PITCH is meant to make sure all students — not just the studio arts or design and digital media majors — can pull out their digital portfolios during job interviews, Curts said.
Participants meet in person at the Career Center for the opening and closing sessions, with weekly virtual meetings held in between.
Students learned how to design and organize ePortfolios using platforms such as Microsoft Sway, write professional biographies and develop a personal brand. Alumni and industry professionals also joined the program as guest speakers.
Another key component of PITCH is mock interviews, which gave students practice presenting their ePortfolios while talking with potential employers.
Students who complete all the sessions for PITCH earn a digital badge that Beacon College is currently developing, which the college is developing as a credential students can highlight on their résumés and online profiles.
I’m now entering a season of my life where job hunting and internship hunting is kind of the norm. I really want to take this seriously. When I saw that this was an opportunity to create an ePortfolio and how I can really get the attention of a hiring manager or a recruiter, I was like, ‘How could I say no?’”
—Noah Desmangles, a junior majoring in Computer Information Systems
Desmangles said the program came at an important time as he prepares for internships and future employment. Originally from Gulf Breeze, Fla., he said his dream internship is to work in cyber security for a federal agency such as the U.S. Department of Transportation or the Federal Aviation Administration.
If he can get any advantage in a competitive job market by having a digital portfolio, “I’ll take it,” Desmangles said.
After seeing the demand already, Curts said she is hopeful the pilot PITCH program will be extended so more students can sign up in the future and possibly opening it up to freshmen.
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