Cathy, I agree that student interactions with industry professionals and successful alumni helps improve overall placement rates. These interactions can take various forms. Casual interactions such as having the speakers join the students for lunch provides a intimate atmosphere in which the students may feel more comfortable asking questions and will be rewarded with straight forward answers. Other functions like a panel of speakers will help provide students with different points of view or will help solidify a particular point. A great starting point would be to ask some of your go-to employers to speak to a class or ask an instructor to arrange a time with an industry colleague. What other opportunities can you think of to bring students and industry speakers/alumni together? Is anything standing in your way of implementing this initiative? Sheri Leach