A networking dinner and reception, which focused on the topic of inclusion in the workplace, was held Wednesdayin the Alumni Center.
Assistant Director of the Smith Career Center Joe Battelline said the event’s purpose was to help educate students about the ways that inclusion is important to their personal and professional lives as well as to hear from employees.
“With the inclusion matters reception and dinner, it is very much a networking opportunity between students and local professional organizations, but it is different in the fact that it centers around diversity and inclusion,” Battelline said. “Really, it helps create conversation during the networking experience, so if students are essentially struggling, maybe trying to learn about what to speak about during networking, the topic of inclusion and diversity allows them to create that dialogue.”
According to Battelline, it helps to go into the conversation willing to ask for advice. Both employers and students should work on listening and creating a genuine connection with each other.
Senior biology and psychology double major Lauren Thompson said she attended the event because she needed to practice her skills and get out of her comfort zone.
“I’m an education major, and I saw the word inclusion, and what I think of is inclusion in the classroom, which I think is really important, so that’s why I decided to come,” senior elementary education major Amanda Lavin said.
The keynote speaker, Lead Human Resource Manager of Caterpillar’s Product Development and Global Technology Santosh Singh, attempted to connect with the audience by speaking about his own experiences of inclusion in the workplace.
Singh engaged the audience by asking what they considered inclusion, why it should matter and what they felt when they encountered new situations.
“In my mind, inclusion is a matter of choice and effort,” Singh said. “It’s a two way street, and I will [show this] with an example again. It’s a choice for someone who is seeking out diverse thoughts and opinions.”
Singh related his first lesson to inclusion at Caterpillar, where he and his team were mentored by an older, more experienced engineer.
Singh said that having a mentor that included Singh and his team was important to his inclusion there.
“Inclusion matters at a personal level,” Singh said. “Inclusion matters in profession. It’s just a matter of seeing [it].”
