CAREER SUCCESS CENTER
ANNUAL REPORT 2025– 2025 –2026
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Throughout my years as a professor, some of the most rewarding moments came when former students returned to share where life had taken them. They often spoke about an internship that sparked a passion, a mentor who opened a door, or an experience that helped them apply classroom learning in meaningful ways. Those stories reinforced a simple truth: Education is about more than earning a degree. It is about creating opportunities that shape what comes next. At Aurora University, that commitment is central to our work. This first Career Success Center Annual Report illustrates how our investment in career readiness extends learning beyond the classroom. Through career coaching, employer partnerships, mentoring, internships, and experiential learning, the Career Success Center helps students connect their education to professional pathways that lead to strong career outcomes, economic mobility, and lifelong success. This approach strengthens the value of an Aurora University degree by equipping graduates with the communication, critical thinking, adaptability, and professionalism employers seek. It also positions students for rewarding careers and competitive salaries. Many of our graduates earn salaries above regional and national averages, reflecting both the quality of an AU education and the intentional support they receive along the way. We remain committed not only to helping students earn degrees, but to ensuring they graduate prepared to contribute, lead, and thrive in an ever-changing world. This work is only possible through partnership, and we are deeply grateful to the employers, alumni, and community members who invest their time, expertise, and opportunities in our students. With gratitude,
Susana Rivera-Mills, PhD
A NEW ERA OF LEARNING The opening of the new Learning Commons in fall 2026 marks an exciting next chapter in AU’s commitment to student success. More than a building, it will be a central hub where academic support, career exploration, employer engagement, and meaningful connections come together — further strengthening how AU helps students translate their education into opportunity.
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Artist rendering. Credit: SmithGroup.
CAREER ECOSYSTEM
Career Happens Everywhere At Aurora University, career development is not limited to a single office, appointment, or event. It is a shared commitment across the university and beyond. The AU Career Ecosystem is the network of people, programs, experiences, and partnerships that help students build confidence, discover purpose, and prepare for life after graduation. This ecosystem approach recognizes that career readiness develops over time through classroom learning, leadership roles, campus involvement, mentoring, and hands-on learning experiences. At AU, career development is continuous throughout the student experience, not just something that happens at the end. In this model, students are surrounded by support: » Faculty connect classroom learning to real-world application. » Staff help students navigate opportunities and challenges. » Alumni share guidance, mentorship, and career insight. » Employers and community partners create meaningful pathways through internships, networking, experiential learning, and employment opportunities. The Career Success Center helps bring these connections together while providing students with tools, guidance, and individualized support throughout their journey.
Want to learn more about your role in the Career Ecosystem? Employer Relations employers@aurora.edu
Career Development career@aurora.edu
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SUPPORTING STUDENTS AT EVERY STAGE
Aurora University continues to expand opportunities that help students build confidence, develop professional skills, and prepare for life after graduation. The Career Success Center partners with the Crouse Center for Academic Advising to develop a four-year plan for students that combines academic and career goals, including individualized support with academic and career advisors, and outlines key milestones for students from their first year through graduation. Scan the QR code to learn more about the Four-Year Plan for Success. During the 2025–2026 academic year, the Career Success Center conducted 108 workshops, classroom presentations, career fairs, mentoring opportunities, and other professional development events designed to support career exploration and development. Students also engaged with the center through individual career appointments. These experiences help students connect their education with future goals while building the skills needed to navigate an evolving workforce. Career Appointments Career coaching remained one of the most utilized student support services throughout the 2025–2026 academic year. Through both in-person and virtual appointments, students received support in: » Career and internship exploration. » Graduate school preparation. » Internship and job search strategies. » Interview preparation. » LinkedIn optimization. » Resume and cover letter development.
1,264
career appointments with 805 unique students and alumni during the 2025–2026 academic year
with junior or 736 appointments senior students (58%)
144 3
appointments with alumni (11%), demonstrating the ongoing value and support provided by the Career Success Center
“I appreciated how patient and helpful Alex was during our meeting. I genuinely learned new skills and tips to broaden my job search.” — Margi Patel ’30 EdD
SPARTAN ATTIC
Spartan Attic, the on-campus professional clothing closet, has supported AU students for more than 10 years by providing complimentary professional clothing, shoes, and accessories for interviews, internships, networking opportunities, career fairs, graduate school interviews, and workplace experiences. Spartan Attic helps students feel confident and prepared for important academic and professional milestones. This effort is made possible through the generosity of employer partners, alumni, faculty, staff, and community members who donate new and gently used professional clothing and financial support. During the 2025–2026 academic year, AU received a generous donation from Enterprise Mobility, enabling the purchase of new professional clothing from Jos. A. Bank to further expand options available to students. When students are unable to find the size or style they need, the Career Success Center team works directly with students to order clothing that supports their goals and circumstances.
