Networking Nights

alum talking to students

The Office of Career and Life Design hosts several networking nights each year for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. 

Mingle with advanced degree alumni and fellow graduate students at our dynamic networking events. These gatherings are ideal for forging connections and fostering professional relationships.

Qualitative Research Night for Masters, PhDs and Postdocs

Tuesday, February 24, 2026 | 5-7 p.m. | Glickman Conference Center

Are you an advanced degree student or scholar engaged in (or want to learn more about) qualitative research? Interested in chatting with professionals working in qualitative research positions? Come meet with alumni and recruiters in a relaxed environment. Ask alumni about their career journey, from academia into industry, their current role, advice on entering the job market and ways to be a competitive candidate. Some alumni will be accompanied by a recruiter from their organization who can answer questions about hiring and navigating the HR process. Represented organizations may be hiring for immediate openings and others will be looking to connect with future candidates. Recommended dress code for this event series is business casual.

Stay tuned for a list of participating companies and recruiters!

Register Now

Event Status
Scheduled
Date and time: Tuesday February 24, 2026, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location:Patton Hall (RLP), Glickman Conference Center, 1.302
Are you an advanced degree, student or scholar engaged in (or want to learn more about) qualitative research? Interested in chatting with professionals working in qualitative research positions? Come meet with alumni and recruiters in a relaxed environment.

2026 Alumni & Recruiters

Click through to learn more about our Spring 2026 participants and read their bios. Check back for updates!

  • Julian Asher

    Julian Asher

    Sr UX Research Manager

    Target

  • Jerica Bornstein

    Jerica Bornstein

    UX Research

    Expedia Group

    Human Development and Family Sciences, Ph.D.

  • Vershanjali Chauhan

    Vershanjali Chauhan

    Senior UX Designer

    Target

    MSIS 2024

  • Lynn Cowles

    Lynn Cowles

    Health and Food Justice Programs Manager

    Every Texan

  • Merrill Davis

    Merrill Davis

    Vice President of Communications

    Texas 2036

    Master of Public Affairs

  • Sydney Hussett

    Sydney Hussett

    UX Researcher

    Expedia Group

  • Stacia Long

    Stacia Long

    Senior Research Scientist

    Gibson Consulting Group

    UT MA Language and Literacy Education

  • Amber O'Connor

    Amber O’Connor

    Food Policy Analyst

    Every Texan

    Anthropology, Ph.D. and MA

  • Stacy Ganderson

    Stacey Swinehart Ganderson

    Head of Accessibility

    Cornerstone OnDemand

  • headshot

    Jacqueline Whearty

    Research Associate

    Center for Policy Research

    Human Development and Family Sciences, Ph.D. 2021, M.A. 2018

  • Jess White

    Jess White

    Director of UX Research

    Expedia Group

    Linguistics, Ph.D. and M.A.

  • Jocelyn Wright

    Jocelyn Wright

    Director, Community and Market Development

    Six Red Marbles

    French, Ph.D. and M.A.

  • Rick Ybarra

    Rick Ybarra

    Senior Program Officer

    Hogg Foundation for Mental Health

Past Networking Nights

Quant Night for Masters, PhDs and Postdocs

Thursday, October 30, 2025 | 5-7 p.m.
Texas Science & Natural History Museum

Are you a quantitative/data-focused advanced degree student or scholar? Interested in chatting with professionals within the data science field? Come meet with alumni and recruiters in a relaxed environment at this campus-wide networking event. 

Ask alumni about their career journey, from academia into industry, their current role, advice on entering the job market and ways to be a competitive candidate. Some alumni will be accompanied by a recruiter from their organization who can answer questions about hiring and navigating the HR process. Represented organizations may be hiring for immediate openings and others will be looking to connect with future candidates. Recommended dress code for this event is business casual. 

Companies Include: Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Demand Side Analytics, Holdsworth Center, Maximus, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Expedia, SOAR, Goldman Sachs, Evolent Health, Sandia National Labs, Gibson Consulting, and more- stay tuned for more updates!

2025 Employers and Alumni

  • Jonathan Beber

    Jonny Beber

    Senior Quantitative UX Researcher

    Expedia

  • Valerie Bradford

    Valerie Bradford

    Principal Scientist

    Procter & Gamble

    Chemistry Ph.D., 2008

  • Conor Cunningham

    Conor Cunningham

    Partner Architect/Engineering Manager

    Microsoft

    Computer Science, MS

  • Georgia Eberley

    Georgia Eberley

    Engineering Campus Recruiter

    Goldman Sachs

  • alejandra

    Alejandra Garza

    Senior Program Coordinator

    The Holdsworth Center

    History, Ph.D.

  • Melissa Humphries

    Melissa Humphries

    Assistant Director of Data Management and Research

    Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

    Sociology, Ph.D.

  • Yughi Kim

    Yughi Kim

    Senior Director, Data Management & Research

    Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

    Higher Education Leadership, Ph.D.

  • Darshan Kobla

    Darshan Kobla

    Partner, Pathfinding, Product & Test Engineering

    Microsoft

    Electrical Engineering, MS

  • Kristen Lopez

    Kristen Lopez

    Sr. Specialist - Recruitment

    Maximus

  • Michelle Lucas

    Michelle Lucas

    Senior Data Analyst

    The Holdsworth Center

    Human Development, Ph.D.

  • cathy malerba

    Cathy Malerba

    Executive Director

    Gibson Consulting

    Human Development and Family Sciences, Ph.D.

  • adam markman

    Adam Markman

    Senior Data Scientist

    Procter & Gamble

    Electrical and ComputerEngineering, Ph.D.

  • Amy McCurdy

    Amy McCurdy

    Director, Data Management and Research

    Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

    Human Development and Family Studies, Ph.D.

  • John miner

    John Miner

    Chief Information Architect

    Sandia National Labs

  • Nadine Miner

    Nadine Miner

    UT Campus Partnership Manager

    Sandia National Labs

    Ph.D.

  • Jorge Naciff

    Jorge Naciff

    Principal Scientist

    Procter & Gamble

    Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Ph.D.

  • Yewande

    Yewande Obuekwe

    Manager, Reporting and Analytics

    Maximus

  • Fatma Tarlaci

    Fatma Tarlaci

    Chief AI Officer

    SOAR

    Adjuct Assistant Computer Professor, UT Austin

    Comparative Literature, PhD, 2016

  • jennifer_vandewalle

    Jennifer Vandewalle

    Director of Support Services

    Maximus

    MPAff, Public Affairs, 2006

  • Nikolaos Vergos

    Nikolaos Vergos

    Director of Data Science

    Evolent Health

    Physics, Ph.D.

  • John Walkington

    John Walkington

    Consultant

    Demand Side Analytics

    Economics, MA, 2022

  • alyssa white

    Alyssa White

    Head of UX Research

    Expedia

    Applied Experimental and Human Factors Psychology, Ph.D.

Arts & Humanities Night for Grad Students and Postdocs

Thursday, April 10, 2025 | 5-7 p.m.

Are you a graduate student or postdoc interested in a career in culture, literature and the arts? Interested in chatting with industry professionals who share your creative spark? Arts & Humanities Night is a campus-wide networking and recruitment event for graduate students in the arts and humanities.

Come meet with alumni and recruiters in a relaxed, open environment. Ask about their career journey, the transition from academia into industry, their current role and advice on entering the job market, being a competitive candidate and navigating the HR and hiring process.

Recommended dress code for this event is business casual.

SHIFT Makers mocktails and hors d'oeuvres will be served.