Na’kia Channey (Organizational Studies & International Studies ‘20) has an impressive résumé for someone who graduated just under two years ago, and during a pandemic. As a first-generation college student in LSA, she became a firm believer in the power of developing a professional network because it helped her secure internships at the Human Rights Campaign, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and then Google, which then led to her current role in their San Francisco office as Racial Equity Program Manager. In this practical Alum Connection, Na’kia will provide ideas and tools for breaking through your shyness around networking. She’ll get you thinking about potential internships to help you learn what you may want to do in your career, and help you navigate the significant resources the U-M and LSA has to offer.


About Na’kia:
Na’kia Channey is a 2020 graduate of the University of Michigan with a BA in Organizational Studies and International Studies. She is a Strategic Project Manager at Google where she works closely with experts to define and execute the industry-defining Racial Equity Commitments and company-wide People Strategy. While an LSA student, Na’kia acquired competitive internships in top nonprofits and Fortune 100 companies, notably the Human Rights Campaign and Google. She is a first-generation college student and has broken down barriers, attributing her success to her unique networking and job search approach which has allowed her to secure internships while bypassing the typical application process. In her spare time, she manages a career coaching business where she is passionate about providing concrete, tangible advice that professionals can utilize to achieve the careers that they have always envisioned.

You should attend this session if you are:
A UM undergraduate LSA student who is considering doing an internship and are looking for guidance on where to begin
Seeking a career in social justice that meets your compensation goals
A first-generation college student seeking connection with a first-generation LSA alum

What you’ll gain by attending:
Practical tools for developing and maintaining a network of contacts
Access to a recently graduated alum who can support you in thinking about internships and other career preparation steps
A deeper look social justice roles and DEI work across nonprofits and corporations

Interaction Level: Moderate

RSVP now to be part of the conversation. The link to join this Alum Connection will be emailed to you after you RSVP.

The LSA Opportunity Hub aims to deliver inclusive and accessible experiences and welcomes all LSA students to participate. This event will be hosted on Zoom (learn more about Zoom accessibility) and can be accessed by phone or computer. Presentation materials may be shared in advance if requested, and live captioning will be provided. To request other accommodations please contact Anna Colvin at ancolvin@umich.edu so we can make arrangements.