Students who utilize Spartan Attic for professional clothing regularly leave thank-you notes for donors. Their words reflect the confidence, encouragement, and sense of support that this initiative continues to provide across campus: “Thank you to all for the clothing provided! As someone who is trying to grow professionally, having the right presentable clothes is crucial. Thank you once more!” — Miguel ’25
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CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN THE AGE OF AI
Aurora University continues to integrate emerging technologies that expand access to career development support and help students prepare for a rapidly evolving workforce. Using AI as a Partner As artificial intelligence and emerging technologies continue reshaping the workforce, AU is helping students recognize that human skills are becoming more, not less, important. AI is changing how work is done, but not replacing the interpersonal and career readiness skills that remain essential for long-term success. VR Interview Practice The Career Success Center introduced virtual reality interview practice opportunities to help students prepare for professional interviews in an immersive environment. Using the VirtualSpeech platform, students are able to participate in realistic VR interview simulations that allow them to strengthen responses, practice communication skills, manage interview anxiety, and receive structured feedback in a low-pressure setting. AI Resume Review Students also utilized VMock, an AI-powered resume review platform that provides instant feedback on resume formatting, language, and content and scores them on a 100-point scale. VMock helps students strengthen the impact of their resumes before meeting with a career counselor or applying for internships, jobs, graduate school, and other opportunities.
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2,000
resumes uploaded to VMock during the 2025-2026 academic year, with the average score improving by 18 points
CAREER FAIRS AND STUDENT OPPORTUNITY
On-campus career fairs continue to serve as one of Aurora University’s largest and most impactful employer engagement initiatives, connecting students directly with organizations across a wide range of industries. During the 2025–2026 academic year, the Career Success Center hosted career and internship fairs that provided students with opportunities to network with employers across healthcare, business, government, nonprofit, education, technology, manufacturing, finance, communications, and many other industries. In the spring semester, AU also hosted program-specific career fairs for criminal justice, nursing, and STEM majors.
1,880
students and alumni and 179 employers attended AU’s career fairs during the 2025–2026 academic year
Students were able to explore career pathways, build professional networks, explore internships and job opportunities, pursue full-time employment opportunities, and practice communication skills.
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CREATING CAREER CONNECTIONS
Employer partnerships remain an essential part of the AU Career Ecosystem. Through Career Corner, industry panels, networking events, career treks, and classroom engagement, Aurora University continues to create opportunities for students to connect directly with employers while helping organizations engage with emerging talent. Career Treks The Career Success Center team regularly coordinates career exploration visits with companies throughout Chicagoland. Career trek experiences allow students to gain valuable insight into various industries, learn about the hiring process directly from recruiters, and practice professional communication skills in real-world career environments. During the 2025–2026 academic year, these career treks included visits to the Chicago headquarters of CDW and BMO Bank. Industry Spotlights The Career Success Center hosted two Industry Spotlight panels this year in collaboration with the Dunham School of Business and employer partners, creating opportunities for students to engage directly with professionals across multiple industries, including logistics, transportation, manufacturing, packaging, and humanities. The panels, which combined discussion with networking opportunities, helped students build connections and explore career possibilities while providing insight into emerging trends, workforce needs, and career pathways in these growing sectors.
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Career Corner Career Corner, located in Dunham Hall, is AU’s hub for career connections. It brings employers directly into students’ everyday campus experience and creates approachable opportunities for conversations about internships, careers, industries, and professional pathways. Many partnerships that begin through Career Corner continue through classroom visits, career panels, internships, and ongoing collaboration. Employers and alumni interested in participating in Career Corner are encouraged to connect with the Career Success Center to explore opportunities for engagement.
PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THE WORKPLACE
Aurora University’s Skills Infusion Program is an innovative co-curricular professional development initiative that integrates National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) career readiness competencies throughout the student experience, strengthening career readiness. The program helps students recognize, develop, and articulate these competencies so that they can confidently navigate interviews, internships, graduate school applications, and professional opportunities. To accomplish this, faculty and staff leverage collaborative workshops, curriculum mapping, and partnerships with the Career Success Center, employers, and alumni to align course outcomes, assignments, and co-curricular experiences with the transferable skills employers value most. By embedding career readiness throughout the curriculum and campus experiences, Skills Infusion ensures that students graduate with the ability to communicate the value of their AU education in the workplace and beyond.
