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Hoos Elevate

Hoos Elevate Quarterly
Advancing Careers through Connection & Insights

Q3 2026

Find Your Community. Elevate Your Career.
Your network can be one of the most powerful drivers of career growth. This quarter, we’re excited to introduce our newly refreshed Alumni Professional Networks, now including Business, Creative, and Education, alongside Entrepreneurship, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Public Service & Government, Sustainability, and Technology. Whether you’re looking to expand your professional network, gain industry insights, explore new opportunities, or give back to fellow alumni, there’s a community for you. Find the network that best aligns with your background and interests—and discover how the power of the UVA alumni community can help you take your next step.

Q2 2026

Elevate Your Career: New Strategies for Every Stage
Whether you’re exploring new possibilities, advancing in your industry, or reinventing your path, Hoos Elevate Q2 programming helps you take your job search to the next level. Through expert-led workshops, coaching insights, and targeted networking, this series equips alumni with fresh tools to uncover opportunities, refine their personal brand, and build meaningful professional connections.

Q1 2026

AI Literacy & the Future of Work
This quarter, hear from UVA alumni and industry leaders as they demystify emerging technologies, share real-world applications, and offer practical tools you can use right away (including this set of AI Literacy Resources). From adapting your skillset to navigating ethical considerations, each session helps you stay ahead in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Upcoming Events


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Let’s Network—Virtual

Let’s Network: Education
The impact of AI and educational technology on teaching and learning
Join alumni across the education field for an hour of conversation, connection, and insight on one of the profession’s most rapidly evolving topics: the impact of AI and educational technology on teaching and learning.

From K–12 and higher education to corporate learning and educational innovation, AI is reshaping how we teach, learn, assess, and support students. Featured guest speaker Dr. Wendy Amato (Educ ’08, ’12) will share her perspectives on emerging trends, opportunities, and challenges, then continue the conversation with fellow alumni in small-group networking breakouts to exchange ideas and experiences from your own work.

Register for Let’s Network: Education


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Let’s Network—In-person

Let’s Network: Entrepreneurship & Business
Join fellow UVA alumni, entrepreneurs, innovators, business leaders, and aspiring founders for an evening of meaningful networking and connection. Whether you’re building a company, growing your career, exploring a new venture, or looking to expand your professional network, this reception offers an opportunity to engage with alumni who share your interests and ambitions.

As part of the Hoos Elevate series, the evening will also feature a brief presentation from Dani Abbott, Associate Director of Alumni Professional Networks, highlighting resources, programs, and opportunities available through UVA’s Alumni Professional Networks to help you build connections, gain insights, and advance your career.

Reconnect with the UVA community, exchange ideas, and discover new opportunities in an environment designed to foster authentic relationships and professional growth.

Register for Let’s Network: Entrepreneurship & Business


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Let’s Network—Virtual

Let’s Network: Technology
Join alumni in your field for an hour of industry-focused connection and conversation. Each session in the Let’s Network series features a timely hot topic, a special guest to spark insight, and small-group networking breakouts where you can discuss the topic with fellow alums in your field.

Register for Let’s Network: Technology

Recordings


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Let’s Network—Virtual

Building the Network That Elevates You: Lessons from a UVA Founder Creating Connections at Scale
Join fellow alumni and friends for an engaging hour of industry-focused networking centered on entrepreneurship, technology, and sustainability. This session will explore how strategic networking can accelerate your career, expand your opportunities, and deepen your impact across sectors — with insights from a UVA founder who’s building connections at scale.

We’re excited to be joined by Ryan Levy, the founder of Hoo You Know, a newsletter dedicated to helping UVA students and alumni navigate careers through alumni interviews, networking guidance, and practical career insights. In his work, Ryan has helped Hoos forge meaningful professional relationships and unlock pathways that often start with a single conversation.

In this session, Ryan will share actionable lessons on building and nurturing your network, how to approach connections with confidence, and the role of community in driving personal and professional growth — followed by interactive small-group networking breakouts where you can put these strategies into practice and meet other alumni in entrepreneurship, tech, and sustainability.

LinkedIn & ChatGPT for Career Exploration: A Data-Driven Guide to Your Next Opportunity
Want to make sure that the next step on your career path is the best fit for your strengths and interests? Then be sure to join the Alumni Association and Jeremy Schifeling, former leader of LinkedIn’s Education Team, for this one-hour session that will help guide your career exploration based on data and AI:

  • Which paths make the most sense for you, based on a ChatGPT analysis of your background and passions
  • Which other UVA alumni have gone down these paths, based on LinkedIn’s powerful dataset of more than one billion alumni
  • How to engage and learn from UVA alumni in a curiosity-driven way
  • How to test your career hypotheses in a rigorous way before committing to a new path

Instead of “hoping it’ll all work out,” discover a better way to find work you love!

