Lunch and Learn

Free Pizza, Real Talk, and Career Power

Career Connections is excited to launch our new Lunch & Learn Series—a cohort-based professional development experience designed to give you real-world insight, meaningful conversation, strong connections, and yes… FREE pizza!

Each Lunch & Learn cohort will meet over the term to:

  • Hear from experienced professionals currently working in the field (including principals, counselors, superintendents, and student services leaders)
  • Gain practical, honest insight into what careers in education and student services actually look like
  • Build networking connections and professional confidence
  • Enjoy FREE pizza at every session

We are offering two separate Lunch & Learn programs, so you can dive deeply into content aligned with your academic and career path.

Teacher Education Program (TEP)

A candid, practical session featuring insights from principals, cooperating teachers, and district partners. Learn what administrators truly look for in student teachers and future hires—reliability, initiative, teachability, and professionalism—with time for Q&A focused on real workplace expectations.

Even as a preservice teacher, you will interact with families. This session focuses on respectful, confident communication with caregivers, navigating cultural differences, and supporting positive home–school relationships—plus guidance for handling difficult conversations.

Learn how to balance warmth with professionalism. This session covers healthy teacher–student boundaries, digital communication expectations, mandated reporting basics, and how to respond when situations cross professional lines. Includes real-world scenarios and scripts.

Counseling & Student Services (CASS)

Learn how to connect students with support. This session covers common referral pathways (mental health, academic support, accessibility services, career services, and community providers) and how to explain referrals in a supportive, stigma-free way.

Explore trauma-informed responses, grounding tools you can model, strategies for supporting overwhelmed students, and language to use—or avoid—during moments of dysregulation.

Ethical challenges are rarely clear-cut. Through real-world scenarios and guided discussion, students practice navigating confidentiality, dual relationships, disclosures, power dynamics, digital communication, and blurred boundaries using professional ethical frameworks (ASCA, ACA, NASPA).

Complete the full series and you’ll receive:

  • A certificate of completion
  • A follow-up email from Career Connections explaining exactly how to list this experience on your résumé to highlight your professional development power

Important Details:

  • Each cohort is limited to 15 participants to keep conversations intimate and meaningful
  • Speakers are seasoned professionals currently working in the field
  • Space is limited—don’t wait to sign up!

Sign up now

Join us for excellent conversation, powerful learning, professional growth—and a pizza lunch on Career Connections. We can’t wait to learn with you!

Please contact Taylor Levell at tlevell@iu.edu with any questions.