Pumpkin in front of trebuchet at the pumpkin launch

Celebrate Elevate Month

Celebrate Elevate

Congratulations! You’re an Illinois Tech student, which means you attend the only university in the country to offer the Elevate program—which guarantees you hands-on experiences, personalized mentorship, and career readiness.

Join us for Celebrate Elevate Month, beginning October 21, when Illinois Tech will host special events to help you learn more about Elevate and begin your own Elevate journey.

Your Triple Threat: What Elevate Offers

If you want to stand out in the future, you’ll need the skills and special training that create the most opportunities for you. Elevate does this by guaranteeing you three things:

  • Hands-on Experiences: Build your resume through experiences—internships, research, competitions, special short courses, study away, and more—that give you the twenty-first century skills that employers seek.
  • Personalized Mentorship: A team of academic and career mentors will help you create your custom Elevate My Future plan for success, from choosing classes, to exploring networking opportunities, to assisting with your job search.
  • Career Readiness: We’re confident that these experiences and preparation will prepare you for a great career after graduation.

Elevate connects you with essential access to opportunities that will make a lasting difference in your career. Additionally, the skills that these experiences will provide you—emotional intelligence, creativity, leadership, problem solving, communication, diversity exposure—are highly desired in the workplace of the future.

Some Important Numbers: Why Elevate Matters

Do you have big plans for your future? Want a great career? The best way to set yourself up for success is to gain real experience and access. Consider this:

91%

of employers seek job candidates with work experience

—National Association of Colleges and Employers

80%

of eligible interns, on average, receive a job offer

—National Association of Colleges and Employers

How to Get Started + What to Do

Elevate is open to all Illinois Tech undergraduate and graduate students. You can view and sign up for the various Elevate events on the Suitable platform. Be sure to check in at event sites to record your activity where directed, too. 

Take advantage of the Elevate portal to see featured classes, competitions, internships, and more opportunities offered through Elevate.

Celebrate Elevate Month: Events Listing

*Check back as more events will be added throughout the month!

Elevate Launch Party—October 21, 5:30–6:30 p.m.

The fun kicks off during the opening reception of Family Weekend in The Bog. Come and learn more about Elevate, and speak with Career Services and student ambassadors about the Elevate program. Free food plus T-shirts for the first attendees!

Event Details

Pumpkin Launch—October 23

An Illinois Tech tradition 16 years in the making! Watch your fellow students who are competing to see who can design and build a launcher that can hurl pumpkins the farthest.

Event Details

Youth Tech Expo—October 25, 2–6 p.m.

This special event with Microsoft, Verizon, I Play Games, World Business Chicago, and Stride Esports includes a virtual panel discussion. The segment of the event just for college students begins at 2 p.m.

Event Details

Vision Boarding: #CareerGoals—October 27, 12:45–1:45 p.m.

Join Career Services and make a vision board about your career goals and/or write a letter to your future self. Location: MTCC, P-Club

Career Assessments: Personal and Professional Development, October 31, 12:45–1:45 p.m.

This is your introduction to career and personality assessments, provided by Illinois Tech Career Services. A Color Code Personality Assessment and activity will helps you become a team member in the workforce. Location: Room PS 121.

Student Academic Group Events—throughout November

Various student organizations will be hosting special events throughout Celebrate Elevate Month.

Career Development Month—throughout November

November is Career Development Month and the perfect time to work with Illinois Tech’s Office of Career Services to prepare for your post-graduation career. Career Services will be hosting workshops and interactive events all month long.

Global Alumni Gathering—November 5

This exciting event provides you with the opportunity to hear from and network with alumni from around the world. Attend in person or virtually. Speakers will include Illinois Tech President Raj Echambadi as well as representatives from the Elevate program and the university’s Career Services team.

Learn More

 

Next Frontier Conference and Expo, November 9–10, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. (PST)/noon–6 p.m. (CST) (Virtual Event)

Join students and early career adults for two days of education, exploration, and discovery about the industries that will shape our future. Hear from experts, connect with peers, interview for internships and jobs, and learn more about how you can get involved in the next frontier of STEM. The future is in focus—and you will help us build it. Sponsors include Dassault Systemes, Amazon, and more.

Learn More and Register

Young Alumni Panel—Early Career Stories, November 11, 12:45–1:45 p.m. (Virtual Event)

Hear from a panel of alumni who have graduated from Illinois Tech in the past 10 years as they describe their career pathways so far. Get a chance to interact with these alumni and pick up advice on job/internship searches, choosing a career path, and making the most of your first job after graduation. Sponsored by Career Services
 

Register and Join

Who Would You Hire? Elevator Pitch Competition, November 18, 5–7 p.m.

Students will have the chance to work in groups and review resumes. You will pick a candidate to join your “company” and discuss why. As part of the Elevator Pitch Competition, practice your elevator pitch with your group. Give elevator pitches to a group of faculty and alumni and get real feedback on how to improve. Sponsored by Career Services. Location: Kaplan Institute Tellabs