The Bastian Family Center for Career Success organized a Professional Immersion Experience (PIE) Trip to Kansas City during Spring Break, providing students from a diverse range of academic backgrounds with an opportunity to explore various career opportunities and network with alumni.

The group spent four days, from March 13 to 16, 2024, visiting multiple alumni network locations and learning about their work. One visit included a trip to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) to meet Ellen Ramsey ’12 and her colleagues, gaining insights into the organization of a fast-growing collegiate sports non-profit. Another visit was to Burns and McDonnell, where students learned about engineering and gained insight into Knox’s 3+2 program with Washington University in St. Louis after discussions with Lucas McIntosh ’98 and Brian Werner ’06. These visits were among eight employer site visits in total.

“It was a great experience for students to gain first-hand exposure to potential future work environments and to better understand the various career paths alumni have pursued. I wish I had the same opportunity when I was at Knox,” McIntosh said. “It was energizing to interact with eager and inquisitive students contemplating their futures.”

The capstone of the trip was a networking event with alumni and Knox community members at Pinstripes in Overland Park, KS. The students had numerous opportunities to interact with alumni, discussing their career experiences and how they transitioned from students in Galesburg to professionals in their fields.

“This trip was a great opportunity for me to learn about my likes and dislikes. Interacting with alumni and their colleagues gave me greater insight into the culture I want to be a part of when I decide on my career path,” Nysa Phulwar ’26 said.

Knox Executive Director of Career Development Scott Crawford was proud of the students who participated in the trip, feeling that they represented Knox quite well. He was excited to see how many students reached out to the alumni after the event to continue their conversations and expand their networks.

“This was the most engaged, professional group of students I have ever experienced on such a trip, and they represented Knox quite well,” Crawford said.

The trip was made possible through the John D. Carlin Fund, which supports the Bastian Family Center for Career Success’ efforts to provide students with opportunities to receive practical career information and advice from alumni.