Turn Your Education into a Career with Passion and Purpose
You're a Spider, so you dream big. You don't want to land just any job after UR, but a purposeful career you're passionate about.
A&S NEXT January 31 and February 1, 2025 at the Marriott downtown Richmond, is a career program specifically for A&S students where we aim to give you the tools to understand your personal strengths and how you can translate your education into a career that you love.
- Meet alums with unexpected and interesting career paths
- Gain hands-on experience exploring and solving real-world problems alongside alums and faculty who work to solve these problems in their own careers every day
Library Renaissance in the Information Age
Henrico County has hired your consulting firm to help its library board reflect on the future of its network of nine public libraries. As libraries transition from book to byte, the board is considering the implications of shifting the focus from physical collections to digital resources. It also wants libraries to offer access to AR, VR, and AI tools to all members of the community. Help the library board better understand the needs of its patrons, propose a ten-year plan for incorporating new technologies in its collections and physical spaces, and take into consideration that limited funding is available for new projects.
Facilitators:
Dr. Oliver Delers, Professor of French
Dr. Michael Marsh-Soloway, Director, Global Studio
The Science and Politics of Water Pollution
Access to clean, safe drinking water is a basic human right and is essential to life. Many homeowners lack access to resources for water quality testing, and may also find it difficult to interpret the testing results and implement the necessary changes to improve their water quality. Learn about common well water contaminants and their impact on human health, the methods used to assess water quality, and strategies used to mitigate water pollution. Participants will organize an awareness campaign to encourage residents to get their well water tested.
Facilitators:
Dr. Shannon Z. Jones, Teaching Faculty, BiologyH Bondurant, Visiting Assistant Professor, Philosophy and PPEL
Hotter Planet, Hotter Richmond - Climate Strategies for the World and for Our City
The global climate crisis is a threat multiplier, intensifying every challenge we face—locally, regionally, and globally—by compounding economic, social, and environmental issues all at once. And, in terms of adaptation and mitigation, every fraction of a degree matters. Large-scale climate Interventions, also known as geo-engineering solutions include solar radiation management, carbon capture and storage, direct air capture and weather modification. Local-scale approaches are known as green infrastructure and describes a series of urban planning and ecosystem development choices. This case will examine how large and small-scale climate modification strategies will impact Virginia and our Richmond community.
Facilitators:
Dr. Stephanie Spera, Assistant Professor, Geography, Environment & SustainabilityBeth Zizzamia, GIS Operations Manager - Spatial Analysis Lab
Tackling Youth Mental Health: Developing a Roadmap for Richmond
On August 6, 2024, the CDC released new data highlighting both improvements and ongoing challenges in teen mental health in the U.S. Through this case study, students will conduct a comprehensive needs assessment identifying antecedents and barriers underlying mental health challenges in the local community and propose a multipronged, community-based (e.g., schools, non-profits) solution to addressing identified needs. The goal of this case is to develop a strategic plan rooted in theory and research in public health, policy, and psychology to be used by local stakeholders to guide an overarching implantation of programs addressing youth mental health concerns.
Facilitators:
Dr. Nigel James, Assistant Professor, Health StudiesDr. Adam Stanaland, Assistant Professor, Psychology
Balancing the Business of Health Care
In the U.S., a majority of the non-elderly population (60.4%) gets health insurance through their employer, referred to as Employer-Sponsored Insurance or ESI. Through this case, students will review available data and consult with experts to create the insurance plan for a company in Richmond, Virginia. They will build new and leverage existing knowledge of the healthcare system and assess the many roles that employers have in individual and population health. Importantly, they must contend with the many tradeoffs involved in decisions about promoting population health while controlling costs.
Facilitators:
Dr. Margaret Tait, Assistant Professor, Health StudiesDr. Courtney Blondino, Assistant Professor, Health Studies
A&S NEXT Ambassadors
Lindsey Abellard, '25
Biology and Health Studies Major
Data Science and Statistics Minor
At UR, she is a Flu Clinic Coordinator and the treasurer for the Pre-Health Club. Outside of UR, she is an advocacy fellow for Virginia Clinicians for Climate Action and a research assistant for the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Lindsey has participated in A&S NEXT for several years and loves hearing the innovative ideas that students come up with for their cases. She decided to become an A&S NEXT Ambassador because she values exploring real-world challenges in an engaging and supportive environment.
