How do you teach students to think ethically in a world that’s constantly shifting the rules?
What happens when students are given the space to listen, reflect, and challenge their own assumptions?
Last week, I volunteered at the Rotary Club’s Ethics Symposium, where 200 high school juniors tackled tough ethical dilemmas:
A student struggling academically—should they let a classmate cheat off them?
A high school intern feeling sidelined with low-level work—was this about experience or bias?
How should their school create an anti-hate speech policy that actually works?
Students learning ethical frameworks developed by the Rotary Club, which are outlined on the cubes they're holding.
By the end of the morning, students reflected on what they had learned. And here’s what struck me:
They expected heated debates—but instead, they listened.
They created space for different perspectives and walked away with new insights.
They saw how ethical frameworks could help them make better decisions in everyday life.
They recognized that their own experiences were limited, and it was worth making room for voices different from their own.
Most of all, they saw that community matters—that open, respectful conversations actually build community.
Student reflecting on her experience at the Ethics Symposium
One student said:
"If our leaders used these ethical frameworks for decision-making, we’d be in a much better place."
That one hit me.
Because while these students amazed me with their thoughtfulness and engagement, I couldn't shake an underlying reality:
The anti-DEI political rhetoric and policies were ever-present—either overtly in discussion or subtly in the background.
These students will be stepping onto college campuses in just 18 months. And I have to wonder:
What kind of support will be in place for students from underrepresented backgrounds?
What will career services look like if DEI programs and staff are being eliminated?
At its heart, career services is a social justice effort.
So, the question is: how do we retain that mission while staying under the radar of anti-DEI mandates?
Whether your institution is:
Actively eliminating DEI programs (insert my heart breaking)
Weighing the decision (are you holding your breath, too?)
Here are five ways career services can continue serving all students—without running afoul of new policies.
5 smart DEI workarounds for career services
1️⃣ Rebrand programs as student success initiatives
If “DEI” is a political landmine, shift the framing. Align language with career readiness, student success, or professional development—terms that resonate with institutional priorities.
Example:
A first-gen career program becomes a career readiness fast-track open to all students, with built-in targeted support.
A diversity mentoring program is rebranded as a future leaders mentoring program, maintaining the same intentionality but broader appeal.
Why it works: It keeps career services centered on student success while ensuring key resources remain available.
2️⃣ Program through identity-based student orgs
If career services can’t host identity-based programs, bring career content into student organizations instead.
Strategies:
Partner with cultural orgs, first-gen clubs, and affinity groups to integrate career discussions into their existing meetings.
Train student leaders to connect their peers with internships, alumni networks, and career resources.
Provide plug-and-play career workshop templates so student orgs can lead discussions on their own terms.
Why it works: Students engage where they feel comfortable—this makes career services part of their existing communities.
3️⃣ Double-down on featuring diverse alumni
Students often don’t see themselves in traditional career pathways. Featuring alumni with varied backgrounds and experiences helps bridge that gap.
Strategies:
Incorporate diverse alumni panels and career storytelling events.
Use social media takeovers, video spotlights, and newsletter profiles to highlight alumni voices.
Run an Alumni Career Stories campaign featuring first-gen, LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and professionals with accessibility needs.
Why it works: Representation builds belonging—without needing to frame it as DEI.
4️⃣ Use strategic outreach to get the right resources to the right students
Career centers already send emails—but what if they were more targeted and proactive?
Strategies:
Segment student lists based on first-gen, Pell-eligible, or underrepresented status, and send tailored resources.
Identify students who haven’t engaged yet and send personalized invitations to career programming.
Offer resource roundups designed for specific student populations, like “Navigating careers as a first-gen student.”
Why it works: It makes career services feel personal and relevant, ensuring students see resources that speak to them.
5️⃣ Strengthen career center accessibility and visibility
If certain student groups have felt disconnected from career services, it’s time to change that.
Strategies:
Improve physical and digital accessibility to ensure all students can navigate resources easily.
Audit job and internship language and career materials to reflect diverse career paths.
Hold office hours in cultural centers, disability resource centers, or student lounges to meet students where they are.
Why it works: It signals inclusion and belonging—without needing to explicitly frame it as DEI.
Stay true to your mission
Career services has always been about expanding access, closing opportunity gaps, and ensuring every student finds meaningful career opportunities.
That mission hasn’t changed.
What may need to change is how we operate.
We know how to work within systems to create real change.
We’ve built programs that adapt to shifting priorities.
We’ve navigated complex institutional dynamics for years.
We know how to make an impact quietly, effectively, and strategically.
That’s what this moment calls for.
Clark Kent changing into Superman
So as policies shift, Reader, keep your focus on the students.
Make the case for career readiness and student success.
Align with the people who want to drive real change.And remember—you’re not in this alone.
💡 What’s working on your campus?
Reply and let me know—I’d love to share strategies (with credit to your thought leadership, of course!) in a future newsletter so we can all learn from each other.
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