Real Voices, Real Journeys: Student and Graduate PSE Experience Panel

This engaging panel discussion, hosted by Dr. Golnaz Golnaraghi, Founder of Accelerate Her Future, includes students and recent graduates who will share their honest insights into their post-secondary journeys. The panelists will discuss what motivated them to pursue higher education, the factors that influenced their choice of institution, and their experiences navigating academic and social supports. They will explore how their expectations aligned with reality and how they prefer to be communicated with by their school.

The conversation will also touch on the critical transition from post-secondary education to the workforce, with recent graduates sharing their reflections on the career support and guidance they received. This panel offers educators, administrators, and stakeholders a unique opportunity to hear directly from those they serve, gaining valuable insights to inform strategies for student engagement, retention, and support.

Learning Outcomes:

• Identify key factors that influence students’ decisions to enroll in post-secondary institutions.
• Understand students’ communication preferences and expectations for engagement with their institution.
• Recognize the types of academic, social, and career-transition supports that students and recent graduates value most and identify potential gaps in current offerings.