Are you trying to figure out what to do with your life? Are you pretty sure--even totally sure--you know your career goals, but need some help developing a plan or making connections? At Toppel, we’re in the business of career education, which means that we can help! We have a staff of highly-trained career coaches who can support you every step along your path to career success. Whether you’re looking to solidify your interests or skills, get ready for a job or internship interview, or make connections that will launch your career, Toppel has you covered.
Mission: We prepare students to make educated decisions as they explore the ever-changing landscape of careers. We achieve this through innovation and strategic connections with the University community and beyond.
Vision: Empowering and connecting 'Canes to achieve a lifetime of career fulfillment.
Hours
The Toppel Career Center is open Monday through Friday, 8:30am - 5:00pm. Drop-in career coaching for resumes, cover letters, and practice interviews is offered Monday through Friday, 10:00am-4:00pm. No appointment is necessary for drop-in career coaching.
Please note that we are closed on holidays, during some breaks, and occasionally for staff development and training. During the summer, we are also closed on Fridays.
Our Model
We know that everyone is at a different place when they come to us. Our model--Explore, Prepare, Connect--gives us the flexibility to meet you where you are.
Explore
Exploring is all about discovering career pathways. Take one of our many career assessments to uncover your strengths, interests, skills, and abilities. Explore the career paths of alumni and other professionals on Cane2Cane. See a career coach to build a career plan that’s tailored just for you. Whatever your needs, we’re here to guide you as you explore the many possibilities and begin to narrow down the options for your future.
Prepare
Preparing is all about getting ready for the world of work. We talk with employers in a wide variety of industries on a daily basis and know what they’re looking for in job candidates and future employees. Better yet, we engage them in preparing you for the work you’ll do when you graduate (or even before!). Schedule a practice interview with a coach--or with an employer at EPIC. Attend a program or workshop to develop critical career-related skills. Come get your resume, cover letter, and other job application materials reviewed by a career coach during drop-in coaching hours.
Connect
Connecting is all about meeting people and getting involved in organizations that will grow into your own professional network. Connect with employers looking to hire you through on-campus interviews or our online career management system, Handshake. Get guidance on building meaningful relationships and skills at your internship through the Toppel Internship Program. Participate in one of our many networking and recruiting events throughout the year for just about any industry that might interest you.
Guiding Framework
Our career education model is guided by a theoretical framework that is designed to provide you with the flexibility you’ll need to be successful in our changing world. The Chaos Theory of Careers (CTC) by Pryor and Bright assumes that there are many influences in our lives that make it difficult to predict where our lives will lead. Nothing is certain and everything is possible. In order to prepare you for inevitable change and uncertainty, we work with you to understand your limitations, identify opportunities, recover from obstacles, find meaningful work, take advantage of chance, and develop the necessary skills to handle a life that fluctuates between stability and change.
Career Alliance
The UM Career Alliance brings together departments and individuals who can offer perspective and insight on the career education and development of our students. A key goal of the Alliance is to help the Toppel Career Center anticipate and respond to the ever-changing contexts and conditions of our students' career planning and options. The group meets twice a semester and is comprised of students, faculty, employers, and university administrators.
For more information, please contact Ali Rodriguez at alrodriguez@miami.edu.
Who Are the Toppels?
Dedicated on February 7, 2014, the Toppel Career Center stands as a testament to the visionary leadership and unconditional generosity of University of Miami Trustee and two-time alumna Patricia Toppel. With her beloved husband Harold, Pat Toppel made the gift that brought the original Toppel Center into being in 1995, and it is she whose financial support helped make the construction of this state-of-the-art facility possible.
"We all have the same goal here at the University—to provide an excellent education, a wonderful campus life, and the opportunity to plan for our students' futures." - Pat Toppel, B.Ed. '58, M.Ed. '59
