On May 6, Brooklyn College President Michelle J. Anderson and Provost April Bedford hosted the Faculty Career Champion Breakfast, a successful campus-wide event celebrating faculty who actively integrate career readiness into their teaching. Organized by the Office of the President and the Office of the Provost in partnership with the Magner Career Center, the gathering highlighted the college’s ongoing commitment to strengthening connections between academic learning and workforce preparation.
The gathering, the second in the Career-Centered Teaching and Support Series, brought together approximately 20–40 faculty members alongside Magner Career Center staff, including career coaches. Faculty attendees were recognized for their efforts to embed career-related content and experiences into their courses, helping students connect classroom learning with real-world applications. The event also aimed to deepen collaboration between faculty and the Career Center and to encourage the continued exchange of innovative teaching practices that support student success beyond graduation.
(Left to right) April Bedford, Brooklyn College Provost; Raj Darolia, Wendell H. Ford Professor of Public Policy and Economics at the University of Kentucky; and Brooklyn College President Michelle J. Anderson.
Brooklyn College President Michelle J. Anderson helped open the event, underscoring appreciation for faculty leadership in connecting learning with purpose. She highlighted the importance of embedding career readiness into curricula, inviting industry perspectives into classrooms, and preparing students not only to graduate but to thrive in a rapidly evolving workforce. Provost April Bedford echoed this message, emphasizing that career readiness is central to student success, retention, and post-graduation outcomes, and noting the importance of aligning academic programs with shifting workforce demands.
The program opened with welcoming remarks from Cliff Frontera, assistant director of career development at the Magner Career Center and adjunct lecturer in industrial-organizational psychology. He emphasized the importance of integrating career readiness into academic instruction and introduced the event as the final session in the Career-Centered Teaching and Support Series.
A keynote discussion was led by Raj Darolia, Wendell H. Ford Professor of Public Policy and Economics at the University of Kentucky and former chief economist and senior advisor at the U.S. Department of Education. His talk, “The Future of Higher Education and Workforce Alignment,” explored how policy, labor market trends, and employer expectations are reshaping the skills students need. He also discussed how institutions can respond strategically to better support student pathways into meaningful employment.
Raj Darolia, Wendell H. Ford Professor of Public Policy and Economics at the University of Kentucky and former chief economist and senior advisor at the U.S. Department of Education.
Following the keynote, faculty participated in table discussions reflecting on best practices for embedding career development into coursework. The session concluded with shared insights, a group photo, and closing remarks from the Magner Career Center, including a call for faculty to continue contributing examples of career-connected assignments to build a long-term repository of teaching practices.
Overall, the breakfast reinforced Brooklyn College’s commitment to career-connected education and strengthened partnerships across faculty, administration, and career services.
If you were unable to attend the event but would like to share best practices for career-centered teaching or learn more about future initiatives, contact Cliff Frontera at the Magner Career Center at .
