UNH Today

The 2020 job market is anything but predictable for recent graduates and current students. Internships rescinded, hiring freezes, delayed start dates, and shifting job opportunities became the reality for many students and recent grads during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students and graduates need help, and with the support of the vast UNH alumni network, Career and Professional Success (CaPS) has taken action to create scalable solutions for a large number of students. In addition to the recently completed Summer Career Academy, the University of New Hampshire has now joined the BridgesAlliance, a growing network of 50 universities worldwide launched by PeopleGrove. Members of the BridgesAlliance have pledged to continue to connect students to meaningful experiential learning, and open doors to non-traditional career opportunities. How does this translate for the University of New Hampshire community?

Career and Professional Success (CaPS) and Alumni Relations are proud to introduce Wildcat Projects. Wildcat Projects will become a marketplace of paid, short-term projects created by UNH alumni and community members to provide students and recent alumni the opportunity to build professional experience. While creating strong relationships and receiving guidance from the Wildcat Connections community, all students and recent alumni will build skills, while organizations in a variety of fields—including startups, non-profits, marketing agencies, research facilities, and beyond—will receive timely support.

A Wildcat Project is:

• Short-term and virtual: Projects are completed remotely and last between 10-80 hours over the course of a few weeks.
• Paid: Projects are paid and must meet the poster's state's minimum wage guidelines. 
• Professional: Projects are professional in nature with a concrete goal.
• Guided: Projects are learning experiences for students and recent alumni to build skills and explore new industries. The project owner will serve as a mentor throughout the experience, providing guidance and feedback as necessary. Projects are supported with a check-list including guidance and success tips for the project-completer to get the most out of their experience.

All Wildcat Projects are required to meet UNH Career and Professional Success's employer recruiting policies. 

What are some examples of projects that can be posted?

• Design a new logo for a small business
• Support content creation for digital marketing (blog writing, social media content creation, etc.)
• Analyze and clean up data sets for presentation
• Website design and development
• Assist with field/lab projects (remotely) or scientific data sets
• Edit and proofread content
• Support fundraising work (data entry projects, grant writing, etc.)
• Conduct market and industry analysis
• And many more custom projects!

Who can apply to complete a project? 

All current University of New Hampshire students and recent alumni will be invited to apply for projects in early August 2020. Projects will be entry-level in nature and are recommended for recent alumni only.

Who can post a project?

University of New Hampshire alumni, faculty/staff, parents, and UNH employer partners are invited to post projects. 

How can I help?

In minutes, you can create and post short-term, virtual professional projects for students to apply for. As we launch Wildcat Projects, we need our alumni and UNH community to help us build the marketplace. Post a project and/or spread the word to fellow alumni and Wildcat parents, employer partners, small businesses. Your support in sharing this new offering will make a tremendous difference for our students and recent graduates! 

To post a project, you can quickly create an account in Wildcat Connections (you will be required to sign up prior to posting using an email address or your LinkedIn account). Already have an account in Wildcat Connections? Simply log in and click the "Projects" tab in the navigation bar!

Wildcats have always supported Wildcats, and we're thankful for your support in the launch of this new option to help current students and recent grads launch their careers. 

Further questions?

Questions, comments, or concerns may be directed to Career and Professional Success at caps@unh.edu or (603) 862-2070, or to Alumni Relations at alumni@unh.edu or (603) 862-2040.

In addition to the University of New Hampshire, founding members of PeopleGrove's BridgesAlliance include Johns Hopkins University, Georgia State University, University of Miami, Drew University, and Wellesley College. A full list of members can be found here. These institutions will leverage their networks, including alumni, parents, supporters, and corporate partners, to provide students with real-world career experiences in respective fields.