Are you a student or recent graduate looking to make meaningful connections with successful alumni in your chosen field? Are you an alumnus interested in sharing your knowledge with those who are following in your footsteps? Then the Backpack to Briefcase (b2B) program is for you. b2B provides opportunities for students to meet, mingle and network with alumni and faculty members from their department or academic unit who are willing to offer guidance, career advice and encouragement. b2B networking events, panel discussions and mentorship meals give students the chance to learn from alumni volunteers and to discuss any questions or concerns they may have about life after graduation with people who have been in their shoes and succeeded. Students and recent graduates are invited to join us for workshops that emphasize the skills needed to make and maintain quality connections. You will learn how to prepare and practice for b2B networking events, teach the art of the informational interview, and explain how to use LinkedIn effectively.

Meet successful A&S alumni at our new Speed Networking Nights, Career Panel Discussions, and Industry Nights. ipack backpackBuild your network, hear how alumni made their transitions through and out of university, and speak to them about your own path. frnc backpackDon’t forget to bring your questions (and your appetite!)canon backpack 2028 These intimate meals bring together alumni, faculty and students from the same discipline and foster a sense of community and support. Enjoy a delicious meal while engaging in conversations about future career paths and the infinite possibilities your degree can open up. What students are saying: “I was also able to gain a broader picture of what my experience at university meant, which opened up ideas about my future plans, as well as helping me cope with this year”

– 2nd year student, pursuing a degree in Religion & Cinema Studies Read more about what students are saying › What volunteers are saying: “Thank you for giving me the opportunity to pay it forward. It was a pleasure speaking with fellow students who are undergoing the same experiences that I had not too long ago.” – Simon Chun (HBSc 2011 – Human Biology Program) Read more about what Alumni volunteers are saying › Book and Media Studies Cell & Systems Biology Centre for Jewish Studies Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Ethics, Society & Law Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations Peace, Conflict & Justice School of the Environment Women & Gender Studies Backpack to Briefcase is proudly sponsored by U of T’s Affinity Partners:Backpack to BriefcasePursuing a Career outside of Academia: backpack to Briefcase (b2B):The Faculty of Arts and Science organizes backpack to Briefcase (b2B) events during the fall-winter term, that offer students a chance to explore career opportunities in fields that they may not have considered, as well as a chance to meet and speak with successful alumni in those fields.

Last year, the Department of English, along with the Faculty of Arts and Science, teamed up with the Department of Comparative Literature, and Innis Cinema Studies to organize the b2B events. Each event featured a panel made up of three or four extremely successful alumni from the three disciplines, who brought their real world experience and advice to share with students. The Department of English also organized its very own b2B event that took place in March.  The evenings were very well attended, by both undergraduate and graduate students of English, who were interested in discovering new and unique ways in which their degrees can work for them in their futures. The discussion was animated, the advice invaluable, and each event an unqualified success.  Purpose: • to help upper-year undergraduate and graduate students as well as recent alumni learn about career opportunities in their field and develop networking skills necessary for business success• to provide alumni with the opportunity to interact with students, revisit their alma mater, and share their stories of navigating the professional world• to connect units within Arts & Science enabling them to share resources and ideas to help them enhance student experience and develop strong alumni relations Upcoming b2B Events for English

students: b2B Industry Night| November 24, 2016 @ 6:00 pm Thinking about a career in law or arts/culture? Curious as to how to plan your path forward and connect your current studies with a job after graduation? Join us on Thursday, November 24, when alumni and students will mix and mingle at Hart House. The skills you gain from your Arts & Science degree can be transferred into many opportunities in these fields. This networking reception will be a great opportunity to make these connections and speak with multiple alumni who graduated from the Faculty of Arts & Science and have gone on to pursue a career in law or arts/culture, as well as with fellow U of T students who are also considering these paths. November 24 b2B Industry Night (Careers in Law / Careers in Arts & Culture) 6pm – 8pm Hart House Please register online to attend. b2B English Careers Night | Wednesday, February 8, 2017 @ 6:00 pm, JHB100 Have questions about what to do after graduation? Who better to answer those questions than your fellow alum, graduates of English!

A panel of alumni from the Department of English will discuss their U of T education, the value of their degree, and their pursuit of successful careers. Spend some time after the discussion to network with fellow students and alumni from your department. The event is free. Speakers and registration TBA. ) Career Centre Contact Information: General Inquiry 416-978-8000 or email: Career Library Desk 416-978-8002 Career Counselling 416-978-8010 Extern Job Shadowing Program Office 416-978-7764 or email: Graduating and Recent Graduates Service 416-978-8014 or email: Graduate Dossier Service 416-978-8015 or email: Career Centre Hours (St. George Campus): Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Tuesday: 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Career Centre Location (St. George Campus): Koffler Student Services Centre (corner of St. George and College streets) 214 College Street Toronto ON M5T 2Z9 Telephone: 416-978-8000   ( Top of Page) © Department of English, University of Toronto.