Sophomore Support

Find your people. Discover your strengths. Activate your passion.

Sophomore year can be tough. You feel pressure to choose a major, but you're still discovering who you are and who you want to become. We're here to help you succeed.

Academic Advising Student Life Health and Wellness Career Center

sophomore summit logo

Sophomore Summit

2026 Sophomore Summit: Wednesday, February 4, 4–7:00 p.m..

Sophomores, your time here is important. Now that the excitement and newness of your first year in college is over, what’s next? Majors, gaining experiences, internships, jobs: You’ve got a lot coming at you, so the Sophomore Summit is here to help you plan for the next two and a half years of your Westminster education.

The Sophomore Summit builds on what you’ve already learned and what you bring to your Westminster education. You know your way around campus and don’t have to wonder what an HWAC is anymore, so now you can look ahead and create your path forward.

male and female students walking down the steps on campus

three female students taking a selfie on Bow Bridge on campus

The 2026 Sophomore Summit is sponsored by Canyon View Credit Union.

What to Expect

At the summit, you’ll work on your resume, kickstart your LinkedIn profile (yes, this is important), and clarify goals that will help you declare or confirm a major or minor and get ready for internships, research, practicals, or clinical experiences that put your Westminster knowledge to work.

The Sophomore Summit is a hands-on day of mini drop-in sessions that will help make your last 2 years at Westminster soar. Pick the sessions you’re most interested in. The more sessions you attend, the more chances you have to win great prizes. Join us for great info, freebies, free food, and even a little fun.

Schedule

Sophomore Summit will take place in Gillmor Hall and the Tanner Atrium in the Jewett Center for the Performing Arts. Each session you attend will earn you a ticket for prize drawings at the end of the event info fair.

4–4:30 p.m.	Check-in	Gillmor Lobby
4–4:30 p.m.	Pick Your Session		View Sessions Below
4:30–5:00 p.m.	Pick Your Session		View Sessions Below
5–5:45 p.m.	Beyond the Major: Finding Purpose in Your Passion (a panel of Westminster alumni) Read About the Panelists Rylee Llanes graduated from Westminster University in 2023 and immediately launched Rylee Llanes Social Media Services. Over the next two years, she built and led a team of fellow Westminster alumni, helping over a dozen Salt Lake City businesses grow their social media presence and marketing efforts. In 2025, Rylee shifted her focus to scaling her family skincare company, where she now leads the brand’s marketing and growth strategy. She’s excited to return to campus and share her journey with current Westminster students. Jenessa Jimoh is the Executive Director of Ignite! Utah: A Program of the Utah Donor Collaborative. With a decade of experience in community leadership, Jenessa is an influential changemaker, advocate, and political enthusiast with a passion for promoting civic engagement and fostering youth in leadership. With six years of experience as an executive director of her nonprofit Diversity. Inclusion. Values. Action. Inc., she has made significant contributions through her dedication to community-based research and intersectional frameworks. As a descendant of one of Utah's pioneering Black families, Jenessa carries forward a legacy of generational activism and trailblazing coalition. Her unwavering commitment to these values continues to inspire and uplift every community she serves. Hayden J. graduated from Westminster University in 2023 with a Bachelor of Business Administration and a focus on building more equitable and sustainable business models. He currently works as a Senior Analyst at Goldman Sachs, bringing together financial analysis, operations, and strategic problem-solving. Prior to this role, Hayden gained hands-on experience consulting with small businesses and supporting financial wellness initiatives through Westminster’s Center for Financial Wellness. Originally from Alaska, Hayden is driven by the belief that businesses can serve both their communities and the environment while remaining financially successful. He looks forward to returning to campus to share how he explored opportunities beyond his major and aligned his values with his early career path. Jess Irvine (24) currently works as a mental health therapist at Forward Healing Therapy in Murray, Utah. She also works on their Social Media Marketing Team. Jess graduated from Westminster in 2023 with a Bachelors of Psychology and went on to Graduate with her Masters in Social work from the University of Utah in 2025. Jess is proud to say her education at Westminster is what drove her initial passion for the field of psychology. Using this experience, she has been able to integrate her passion for social justice with her desire to work in mental health. Gibson Greene is an Accessibility Consultant with the University of Utah’s Center for Disability & Access, where he supports students in identifying barriers, coordinating reasonable accommodations, and building practical strategies for success. He holds a BA in English and Film Studies and a Master’s in Teaching. Before his current role, he taught English and Film Studies and served as Director of Specialized Instruction at a Title I charter high school, leading services for more than eighty students with IEPs and coaching faculty on inclusive, student-centered practice. A published filmmaker, he brings a creative lens to education and a steady commitment to equitable access.	Jones Recital Hall
5:45–6:30 p.m.	Mocktails & Mingling: Refreshingly Easy Networking for Sophomores	Gillmor Lobby
6:15–7:00 p.m.	Food and Info Fair	Tanner Atrium
6:45 p.m.	Door Prize Drawing- must be present to win!	Tanner Atrium

Sessions

4–4:30 p.m.	Clean Up Your Resume	In this fast-paced 30-minute workshop, you will learn how to strengthen their resumes for internships, summer jobs, and future career opportunities. You will gain practical tips for showcasing skills and experiences clearly and confidently, leaving with actionable next steps to improve your resume and professional presence.	Meldrum 110	Audrey Clare, Career Center
4–4:30 p.m.	Graduate School: Start Early, Stress Less	Thinking about graduate school someday? This quick session introduces sophomores to the basics of preparing for and applying to graduate school. Learn what to start doing now, how to explore programs, and how small steps today can make future applications stronger.	Jones Recital Hall	Dr. Chris LeCluyse, Faculty and Chair, Literature, Media, & Writing
4–4:30 p.m.	Gaining Experience without Experience	Learn how to gain experience no matter what your current background or future goal is. Explore the whole spectrum of options from ultra short-term experiences to traditional internships, in all majors/industries. This is your A-Z guide.	Meldrum 170	Lisa Heiskell, Career Center
4:30–5:00 p.m.	Life, By Intention: Designing What Comes Next	Worried about stumbling hopelessly into whatever comes after college? Don’t be! Attend this session to try out tools specifically crafted to help you design the life of your dreams. Skeptics welcome.	Meldrum 110	Audrey Clare, Career Center
4:30–5:00 p.m.	From Interest to Involvement: Applying for Undergraduate Research as a Sophomore	This session helps sophomores move from curiosity to action by demystifying the undergraduate research application process. Topics include finding opportunities, contacting faculty, and preparing application materials that showcase potential—not perfection.	Jones Recital Hall	Dr. Shawn Coon, Associate Provost for Research and Creative Activities, Education Faculty
4:30–5:00 p.m.	LinkedIn 101	You’ll walk away with a new or improved LinkedIn profile, customized to brand yourself for your chosen path. Discover how and why to use LinkedIn to conduct informational interviewing and the opportunities that it can open for you. Find out how to get Griffin Ready and feel confident about your next steps.	Meldrum 170	Lisa Heiskell, Career Center

When students become juniors and seniors, they get connected with their major departments, and they have connections and activities and things that are specific for them. Sophomores kind of get forgotten in the middle, so we really wanted to do something to help put some attention on those students.

Read the Story