Rutgers-New Brunswick campus community,

As a team, we have conversations about how those of us within the career services space can continue to do our part to support diversity, equity, inclusion, and access through the lens of career development. We conducted an internal audit of what we are currently doing and set aside time to reflect and brainstorm. At this time, CES publicly recommits to meeting the challenge engrained in our  Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion  core value statement through the following continued actions:

• Working with the outreach team to ensure the student population accessing our resources continues to mirror the diversity of Rutgers-New Brunswick;
• Making strives to reflect the diversity of the student population in our  CES team;
• Partnering with the Division of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement to organize career-related programs to connect students with employers congruent with their values; and
• Ensuring that each of the  First-year Interest Group Seminars  has a diversity, equity, and inclusion lesson plan developed by the student peer instructors.

As a leader within career services who happens to be a Black man, I have had to personally contend with what it means to be Black and show up for work every day in this environment. On multiple occasions, I have shared this concern privately and publicly about what is "professional" and how sometimes it might feel inauthentic when the world seems like it is crashing down around you. I also recognize the privilege and responsibility I have as an executive director in this conversation. Thus, I have charged our team to take the following actions over the next year:

• Develop programming to create a safe space for students to discuss and learn about how to find employment opportunities congruent with their values while navigating this notion of "professionalism";
• Ensure that the new virtual  Career Communities  online site includes resources to address some of the unique employment challenges facing students of color;
• Develop opportunities within the  Student-Alumni Career Connect (SACC)  to connect students with alumni to engage in conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace; and
• Review the responsibilities and metrics associated with each career advisor for working with "protected populations" as defined by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

CES can help with employment challenges that disproportionately impact persons of color, international students, LGBTQ+ students, students with differing abilities, and women; however, all of us need to step up and urge change through whatever methods available to us.

William Jones
Executive Director, Career Exploration and Success