Career Development Center Representation NACE Conference

As a part of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) annual conference held June 3-5, Emily Hoey, professional development coordinator and Glenda Darrell, assistant director, of the Career Development Center, co-presented “Empower Tomorrow’s Innovators: Confidence Building for Equity in Career Development.”

The presentation delved into the transformative power of confidence and its crucial role in fostering equity and inclusivity in career pathways. Central to their discussion was the “Confidence is Your Superpower!” program at NC State.

Originally developed by Hoey in 2021 and launched through a collaboration between the Career Development Center and the Women and Minorities in Engineering Program (WMEP), this initiative has been instrumental in equipping underrepresented students with the tools to better understand imposter syndrome and ultimately cultivate confidence.

Hoey and Darrell provided an overview of the program, tracing its evolution and impact. The presentation featured NC State engineering students sharing challenges with imposter syndrome and testifying to the workshop’s significance. They highlighted the power of community and importance of equitable access to career resources.

The “Confidence is Your Superpower!” program empowers students to embrace their strengths and successfully navigate the challenges of pursuing STEM careers.

The presentation critically examined the impact of confidence on early career development and goal attainment, highlighting the need for intentional efforts to cultivate self-assurance among students.

By focusing on the specific population of women and minority students in STEM, the “Confidence is Your Superpower!” program has evolved to meet the unique needs of students navigating a large, public university known for its excellent engineering programs.

As a call to action, Hoey and Darrell emphasized the importance of creating a supportive community where students feel empowered to embrace their identities and pursue their passions with confidence. They challenged educators, employers and policymakers to prioritize confidence-building initiatives as a means of promoting equity and diversity across fields.