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Career Insight

Ringling’s career networking event for students

Ringling College’s annual Career Insight event brings professional artists and company representatives (including Ringling College alumni) from a variety of backgrounds together on one day to share experiences, creative expertise, and industry insights.

The event provides an opportunity to network with working professionals from a variety of art and design fields. Invited guests (many of whom are alumni) are available at individual tables to meet with students, review work, assist with career planning, and ease the transition from school to work.

All students are encouraged to attend and alumni, employers, artists, and other professionals are invited to participate as table hosts. The event is held on campus each February and is hosted by Career Services.

Career Insight 2024

Schedule: (subject to change)

10 AM: Doors Open
Diane Roskamp Exhibition Hall

11 AM: Speakers
Welcome and Introduction by Dr. Larry R. Thompson, President of Ringling College of Art and Design

Keynote Speaker: Devlin Grimm – Interdisciplinary Artist, Art Educator, and Consultant for Early Careers. Former Senior Recruiter for Sony Pictures Animation.

12 PM: Food truck, raffles, and activities!
Goldstein Library, First Floor Terrace

1-4 PM: Networking Tables Open
Goldstein Library

Keynote Speaker: Devlin Grimm

Devlin Grimm is an interdisciplinary artist, art educator, and consultant for early career creatives. She recently returned to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to pursue her dream career as an art history professor. She specializes in media studies and animation history.

Before leaving Los Angeles, Devlin was the Senior Recruiter for Sony Pictures Animation. There she created best practices to support the company in hiring unique and underrepresented voices. She also developed their university relations practices, focusing on mentorship and building relationships with area community colleges and universities.

Devlin learned from the best animation artists in the world as the Assistant Director of Admissions for the Animation programs at CalArts. She mentored thousands of students every year in fine art drawing and filmmaking. During this time, she was also Special Faculty for the School of Film/Video at CalArts, leading workshops in synchronous and asynchronous performance for theater and film.

She has been published in Animation Studies 2.0, Cinephile, and has been invited to present at conferences for the Society of Animation Studies, the Midwest Association of Pop Culture Studies, and the American Humor Studies Association. She holds a Master of Arts from the California Institute of the Arts and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Devlin was a non-traditional undergraduate student, which has informed her radical approach to arts and academic mentorship.

Devlin enjoys reading comics, writing plays, walking alongside Lake Michigan, and playing with her two cats.

Grimm Headshot

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Career Insight?

The Career Insight event is presented to Ringling College students and alumni to address practical concerns confronting designers and artists today. This annual event provides an opportunity to network with working professionals from a variety of art and design fields. Invited guests (many of whom are alumni) are available at individual tables to meet with students individually or in a group, review work, assist with career planning, and ease the transition from school to work.

Who should attend?

All students (from any major or class year) are encouraged to attend and take advantage of the opportunity. Attendees can stop by and enjoy Career Insight in the moment or come prepared with a resume and digital portfolio.

What does Career Insight include?

We’ll begin with a welcome and address from the keynote speaker, followed by a lunch break with food vendors (free!). Tables will be set up throughout the first and second floors of the library, as well as on the back terrace, hosted by companies, professionals, and alumni. They are there to help you practice your professional skills when you make your introductions, listen to discussions, and create important connections for your future. Some of these table hosts may have jobs or internships available or know someone who does. Enjoy some fun, new components this year: Have a professional photo taken for your LinkedIn profile at the photobooth; win prizes and get a t-shirt; de-stress with activities from Health Services and Rec and Wellness.

What should I prepare to attend?

We would love for you to stop by the event regardless, but we know some folks would prefer to prepare in advance.

Here are a few pointers for the event so you make a great first impression:

  • Dress and conduct yourself professionally.
  • Prepare some questions ahead of time. Questions can be anything you’re curious about, but here are some conversation starters:
    • What was the process you used to find your first job out of college?
    • What is it like to work at your company?
    • What was the interview process like at your company?
    • Is your company hiring or do you have connections at companies that are?
    • How would you describe a typical day at your company?
  • Ask for contact information, a LinkedIn connection, or a business card so you can say “thank you for your time” after the event
  • Look up the connections you made on LinkedIn and easily request a connection with that “thank you.”

Is this event online or in-person?

This is a totally in-person, interactive, networking, fun event.

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