Skills Infusion in Action NACE competencies have been embedded into more than 200 courses across AU, as well as in: » Co-curricular programming. » Employer engagement experiences.
Faculty Externships Faculty externships continued to strengthen partnerships between AU and industry leaders by providing professors with firsthand exposure to evolving workforce trends, employer expectations, and workplace environments. Since summer 2025, seven faculty members participated in externship experiences with Boys & Girls Club of North Central Illinois, the City of Aurora, Entegris, Fermilab, McDonald’s Corporation, Morton Arboretum, and Special Olympics.
» Leadership opportunities. » Student employment.
Faculty Perspectives “My externship at Fermilab gave me firsthand insight into how research, mentoring, and teamwork intersect in a world-class national laboratory. The experience inspired new ways to integrate communication, collaboration, and career readiness into my teaching.” — Juan A. Colón Santana, PhD, Associate Professor of Physics
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LEARNING THROUGH EXPERIENCE
Internships continue to play a critical role in helping Aurora University students strengthen career readiness competencies and connect classroom learning to professional experiences. During the spring 2026 semester, the Career Success Center collected internship assessment data from both students and employers to better understand the impact internships have on career development and professional growth. The findings demonstrated strong evidence of student growth across all NACE career readiness competencies, with both student self-evaluations and employer evaluations showing measurable improvement from the beginning to the end of the internship experience, particularly in Career and Self-Development, Communication, Critical Thinking, and Leadership. Students consistently reported increased confidence in their professional abilities, while employers observed meaningful gains in workplace performance and career readiness skills. The strongest areas of growth identified by both groups included communication skills, problem-solving, and professional development, indicating that internships provided valuable opportunities for students to apply classroom learning in real-world environments.
NACE career readiness competencies showed measurable growth 100% offollowing internship experiences improvement in student self-evaluations across all career 22% average readiness competencies
14% 9
average improvement in employer evaluations of student career readiness
INTERNSHIPS IN ACTION
Hundreds of Aurora University students complete internships each year. In summer 2025, four AU students took part in an immersive internship at Oaken Acres Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Sycamore, Illinois, where they experienced animal care in a high-volume environment. Scan the QR code to learn more about an internship unlike any other.
Through internships, students gain hands-on experience, develop their professional network, and confirm their career interests. Recent interns from AU reflect on their experiences:
“I took part in a project to implement new systems designed to improve the facility as well as the patient experience. It helped me build a strong foundation of workplace skills that I know will be beneficial to me.”
“This experience provided me with the ability to take what I learned in the classroom and apply it in a real-world setting. I got to see the outcome of the work put into the classroom.”
— Aileen Barraza-Núñez ’26 (Finance/Healthcare Administration) — Operations Coordinator, Aurora Eye Clinic
— Carter Cline ’26 (Exercise Science/Marketing) — Fitness Coach, SMART Golf & Fitness Instruction
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BUILDING CONNECTIONS WITH MENTORING
The Career Professional Mentoring Program continues to grow as a signature Career Success Center initiative focused on helping students build meaningful professional connections and career readiness skills. Now entering its third cohort, the program was initially piloted with 15 students and now serves 50 students per cohort, reflecting growing demand for mentorship opportunities. Through the program, students are paired with industry professionals who provide guidance on career exploration, networking, professional development, and navigating the transition from college to career. Professionals interested in serving as a Career Professional Mentor are encouraged to reach out to careermentoring@aurora.edu for more information about getting involved.
“The Career Professional Mentoring Program was essential in helping me secure my most recent internship. Having a mentor who understood my specific journey allowed me to receive practical advice tailored to my challenges. My mentor’s perspective as an employer helped me see how I was being viewed in the hiring process, which made a significant difference in my preparation and confidence.” — Angelo Consorte ’27 (Business Administration)
The impact of mentorship — from one Spartan to another Many mentors in the Career Professional Mentor Program are AU alumni, and have walked a similar path to their mentees. Karla Aguayo ’27, a biology and criminal justice double major, and Jenny Cain Vocu ’14, AU alumna and Deputy Coroner for the Will County Coroner’s Office, were matched through the Career Professional Mentoring Program in fall 2025. Through internships at the Will County Coroner’s Office and Cain Vocu’s mentorship, Aguayo gained firsthand exposure to the field, which helped solidify her decision to pursue a career in forensic pathology. “I felt honored and humbled to be part of Karla’s journey,” Cain Vocu said. “My heart is bursting with excitement to see where she ends up.”
