Ronnie Abare, vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, told the Academic Affairs and Student Affairs Committee on April 4 that UAH has expanded career development and experiential opportunities aimed at preparing students for employment and graduate study.

Abare outlined programs for first‑year and continuing students, including Mentor a Charger, Month of Externships, What Up Wednesday events with recruiters, and Field Trip Friday visits to local employers. He said the system‑wide career development platform Stepping Blocks has seen more than 2,000 active users since launch.

The presentation emphasized partnerships with employers to create pipelines and professional experiences. Abare highlighted a multi‑year partnership with Northrop Grumman called the I4 program that provides a four‑year talent pipeline featuring mentorship, co‑op opportunities and a sponsored senior design project. He also described two large career fairs that bring about 185 employers and more than 2,000 students to campus each year.

Students and recent alumni joined portions of the presentation. Samuel Arnold, a chemistry and physics double major, described undergraduate research on metal targets and nanoparticle development. Maddie Eason, a senior information systems major concentrating in cybersecurity, said co‑op and internship experiences allowed her to earn certifications and practical skills valued by employers.

UAH described a planned project to convert underused space in the student center into an interview suite for employers and students to conduct on‑campus interviews in professional settings, including virtual interviews. Abare said the suite will support both individual and group interviews and provide a private space for students to use for Zoom or phone interviews.

Why it matters: UAH officials framed career services expansion as central to student success and regional workforce development. Abare noted that roughly 75% of UAH graduates remain in Alabama after graduation, emphasizing local workforce impact.

Clarifying details provided in the presentation included the number of active Stepping Blocks users (about 2,000), typical employers at career events (about 185 employers), and the number of students who participate in experiential learning each semester (about 1,500 across practicum, internships, co‑ops, research, clinical rotations and other experiences). Presenters said the mock career fair for first‑year engineering students is used to give students hands‑on practice with resumes and recruiter interactions.

The committee received the spotlight as an informational item; no formal committee action was required. Abare and the UAH presenters invited board members to campus events, including an April 11 financial literacy program. Student Government Association president Mark Porter and other student speakers were introduced later in the institutional session.