Whitman joins forces with Koru to offer work experience for students and graduates

The mission of Whitman College's Student Engagement Center is to seek out programs and services that complement a Whitman College education. Many of these services are not only available to students, but also to alumni, reiterating Whitman College's commitment to serve as a support system and a resource to its students and alumni throughout both their academic and professional careers.

Today, Whitman announced the addition of Koru, a Seattle-based startup, to the array of resources that are offered to Whitman College students and alumni as they build their post-Whitman futures.

Koru offers soon-to-be and recent college graduates the opportunity to gain valuable work experience within leading companies. Koru is an option for graduates who want to build relevant skills, be coached by seasoned executives and have exposure to a variety of opportunities that will enable them to stand out in an applicant pool.

Koru has recently run programs with REI, Zulily, and Trupanion. Several Whitties participated, and here is a sample of what they have to say:

"Koru has been this awesome bridge where I can take all the skills that I have built up my entire school career and then, in one week, narrow them down and focus them into skills that I can apply to the business world." Signe Burke '14, Koru@Zulily

"This program has completely turned my confidence around. I came into the program worrying about whether I would fit into a job. Now I feel confident about going out to find a job that's a fit for me." Maddy Bell '14, Koru@Zulily

"My vision of the employment process has evolved a lot this week, especially after going to Zulily and meeting all the executives." Aedan Weber '13, Koru@Zulily

Koru's next program takes place Mar. 17-26 in Seattle. Participants in this fee-based program will work with the Nordstrom Innovation Lab and Smartsheet, a fast-growing cloud-based software company that worked on the Super Bowl's backend operations. If you are interested or have questions, you can apply at www.joinkoru.com or email genessa@joinkoru.com.

To find out more about Koru and the other tools and services available to you as you find a career you are passionate about, get in touch with Kimberly Rolfe at 509-527-5183 or rolfekb@whitman.edu or visit www.whitman.edu/student-life/student-engagement-center.