Scan the QR code to learn more about the Career Professional Mentoring Program.
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AU ALUMNI IN ACTION
There are many pathways Aurora University graduates pursue after commencement. From healthcare and business to public service, communications, science, education, and graduate study, students like those below reflect the impact of the AU Career Ecosystem and the experiences that help students prepare for meaningful careers and continued education.
Lorelei Babich ’24, ’25 MBA (Business Administration/Finance, MBA in Strategic Management) — Staff Accountant, Aurora University
Jacob Gallagher ’25 (Business Administration) — Account Executive, Goosehead Insurance
Andrea Barron ’25 (Communication) — Interim Program Director, Joliet Latino Economic Development Association
Brody Goodspeed ’25 (Accounting) — Associate, Apex CPAs & Consultants
Olivia Buzzelli ’25 (Political Science and Public Policy/ Sport Management) — Summer Associate, Warner Norcross + Judd LLP; also pursuing a JD at University of Dayton School of Law
Giselle Hernandez ’25 (Psychology/Spanish) — Pursuing a PhD in school psychology at Northern Illinois University
McKenzie Citro ’25 (Psychology) — Family Service Counselor, Mutual Ground; also pursuing an MSEd in counseling at Northern Illinois University Dominick Curcio ’25 (Chemistry) — Research and Development Chemist, StormTrap
Jermaine Jackson, Jr. ’25 (Marketing) — Account Manager, Bisnow and SelectLeaders Alexandra VanDerAa ’25 (MBA in Strategic Management) — Tax Payment Specialist, Advantax
AU ALUMNI: LET’S STAY IN TOUCH! Visit aurora.edu/alumniupdate to share your career and personal updates.
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OUTCOMES THAT MATTER
Aurora University continues to prioritize student outcomes and career development by tracking graduate success through first-destination outcomes data aligned with NACE standards. The outcomes data collected reflects the diverse pathways AU graduates pursue following graduation, including employment, graduate school enrollment, military service, and continued service opportunities. These findings help AU better understand workforce trends, strengthen employer partnerships, and continue developing programs that support student success after graduation.
2024–2025 Undergraduate Post-Graduate Outcomes*
97% 87% of students secured next steps knowledge rate
61% employed 24% enrolled in a program of continuing education of students enrolled in a program of continuing
69% education are doing so at AU
SALARY FOR FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT BY DEGREE
$53,876
average salary for those employed full time
90%
of all graduates employed full time in Illinois
100% 80% 60% 40%
Less than $40,000 $40,000–$60,000 Greater than $60,000
20% 0% Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of (Non-Education) (Education) Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Social Work
*As reported by the undergraduate class. The class of 2025 is comprised of students who graduated from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025. Percentages are based on information self-reported by students, collected from the National Student Clearinghouse, and student social media profiles (e.g., LinkedIn, Facebook, Bold.Pro). Last updated April 2026.
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GET INVOLVED IN THE AU CAREER ECOSYSTEM
Career readiness is built through relationships, experiences, and collaboration. At Aurora University, faculty, staff, employers, alumni, and community partners all play an important role in helping students explore possibilities, build confidence, and prepare for meaningful futures. Whether you’re looking to engage with students directly, share industry insight, or partner on new initiatives, there are many ways to become part of the AU Career Ecosystem:
Support Program Growth Help expand innovative programs and experiences that connect students to career development opportunities, mentorship, experiential learning, and professional skill-building. Engage as an Employer or Alumni Partner Share your experience and insight with the next generation of professionals through networking opportunities, career conversations, panels, classroom engagement, and mentorship.
Create Opportunities for Students Hire AU students and graduates, host internships or job shadowing experiences, participate in career fairs and campus events, mentor students, or collaborate with the Career Success Center on customized engagement opportunities. Join the Employer Think Tank Collaborate with AU and fellow industry leaders to discuss workforce trends, employer expectations, emerging skills, and the future of career development.
Career happens everywhere — and it happens together. The conversations you have, the opportunities you create, and the guidance you provide all help shape student success. Thank you for being part of the AU Career Ecosystem. Employer Relations employers@aurora.edu
Career Development career@aurora.edu
Learn how to get involved by scanning the QR code.
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Save the Date! FALL AU CAREER AND INTERNSHIP FAIR
T H U R S D AY, O C T O B E R 1 5 , 2 0 2 6 1 1 A . M . – 3 P. M . | T H O R N T O N G Y M N A S I U M
CAREER SUCCESS CENTER Kimberly and James Hill Center for Student Success 630-844-5403 | aurora.edu/career | career@aurora.edu
860037-2608