In the third week of spring quarter 2025, Walla Walla University's Student Development Center hosted its annual Spring Career Fair in Havstad Alumni Center. Alumni working in various industries are invited to the event to engage with students on campus, allowing them to build connections through networking experiences.
The event speaker, Brandon Strachan, AdventHealth strategy recruitment manager, gave a presentation titled “Maximize Your College Career: The Proximity Principle,” sharing his tips on creating connections and the value of building relationships on a person’s career path.
Strachan highlighted the positive use of the proximity principle, a mindset that emphasizes strategically aligning yourself with people who will push you to grow in places that will help you thrive. He suggested being “self-made” isn’t quite what it seems to be. Developing yourself for a successful career requires guidance, lessons and support from a variety of people and experiences. Recognizing this and taking advantage of it allows you to tap into seemingly unreachable opportunities.
This emphasis on intentional connections is woven into the WWU experience, where small class sizes and a close-knit community create opportunities for students to build personal relationships with their professors and classmates. SDC further strengthens these connections by helping students engage with an expert alumni network that provides mentorship and professional guidance.
Spring Career Fair is the second event SDC hosts every year for students. At the beginning of every school year, they host Fall Career and Graduate School Fair, where students meet and connect with various graduate schools.
For more information on SDC's events and the services they offer, please visit wallawalla.edu/SDC.
