Whitman launched Handshake on July 15, which replaced iEngage as Whitman’s program connecting Whitman students and recent graduates to companies and employers.

Handshake is intended to make job searches and research easier for its users. “In Handshake you can schedule your own appointments with the Student Engagement Center staff … now students can just look at the calendar, see when staff members are open for appointments and make it themselves,” said Abby Seethoff (‘16), the  Technology and Marketing Fellow for the Student Engagement Center. “Students have a profile where they fill out information that’s similar to what’s on their résumé: job experiences, volunteering, organizations they’ve joined, skills that they have. And then, if they make the profile public, employers can view the profile and potentially communicate with them.”

Handshake will hopefully help expose students at smaller colleges, like Whitman, to more career opportunities. “It was created by entrepreneurs who really care about students at small schools having access to the same career opportunities as students at big universities where recruiters come all the time.” Seethoff continued, “It’s intended as an equalizing force, which aligns with what we’re trying to do here, since our location in Walla Walla is wonderful but doesn’t always mean that big companies want to take the trip out to visit.”