Braven Career and Leadership Accelerator Launches at UMSV
9/18/2026
New Partnership Brings Career Preparation, Leadership Development, Mentorship, and Professional Networking Directly into the Undergraduate Experience
The first day of class usually comes with a syllabus, a few introductions, and perhaps some nervous anticipation about the semester ahead.
But, for students beginning the Braven Career and Leadership Accelerator at the University of Mount Saint Vincent, it also came with an invitation: start thinking now about who you want to become—and begin building the skills, confidence, and connections to get there.
UMSV officially launched its partnership with Braven this Fall (you can read more about our partnership here!), welcoming students to the Accelerator’s first in-person Learning Lab in Smith Hall on Wednesday, August 26. The new three-credit course brings career preparation and leadership development directly into the University’s Core Curriculum, helping Mount students connect their academic experience with the opportunities awaiting them beyond the classroom.
For Sheneika Curtis ’29, a nursing major from the Bronx, that connection means looking ahead with greater confidence.
“I hope the Braven Career and Leadership Accelerator will help me feel more prepared and confident, not just in my career, but as a person after graduating from UMSV,” said Sheneika. “I want to improve skills like interviewing, networking, and strengthening my résumé.”
Braven is a national nonprofit organization that partners with colleges and universities to provide students with career preparation woven directly into their academic experience. Its mission is to equip college students with the skills, confidence, experiences, and networks they need to transition from college into strong economic opportunities and meaningful careers.
At UMSV, the Braven Career and Leadership Accelerator is a three-credit course designed to help students develop practical tools for navigating internships, employment, and graduate school. Throughout the experience, students create and strengthen résumés, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles; practice interviewing and networking; participate in team projects; expand their professional networks; and explore how their individual values and strengths can shape their leadership.
The course combines independent online learning with experiential Learning Labs, where students put what they have learned into practice alongside their peers. Students work in small cohorts with Braven Leadership Coaches—trained working professionals who serve as facilitators and mentors throughout the experience.
It’s an approach that complements the Mount’s longstanding commitment to educating the whole person while giving students tangible opportunities to connect what they learn with who they hope to become.
For Vice Provost and Dean of the Undergraduate College Gabrielle Occhiogrosso, EdD, who is spearheading the partnership at UMSV, the value of experiences beyond the classroom is personal.
While speaking with students at the inaugural Learning Lab, she reflected on her own journey from an undergraduate mathematics major who once envisioned becoming a teacher, to a corporate employee, to ultimately discovering her calling in higher education. It was her experience as a resident assistant—not necessarily a class or textbook—that helped her recognize how much she enjoyed mentoring students, building community, and helping others navigate challenges.
“Through Braven, students will strengthen skills that employers value, including professional communication, networking, interviewing, career planning, and personal branding,” Dr. Occhiogrosso shared. “They’ll also build relationships with coaches, mentors, and professionals who can support their goals and help them navigate their futures.”
Mentorship will also play an important role along the way for students.
By hearing from mentors and experts in the field, Dr. Occhiogrosso explained, we will underscore one of the ideas at the heart of UMSV’s partnership with Braven: students should have opportunities throughout college to explore their strengths, develop meaningful relationships, test their interests, and build the confidence to imagine what comes next.
“This course is about much more than preparing for your first job,” Dr. Occhiogrosso told students at the first Learning Lab. “It’s about helping you maximize your college experience and connecting what you’re learning in the classroom to opportunities through and after graduation.”
That connection is especially important in an increasingly competitive employment landscape. Braven’s model is designed not only to teach the mechanics of a job search, but also to help students understand the often-unwritten rules surrounding professional networking, career exploration, internships, and the transition from college into the workforce.
Nationally, Braven reports a 92% on-time graduation rate among its fellows. Braven also works with more than 75 employer partners across industries, providing students opportunities to engage with professionals and expand networks that can support their career development.
“Talent is everywhere in New York City, opportunity is not,” said Kilsys Payamps-Roure, Founding Executive Director, Braven New York. “Launching with the University of Mount Saint Vincent means more first-generation students in this city will graduate with the skills, confidence, and networks needed to land a strong first job. I sat in on our first class on campus and what struck me was how much the Mount’s incredible students already carry into the room. Braven’s job is to make sure the rooms where decisions get made are open to them.”
For the Mount students participating this Fall, however, the real impact of the partnership will unfold one Learning Lab, one new skill, and one new connection at a time. And the skills students develop through Braven are meant to extend well beyond a single semester.
The Career and Leadership Accelerator begins with the credit-bearing course, but Braven’s broader model can continue supporting fellows through graduation, creating opportunities for continued career development and connection. That makes the partnership yet another way UMSV is working to meet learners when, where, and how they need us—ensuring students have not only an excellent academic foundation, but also the confidence and practical preparation to put that education into action.
For Dr. Occhiogrosso, that goal goes even deeper than landing a first internship or job.
“I hope this experience helps our students begin to see themselves not only as students, but as emerging professionals, leaders, and changemakers,” she said. “Every one of them has unique talents, strengths, and experiences that can make a meaningful impact in the world.”
The first Learning Lab may have marked the beginning of Braven at the Mount, but for the students gathered in Smith Hall, it was also the beginning of something much more personal: discovering where their talents can take them—and building the confidence, connections, and courage to get there.
About the University of Mount Saint Vincent
Founded in 1847 by the Sisters of Charity, the University of Mount Saint Vincent offers a nationally recognized liberal arts education and a select array of professional fields of study on a landmark campus overlooking the Hudson River. Committed to the education of the whole person, and enriched by the unparalleled cultural, educational, and career opportunities of New York City, the University equips students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary for lives of achievement, professional accomplishment, and leadership in the 21st century.