Unlocking the Hidden Job Market: Find and Land Your Dream Job
Struggling with your job search or unsure about your next career move? You’re not alone! Studies show that 70-80% of jobs are found through the hidden job market—yet many professionals don’t know how to tap into it effectively. If you’re relying solely on online applications, you may be missing out on the best opportunities.

In this webinar, Certified Career Coach and national career expert Hallie Crawford will teach you:

  • How to define what’s essential to you in an ideal career
  • What the hidden job market is and how to leverage it for more opportunities
  • Key first steps to expand your network and uncover unlisted job openings
  • Proven strategies to enhance your job search and avoid common mistakes

Don’t let your dream job pass you by! Join us and take control of your job search with a strategic approach.

How AI Is Transforming Media, Entertainment & Sports Careers
Join fellow alumni for an hour of industry-focused networking, hosted by the Media, Entertainment & Sports Alumni Professional Network. This session will explore How AI Is Transforming Media, Entertainment & Sports Careers—from content creation and storytelling to production, analytics, fan engagement, and the skills employers are prioritizing as technology reshapes the industry. We’ll be joined by special guest Isabel Monteith (Col ’10), who will kick off the conversation with real-world insights on how AI is showing up in creative and business roles today, followed by interactive small-group breakout discussions focused on staying adaptable, relevant, and future-ready in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Future-Proofing Your Career: AI, Adaptability, and the Power of Human Skills
Soft Skills Are the New Hard Skills in an AI-Driven Workforce
Technology will continue to evolve, but the ability to adapt, connect, and lead remains timeless. This session explores how AI is reshaping careers and hiring decisions and why employers increasingly view human skills as critical differentiators. Attendees will gain practical insight into how to stand out in applications, interviews, and new roles by leveraging capabilities that technology cannot replace.

Let’s Network: Government & Public Service—AI for Public Good
Join fellow alumni for an hour of industry-focused networking, hosted by the Government & Public Service Alumni Network. This virtual Let’s Network session will explore AI for Public Good: How Emerging Technologies Are Shaping Government & Public Service—from policy and program delivery to cybersecurity, national security, and public impact. Together, we’ll discuss how generative and agentic AI are transforming public sector work and the skills and mindsets public servants need to stay informed, adaptable, and mission-focused.

We’ll be joined by special guest Raleigh Sims (Batten ’19), who will kick off the conversation with real-world insights on how AI is being applied across U.S. government and national security missions, followed by interactive small-group breakout discussions designed to foster connection, idea-sharing, and peer learning in today’s rapidly evolving landscape.

Raleigh Sims (Batten ’19) is Senior Go-to-Market Strategist for U.S. National Security at Scale AI. Drawing on his experience working with the U.S. government, intelligence community, and AI startups, Raleigh partners with public sector leaders to advance responsible AI adoption in support of mission-driven outcomes.

In partnership with the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy.

Bald, Bold, & Hired: The Bald Truth About AI and Hiring
A candid look at how AI is reshaping hiring and the timeless qualities employers still rely on when choosing the right candidate. The session will also include a guided breakout discussion, giving participants the chance to explore the topic together and network with industry peers.

Staying Strong Through Change: Building Career Resilience in an AI-Driven World
Whether you’re planning a job search, navigating a career transition, or polishing your resume, we know you have questions! Our monthly ACE Virtual Drop-In series offers alumni the chance to connect directly with UVA Alumni Career Engagement Director Liz Sprouse for support and guidance.

This month, Liz will be joined by certified coach Laura Fleury (Col ’91), Founder/CEO of GenXYZen Coaching, who will share practical insights on building personal resilience as AI reshapes the workplace—including how to stay adaptable, confident, and grounded during rapid change.

The Future With AI: Policies, Ethics, and Governance
Artificial Intelligence is no longer a distant concept—it’s a prevailing force shaping nearly every aspect of our lives. Join UVA experts Renée Cummings, School of Data Science, and Mona Sloane, School of Data Science & Media Studies for a thought-provoking conversation on the policies, ethics, and governance shaping AI’s future. From cutting-edge research to innovation, this session explores how we can guide AI responsibly.

In partnership with the UVA School of Data Science.