POST-BACH WORKSHOP SERIES EMPOWERS HPU STUDENTS TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP

This spring, Hawaiʻi Pacific University students were offered a powerful resource to support their next steps after graduation: the Post-Bach Workshop Series. Organized by the Student Government Association (SGA), the five-part professional development initiative provided students with practical tools to explore graduate school, prepare for the job market, and build lasting professional connections.

Held throughout March and April, the series began with a CV/Resume Workshop and continued with sessions on Grad School 101, public speaking and interview strategies, LinkedIn branding, and concluded with the Speed Networking Night held on April 9 at the Aloha Tower Marketplace Sunset Ballroom.

Open to all students, the Post-Bach workshops focused on real-world preparation-from using AI to researching graduate programs to refining public speaking skills and engaging directly with alumni and professionals across industries.

"For college students who are looking to take their success in the university to another level in the real world, events like the Post-Bach series are of utmost importance," said Dyson Chee, Assistant Director of Student Engagement. "It took our student leaders a lot of work, time, and effort to put this series together, and the reason why they organized it is because they recognize the importance of succeeding beyond college.”

Student Body President Justin Alday and Vice President Princess Paradise Pascua were instrumental in bringing the series to life. "I worked collaboratively with Justin to help shape the vision and execution of the Post-Bach Workshop series," said Pascua. "This was a particularly meaningful event to bring back, as it hadn’t been hosted at HPU since before COVID. We felt it was the perfect time to reintroduce this type of professional development opportunity for students."

She also highlighted the successful collaboration with the Public Health Student Association (PHSA). "Instead of working in parallel, we chose to join efforts-and this decision ended up being a tremendous success. It helped foster a strong and growing relationship between SGA and PHSA."

Alday shared how their different perspectives as representatives of distinct HPU colleges helped shape a more inclusive event. "One of my main goals was for students to walk away with meaningful, lasting connections," he said. "We intentionally structured the earlier workshops to help students build confidence in their communication and networking skills so that by the time our Social Networking Night came around, they felt more comfortable and prepared to engage with professionals. We wanted to give students a real glimpse into the kind of interactions they’ll encounter as they transition into the professional world."

The feedback from students, faculty, and alumni confirmed the value of the series. Alday and Pascua noted that participants were highly engaged, with many stepping outside their comfort zones to connect face-to-face with professionals.

"Students who attended shared how much they valued the chance to have meaningful, one-on-one conversations with professionals from a variety of fields," said Pascua. "Faculty and staff also appreciated the intentionality of the event and the quality of guests we brought in."

"Many of [the students] shared that they appreciated having more time to engage in meaningful conversations," added Alday. "Several told me it pushed them out of their comfort zones and encouraged them to practice real-world networking in a more personal and impactful setting."

Alumni participation at the Speed Networking event played a key role in bridging the university experience with life after graduation. Nicole Lemas, Director of Residential & Commercial Programs at Shifted Energy and an HPU alumna, shared insights from her conversations with students.

"The most exciting conversations revolved around the current political climate and hearing their concerns, what it meant for their professional objectives, and how we as alumni could help them," she said. "We spoke in depth about AI and Machine Learning and how that affects all of our industries and how they use that technology in their current programs or studies."

Milomir Ognjanovic, another participating alumnus, also shared his thoughts regarding the event’s impact. "There is always a positive atmosphere at Aloha Tower campus, and the spirit of welcome to alumni returning to HPU. The Speed Networking event helped make stronger student-alumni relationships and also build confidence with students transitioning to professional careers. The conversations that stood out were about providing the insight in real life situations such as professional practices, recruitment methods, and career paths."

Lemas added, "We want to help! The HPU alumni who have 'stuck' around here for the long-haul are deeply rooted in the community. We all have a responsibility to reach back and bring our graduates forward to apply their majors into our community to do the meaningful work that we truly need."

Chee echoed this perspective, adding that alumni support gives students the confidence to transition from college to career. "HPU's alumni are proof of that success, especially supporting fellow Sharks following in their footsteps at the Speed Networking event. The wisdom these current alumni impart is one of the many building blocks of success for our future alumni."

Events like the Post-Bach Workshop Series also contribute to a stronger sense of campus community and culture. "Professional development events have a power impact on the culture of student engagement at HPU," Alday said. "It's rare to find a space that brings together undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty, staff, and alumni all in one room-and that’s exactly what made this event so special."

Pascua agreed, saying, "They teach us how to carry ourselves in professional and social spaces: how we communicate, how we dress, how we listen and respond, and how we make lasting impressions through meaningful conversations. Events like these help cultivate a culture at HPU that values connection, confidence, and intentionality."

Ultimately, the Post-Bach Workshop Series was more than a set of professional development events. It was a shared effort by student leaders, alumni, faculty, and staff to prepare students for the world beyond HPU- equipping them with skills, confidence, and connections to thrive.

Mahalo to the HPU alumni who helped lead the success of the Speed Networking event, playing a key role in bridging the university experience with life after graduation: 
 

• Nicole Lemas (Anthropology ‘11), Director of Residential & Commercial Programs at Shifted Energy 

• Milomir Ognjanovic (International Business ‘94, MBA ‘96) , Operations Manager, CVS Pharmacy 

• Jeremiah Sarmiento (EMBA ’10), General Manager, Water Group 7 

• Steven Sasaki (Justice Administration ‘14), Partner, New York Life, Hawai‘i  

• Kent Yang (International Studies ‘16), Public Transport Planner, City and County of Honolulu