Have you ever heard the term ‘on the cutting edge’? It refers to something that is innovative – smart, skilled, and forward thinking. The University of Redlands provides you with experiences, skills and opportunities that allow you to be on the cutting edge of the 21st century workplace. The focus on personalized education allows you to further sharpen your skills and define your unique ability to be ‘on the cutting edge.’ The Redlands Edge Program provides you with an intentional opportunity for you to track those experiences and reflect on their meaning. By capturing your experiences in the moment, you are writing your own narrative. Once it’s written down, you will be prepared to share your story – on applications, in future interviews, and/or on the job.
Your participation will set you up for success in the moment and prepare you to enter the workforce with confidence, competency, and clarity of purpose.
No. The Redlands Edge is optional and self-paced. Students may engage with the program at any point in their academic journey to track and reflect on accomplishments across key areas of career and personal development, but completion is not required.
At this time, all undergraduate students are eligible to participate! A note to the class of 2026 – you can still participate even if you did not take SSRV 200.
Graduate Student programs are under development. While there is currently not a formal tracking system for graduate students, you can absolutely track your experiences on your resume, in your cover letters, and on your portfolio/linkedin/website… or even in your thesis! To discuss your goals, reach out your career advisor for an appointment on Handshake.
The program requires you to complete three foundational components AND three electives:
- SSRV 200: Professional Development for a Meaningful Life (waived for class of 2026)
- This 2-credit, asynchronous course provides students a flexible way to learn useful career resources, goal setting strategies, and crucial workplace competencies.
- Career & Professional Event Attendance
- Engage with at least one career workshop or signature event such as the Fall or Spring Career Fair or our weekly Employer Engagement series. View and RSVP on Handshake (we have a Job & Internship Fair every semester).
- Core 4 Participation
- Our academic programs are rich in experiential learning. Track your accomplishments in Academic Research, Career-related internships, Community Service- Learning internships, and/or Study Away.
- Complete four electives to define your unique professional edge:
- 1:1 Career Planning Session – Tailor your job search and professional development plan with the support of an OCPD staff member.
- Gallup Clifton Strengths Assessment – Gain clarity about your natural talents and learn how to turn your self-knowledge into action through an assessment and 1:1 session. Email ocpd@redlands.edu to receive your assessment code. Already have your report? Book on Handshake.
- Personal Brand Development – Tell your story by creating a professional LinkedIn page, Website, and/or Portfolio. Resources available at ocpd.redlands.edu.
- Informational Interviewing – Expand your network while gaining insight into career paths of interest by speaking with alumni and professionals. Check out our conversation and outreach templates!
- Bulldog Trek – Join a travel experience designed for 1st and 2nd year students to meet alumni, tour employer sites, and chart your path to internships and future career options. Watch our video to learn more about the opportunity – applications are open in December for Spring Break and March for July. Did you participate in another networking travel event? Include that and ask for a review from the OCPD staff.
- Professional Upskilling – Take advantage of FREE job simulations through Forage and micro-credentials through Udemy (coming soon) and to boost your employability. Follow one of our employer recommended paths or create your own!
- Coursework: There are many internal opportunities to enhance your U of R major with popular classes such as Excel or Financial Literacy – ask your academic advisor about options!
Track your experiences in Navigate. Click on your ‘Journeys’ tab and you will see ‘The Redlands Edge Journey.’ From there, select each requirement or elective that you are working on, review the information and links, and fill out the completion details with your student comments. For completion reason, select ‘this is completed.’ Provide any reflections and/or information in the “student comment’ box. We encourage you to review your Journey each term to ensure it stays current! The OCPD staff will review and approve your submissions and updated your Edge progress. If you have any questions, reach out to us at ocpd@redlands.edu.
We will be happy to address any other questions that you have! Feel free to reach out to the Office of Career & Professional Development through our email (ocpd@redlands.edu), phone (909-728-8030), or come by our drop in hours: Tuesday – Thursday from 1pm – 4 pm. Specific Questions? Find your career specialist here: http://ocpd.redlands.edu/about-us/.
