Bridging the Causeway Event Connects Students with Career Opportunities at UC Davis Health

The Yolo Causeway physically connects Davis and Sacramento and, on a good day, takes only a few minutes to cross. But for many job-seeking undergraduate students, UC Davis’ Sacramento campus and the career opportunities available there can feel much farther away. 

Bridging the Causeway—Career Pathways at UC Davis Health, a new event launched by UC Davis Talent and Outreach Services and the UC Davis Career Center, sought to close that gap by bringing students to Aggie Square to meet hiring departments, explore career pathways and learn about jobs at the university’s health campus. 

“In the past, opportunities at UC Davis Health have been undercommunicated to undergraduates,” said Andrea Hanson, executive director of the UC Davis Career Center. “There are many career paths in healthcare to explore, including clinical research, social work, administration and more. Our goal was to bring awareness to all these opportunities.” 

“We also wanted to demonstrate to students that it’s not that hard to get over to Sacramento, either,” Hanson added. 

By the time the event began in late May, it was clear the effort to connect students with opportunities at Health had resonated, as dozens of undergraduates filled the Aggie Square lobby. Some arrived by car, while others rode the Causeway Connection shuttle between the Davis and Sacramento campuses. In all, the event attracted more than 70 attendees representing nearly 20 majors.  

“There’s an appetite at UC Davis Health to provide opportunities to students in STEM fields,” said Jordon Nakada, a strategic talent acquisition analyst with UC Davis Talent and Outreach Services and one of the event’s co-organizers. “Hiring managers across the board are committed to utilizing the talent that is being educated at our institution.” 

Students met with representatives from several UC Davis Health departments, including cardiology, pediatrics, pulmonary and radiology, to learn about student employment, clinical research and early-career positions. They also had an opportunity to receive one-on-one résumé reviews and application advice from Talent Acquisition Partners from UC Davis Health. 

The event concluded with an hourlong presentation by Nakada and fellow Talent and Outreach Services colleague Dreya Yin, who walked attendees through the hiring process for clinical research coordinator and student positions. Topics included how applications are reviewed and what hiring managers look for during interviews. 

“Our team has a big focus on demystifying the application process at UC Davis and UC Davis Health,” Nakada said. “Transparency, clarifying the process and providing helpful tools were important goals of the presentation.” 

For attendees, one of the most valuable aspects of the event was the opportunity to speak directly with departments and hiring managers who could provide information that online job postings often cannot. 

“Handshake is only as detailed as it can be on paper,” said Kaitlin Hu, a second-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major. “Getting to actually talk to someone and ask questions was really helpful.” 

Hu said conversations with representatives from UC Davis Health not only clarified which positions were appropriate for undergraduate students but also introduced career pathways she had not previously considered. 

As students returned to Davis to prepare for final exams and, for graduating seniors, consider their next steps after commencement, organizers and attendees alike expressed a desire for more events focused on careers in health. 

“I have a lot of friends that are either lost or they don't know what they want to do,” Hu said. “I want to tell them, ‘Hey, this opportunity exists and it gives you a chance to talk directly to people in different departments.’ I think it’s been very helpful.” 

“This is just the beginning,” Hanson said. “Both campuses have so much to offer, and we really want to be able to tell the story of how we're giving students incredible opportunities, whether that's in Davis or in Sacramento.”