mixer draws overflow crowd of 200

In a crowded communal area in the University of New England’s Ripich Commons on the evening of Feb. 18, the University's first Career Connections Mixer got off to a rousing start. And the impromptu conversations between employers, alumni, local civic leaders, entrepreneurs, faculty, alumni, and students didn’t end when the event was supposed to wrap up at 7 p.m. 

“It was the first time I ever did anything like this,” said first-year student Jackson Lochmandy (Sustainability and Business, ’29), who admitted he initially was nervous.  

“(For) the first 30 minutes, I definitely needed to learn how to do it. But then, after I had a conversation with a man from the Biddeford (Cultural and Heritage Center) who shared some of the history of Maine, it was a bit of an ice breaker.  

“Then, I thought, ‘OK, I can replicate this. I feel more confident,’” Lochmandy said. 

That interaction between strangers was exactly what Ashley Bigda, M.S.Ed., hoped for when she sent out invitations asking faculty, alumni, local employers, industry experts, and community leaders to come help students learn to network at a professional social mixer. UNE’s new Office of Career Readiness and Workforce Development, which Bigda directs, organized the event in partnership with the Office of Institutional Advancement. 

“Strong communication skills can be taught in business class or explained by AI, but AI can’t replicate the human connection you get from the lived experience of walking up to a stranger and introducing yourself. That builds confidence,” Bigda said. 

UNE created the Office of Career Readiness and Workforce Development last year to serve as a hub of student career support, with a mission to integrate career development across all academic programs, connect students with professional networks, and prepare graduates to adapt to the realities of a rapidly changing economy. 

“This replicates real life. But it’s a safe space. There are faces the students recognize, faculty members they know.” — Ashley Bigda, Career Readiness and Workforce Development director

Last fall, in partnership with the College of Business, Bigda’s office rolled out UNE’s first Industry Exploration Day to introduce students to employers and alumni in a classic job-fair-style symposium. But Bigda wanted to simulate an authentic social gathering, the kind where business deals happen, communication skills are honed, and networking opportunities abound.  

So, she created one. 

This first such event drew more than 200 attendees, including employers or alumni representing 45 companies. So many walk-in student registrants showed, the welcome table overflowed at the start. 

“This (format) replicates real life,” Bigda said, as she looked around at a few dozen small groups talking in the Commons lounge. “But it’s a safe space. There are faces the students recognize, faculty members they know.” 

“UNE has always been a place that prepares students to thrive in their careers. That's not something new to us,” Herbert said. “But today, given today's marketplace and the highly disruptive effects of AI and the impact that's having on jobs, we want to make sure that our students are ready to hit the workforce running and have that extra edge.”  

Herbert applauded the first-annual Career Connections Mixer, coaching students before it kicked off “to talk to different people outside of your particular field.” He also highlighted how the social and communication skills honed at the event would help students later on, when they need to reinvent themselves mid-career amid ever-changing workforce demands. 

Nathan Delgado (Sport Leadership and Management, ’27) was one looking to learn and hone skills that he could use to land a summer internship opportunity. He quickly pivoted from a conversation that was winding down and stepped toward another stranger to introduce himself. 

Earlier in the evening, Delgado found success with this bold approach when he introduced himself to an alum who had turned a summer internship into a promising career path working for a minor league baseball team — the exact thing Delgado hopes to do. 

“She told me to apply for an internship with her team. Just seeing how she got to work for a minor league team was encouraging,” Delgado said.