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At the ����ֱ��, preparing students for successful careers means more than helping them land their first jobs: It means giving them the connections, experiences, and professional relationships to navigate an evolving workforce throughout their lives.

That philosophy is driving the launch of ����ֱ��’s new Nor’easter Global Network, a University-wide initiative connecting students with alumni, employers, mentors, faculty, and industry leaders to expand career opportunities and help develop the skilled workforce Maine and the broader region need.

The network, formally announced Oct. 14, brings together the ����ֱ�� community across generations, industries, and geographic boundaries, creating opportunities for professional mentorship, career exploration, collaboration, and shared expertise that extend well beyond graduation.

The launch reflects a broader evolution in how colleges and universities approach career readiness, moving beyond traditional job placement toward sustained professional engagement. At ����ֱ��, that approach brings students, alumni, faculty, and employers together within a single professional community, connecting career exploration and mentorship with the workforce needs of Maine and beyond.

At the center of the initiative is , a new digital platform where students and alumni can discover professional connections, access career resources, explore employment and internship opportunities, and engage with mentors working across diverse industries. More than 17,000 student, alumni, faculty, staff, and employer accounts have already been imported into the platform, establishing an immediate foundation for the network’s growth.

“Maine’s future depends on our ability to develop, attract, and retain a talented workforce,” said ����ֱ�� President James Herbert. “At ����ֱ��, we’re connecting students with employers and professionals who can help them build successful, sustainable careers while strengthening the industries and communities that drive our state’s economy. The Nor’easter Global Network is an investment in our students’ futures and in Maine’s long-term economic vitality.”

Unlike traditional career services focused primarily on securing employment after graduation, the Nor’easter Global Network is designed to grow alongside its members.

By creating a continuum of mentorship (…) the network empowers students and alumni to contribute to one another’s success and extend ����ֱ��’s impact across generations." — Ashley Bigda, M.S.Ed.

Students who receive mentorship and professional guidance while at ����ֱ�� can remain connected as alumni, continuing to access industry relationships and opportunities while eventually sharing their own expertise with future generations of students. The result is an ongoing exchange of knowledge, connections, and professional support that benefits students, graduates, and employers alike.

The initiative also reflects ����ֱ��’s broader commitment to connecting academic learning with professional experiences, helping students recognize how the skills developed through their education can translate into meaningful careers, including in fields they may not have previously considered.

Bringing Maine’s Industries Directly To Students

The potential of those connections was on display during ����ֱ��’s second annual Industry Exploration Day, held Oct. 14 at the Harold Alfond Forum on the University’s Biddeford Campus. The event brought nearly 60 employers representing health care, finance, technology, construction, hospitality, media, and business services to campus, approximately doubling the employer participation from the inaugural event in 2025.

Throughout the afternoon, undergraduate students across ����ֱ��’s academic disciplines had opportunities to engage directly with industry professionals, explore potential career pathways, learn about internships and employment opportunities, and better understand the skills employers seek in an increasingly competitive workforce.

Designed to extend beyond the traditional career fair, Industry Exploration Day emphasized exploration and relationship-building over immediate job placement. Students could connect with professionals, ask questions about their industries, and participate in interactive career-development activities, including résumé-building and LinkedIn workshops.

For students still considering their professional paths, those conversations offered opportunities to discover how their academic interests and experiences could translate into careers across a range of industries.

Christian Rasmussen (’27), a senior marketing major, said the event offered an opportunity to hone his professional skills while exploring potential career paths. Rasmussen, who is considering a career in higher education, spent the day interviewing students and capturing video content as a digital marketing intern for ����ֱ��’s College of Business while making professional connections of his own.

“It's exciting to see how many different opportunities are out there and how the skills we're developing can apply to industries we might not have considered,” Rasmussen said. “There are many different avenues to explore in marketing, and I was able to put my own skills to work while meeting people, learning about different career paths, and building connections that could help me figure out what's next after graduation.”

For employers, the event provided an opportunity to introduce students to their industries, share professional insights, and establish relationships with prospective interns and future employees.

Meg Sweet, a recruiter for Maine-based Allagash Brewing Company, returned to Industry Exploration Day after participating in the inaugural event in 2025. She said the opportunity to engage with students early in their academic careers helps employers develop meaningful relationships that can lead to internships and future employment. 

Sweet has also joined the Nor’easter Global Network to continue building those connections beyond the annual event.

“It's about more than filling positions. It's about building relationships with students, understanding what motivates them, and helping them find opportunities that align with their interests and values,” Sweet said. “The Nor’easter Global Network creates a space for those relationships to continue growing. That exchange benefits everyone and ultimately helps students find meaningful career paths.”

Building A Lasting Career Community 

The Nor’easter Global Network’s launch represents a significant step in ����ֱ��’s efforts to embed career readiness throughout the student experience.

The University’s Office of Career Readiness and Workforce Development, established in 2025, works across academic programs to expand experiential learning, employer partnerships, professional mentorship, and career-development opportunities for students at every stage of their education.

That approach recognizes that career preparation does not begin in a student’s final semester. Through internships, professional networking, industry engagement, and practical skills development, students can begin exploring their interests and building professional relationships early in their college experience.

“We want students to see the incredible range of career opportunities available to them right here in Maine,” said Ashley Bigda, M.S.Ed., director of Career Readiness and Workforce Development at ����ֱ��. “By bringing employers, alumni, and students into the same professional community, we’re helping students explore possibilities, build relationships, and envision their futures in our state. Those connections benefit our graduates and the Maine businesses looking for their next generation of talent.”

The network also helps strengthen connections across disciplines, recognizing that the skills students develop through their academic programs can prepare them for opportunities in industries beyond their immediate fields of study.

For Maine employers, those connections create additional opportunities to engage with the next generation of professionals and communicate emerging workforce needs. For students, they open doors to mentorship, experiential learning, and career possibilities that might otherwise remain unfamiliar.

And for alumni, the network offers a way to remain involved in the ����ֱ�� community while advancing their own careers and helping future graduates navigate theirs.

Together, Bigda said the Nor’easter Global Network and Industry Exploration Day demonstrate ����ֱ��’s expanding approach to workforce development — one that connects education with professional opportunity and creates a lasting community invested in the success of its members. 

“These efforts reflect our dedication to fostering a professional community that supports individuals throughout their careers,” she said. “By creating a continuum of mentorship, engagement, and shared expertise, the network empowers students and alumni to contribute to one another’s success and extend ����ֱ��’s impact across generations.”