Anne-Valerie Clitus, '25
Global Studies and Political Science: International Economic Policy Major
Anne-Valerie is a senior double majoring in Global Studies and Political Science with a concentration in International Economic Policy. At UR, she is a Peer Advisor at the Career Services Office and serves as a liaison between the office and students. She also is a peer editor for the Undergraduate Journal of Politics and Member Services Assistant at the UR Recreation Center. Anne-Valerie loves to discover new music and volunteer time at her local church parish. She was a participant in A&S NEXT as a sophomore in 2023 and loved how the program accentuated her academic strengths in a collaborative nature. This is Anne-Valerie’s second term as an A&S Next Ambassador and she wishes to encourage other students in her field to explore their professional opportunities.
Rafael Cruz, ’26
Business Administration and Health Studies Major
Rafael (Raf) Cruz is a junior majoring in Business Administration and Health Studies. At UR, he serves as an RA and is also a member of Ritmo Latino, SLI, and SOLS. Outside of school he enjoys cooking, spending time with friends, and listening to Bad Bunny. Rafael participated in A&S NEXT his first year and enjoyed collaborating with other students, faculty, and alumni to brainstorm creative ideas. His impactful first-year experience led Rafael to apply for a second term as an A&S NEXT Ambassador. He is excited to contribute to the program's development and have another valuable experience.
Christian Figueroa, ’26
Biology Major
Health Studies Minor
At Richmond, Christian is a member of the Dr.eam Journal Club. Outside of UR, he plays the piano for fun and volunteers at the CrossOver Healthcare Ministry clinic as an interpreter. Christian participated in A&S NEXT in 2023 and 2024 and enjoyed working in a group setting and exploring different case studies. He decided to become an A&S Next Ambassador because he enjoyed the program’s process of using your strengths in an academic setting and wants to support students doing the same.
Lorena Campos-Castro, '25
Business Administration: Management Consulting Concentration Major
Russian Studies Minor
Gretchen Harding, ’25
Cognitive Science Major
Education and Society; Entrepreneurship Minor
At UR, Gretchen is a part of the Women’s Club Soccer team and the Scholars Latino Initiative. Outside of UR, she coaches soccer and line dances. Gretchen participated in A&S NEXT for two years and loves the opportunity to explore career interests and develop professional skills. She decided to become an A&S NEXT Ambassador because she wants to help students navigate their skill sets and become more involved in the program.
Nicholas Parlavecchio, ’27
Biology and Geography Major
At UR, Nicholas is the co-captain of the geography club, and a member of the climbing club and swim club. Outside of UR, he likes walking by the James River, spending time with friends, and working as the campus assistant beekeeper. Nick participated in A&S NEXT in 2024 and loved meeting professionals in fields he is interested in pursuing in the future. He decided to become an A&S NEXT Ambassador because he wants to help other UR students have the same great experience he had at A&S NEXT.
Marian Ali, ’26
Biology and Health Studies Major
At Richmond, Marian is part of SEEDS as a trip-chair and a member of Alpha Chi Sigma. Outside of UR, she likes to travel around and hang out with her friends. Marian participated in A&S NEXT in 2024 and loved working on the case she did because it taught her many great skills that are important to have in the workforce. She decided to become an A&S NEXT Ambassador, recognizing that it is a fantastic opportunity to explore areas of interest and she is excited to contribute to such an enriching experience.
Gareth Woo, '26
Journalism and Global Studies: International Economic Policy Major
At UR, he is the multimedia editor at the Collegian, the historian of UR Players, and is involved with Off the Cuff and SpiderBoard. He also enjoys long rants while looking for good food around Richmond. Gareth participated in A&S Next in 2024 and grew fond of the connections with friends and the case studies. He wants to become an A&S Next Ambassador to demystify the job-seeking and networking process for people in the humanities and arts.