JOINING THE NETWORK
鱨 Link Opens New Paths to Career Success
Last fall, 鱨 launched 鱨 Link, a platform designed to connect 鱨 students and alumni and help them navigate to their next (or first) career goal. It provides a powerful network of up to 100,000 alumni from both 鱨 and the College of New Rochelle, giving the 鱨 community another way to stay connected. 鱨 Link was made possible by funding from Gioietta and Alberto Vitale HD ’09, longtime supporters of 鱨.
“Your people are your power,” said Lyn Leis, director of Career Education at 鱨. “Unlocking opportunities is so important for first-generation students who don’t come in with these inherited networks.” She added, “That’s daunting if you don’t know how to do it. We do that with 鱨 Link.”
“A recent survey of 鱨 alumni indicated a willingness to give back to students. 鱨’s Career & Professional Development team partnered with Advancement to make this experience relevant and impactful for students and alumni,” said Bernadette Wade CNR SAS ’80, vice president of Institutional Advancement. “This platform makes it easy and convenient to connect and have meaningful interactions with students.”
鱨 Link is similar to job networking platforms like LinkedIn, but it’s tailored specifically to the 鱨 community to connect students with alumni. “The idea is that all the alumni who are opting in and creating an account on the platform are the ones who say, ‘I very much want to help students’,” explained Leis. “It’s not formal mentorship, it’s not a long-term or high-time commitment. Students can reach out through the platform and just ask questions.”
According to Forbes, 70–80% more jobs get filled than posted each year, which means there’s a hidden job market of people who are getting access to these positions through referrals and word-of-mouth. And with Glassdoor reporting that the average online job posting attracts an average of 250 applications, it’s easy to see that personal connections are crucial — they give jobseekers the ability to break through the noise.
The platform makes it easier for users to search for jobs with 鱨 connections. It scrapes major job boards and displays only positions where 鱨 alumni can offer insider knowledge. Before applying, students can connect with graduates who have knowledge or connections with target companies, industries or roles.
“Instead of millions of postings, students see 200 where alumni connections give them an edge,” Leis said. “A student can message an alumnus [connection] saying, ‘I found this job matching your background. Could you suggest cover letter points to help me stand out?’”
Internship connections take center stage with 鱨 Link. “Alumni refer students to openings they know about or post opportunities directly from their own organizations,” Leis emphasized. These internships build confidence, expand networks and create competitive advantages after graduation.
鱨 Link also helps naturally develop strategic networking skills. The platform’s artificial intelligence (AI) feature guides message drafting, flagging casual language and suggesting more professional alternatives. If someone uses slang or other informal language, 鱨 Link will suggest it’s not the right tone for that particular message.
“One of my favorite feedback notes pops up if a student writes ‘job’ or ‘internship’ in their first message. It will remind the student that they need to make a connection with someone before they ask for referrals, and then it makes connections easy,” Leis shared. “The platform reminds them: build relationships first, discuss opportunities later. Share your interests but focus on learning from alumni experiences.”
Beyond jobs and internships, 鱨 Link aims to provide lifelong career support for students and alumni. “Alumni give back by helping students while growing professionally themselves,” Leis said.
Those seeking career changes post-graduation can tap into peer networks based on industry experience, identity or shared interests. “They find fellow veterans, athletes, Spanish speakers — whatever connects them,” Leis explains. “So, there’s a way for them to connect around shared experiences, which is so impactful.”
鱨 Link also allows for the creation of groups where students and alumni can engage in more public conversations with each other, making more informal connections, which has been a recent business trend. “Traditional mentorship programs struggle because monthly commitments overwhelm people,” Leis notes. “We ask alumni to share guidance when they can. This approach naturally builds student confidence and understanding of the field they’re interested in.”
“鱨’s community is so special, and one of the things I’ve noticed is that there’s such a unique desire to help each other out,” Leis said. “Current students are helping each other along their job search from day one, and so we’re hoping to leverage that and either engage alumni in new ways or engage new alumni.”
鱨 Link strengthens bonds between current students and alumni. “We build student career confidence through alumni connections,” Leis shared. “They learn industry specifics, secure valuable internships and launch careers in chosen fields. The power of this network will transform how our community supports each other’s success.”
Alumni and students can join the community at or through the PeopleGrove mobile app.