A new Queen’s Career Services guide will help students work towards sustainable futures.
Released on the Career Services website on Feb. 18, the Work With Impact Career Guide was developed by Career Services with the goal of allowing students to plan careers aligned with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as gender equality, climate action, and peace.
The service is designed with opportunities pertaining to each SDG, including clubs at Queen’s, Kingston-based volunteering opportunities and past examples of Queen’s Undergraduate Internship Program (QUIP) internships.
In a statement to The Journal from Nadya Allen, Career Service’s manager of career education and coaching, said the Career Guide was made as a resource for students to plan for their futures.
“Many students are seeking careers that align with their values, contribute to social good, and provide a sense of hope for the future. The guide was developed with students, for students, to help them explore meaningful career paths that address global challenges and align with the UN SDGs,” Allen said.
Allen explained how student Ava Khavaninzadeh, Comm ’26, was hired last summer as part of the Summer Work Experience Program to begin developing the Career Guide.
In a statement to The Journal, Khavaninzadeh explained her involvement in the development of the Career Guide. She’s built prototypes for the website and conducted consultations with faculties and student focus groups for the service over the past summer.
“It’s a great resource for those who want to align their careers with their values and interests—helping them become more responsible, environmentally conscious of society while finding meaningful work,” Khavaninzadeh said.
“I want to spend my time on this planet contributing to its well-being because I believe that’s what truly matters. It gives me a sense of purpose,” she added.
The Career Guide has also been paired with a workshop held on March 5 titled “Exploring Careers with Impact: Aligning Your Path with the UN SDGs,” which provides a space for students to meet and network with four Queen’s alumni, including Stacy Kelly, ArtSci ’96, and executive director for the Community Foundation for Kingston & Area.
In a statement to The Journal, Kelly explained his career is associated with United Nations SDGs four and 11—quality education and sustainable communities and cities, respectively. He expressed his for the initiative, highlighting the importance of enabling students to create impact.
“We must build a more fundamentally equitable society. We actually have the resources. We don’t have the will. Students who want to see the change need to be at the forefront of genuine systemic changes,” Kelly said.
He added the initiative would have been “marvellous” if he had access to the Career Guide during his time as a student.
“Understanding what possible journeys you can take based on real-world examples is enormously helpful and significant value to the Queen’s student experience,” he said.
Students can now access the Career Guide to plan their desired careers.
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