UVA’s College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Launches Innovative Career Design and Discovery Initiative for All Undergraduates

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 19, 2026--

The University of Virginia College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences ("the College") is deepening its investment in experiential learning and career exploration with the launch of a robust Career Design and Discovery initiative. Julia Lapan, a noted expert in innovative career and professional development across varied leading academic institutions, was selected as the inaugural executive director of career design and discovery after a national search led by Heidrick & Struggles.

Believed to be the first of its kind and size among liberal-arts institutions, the initiative builds on the College’s successful launch and scale of a high-impact transformation of pre-major advising, which helps students understand the varied academic paths to desired and potential careers. In under two years, the approach brought student satisfaction rates for advising from 64 to 89 percent.

“Contrary to conventional wisdom of the past 20 years liberal arts and sciences students have the greatest variety of fulfilling and financially rewarding career options, and the key is helping them recognize and develop potential pathways at the same time they’re exploring academic interests,” said Christa Acampora, dean of the College, which is home to three-quarters of entering UVA undergraduates. “As AI becomes more capable and prominent, genuinely human intelligence will become increasingly valuable in the workplace and in life. A primary goal of a liberal arts education is to help students develop, cultivate, and deploy the core components of human intelligence: curiosity, creativity, discernment, judgment, empathy, moral attention, and imagination. These capabilities are highly prized in the workplace as well.”

In her new role, Lapan will draw on her experience creating and implementing a similar career-design model across UVA’s School of Engineering and Applied Science. Through Career Design and Discovery, students will connect their academics and self-inquiry to related professional development, including internships, co-curricular opportunities, research, study abroad, and community engagement.

“I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to realize the vision for students to become active designers of their futures and embrace a sense of adventure and purpose as they move through their undergraduate journey,” said Lapan. “I believe the roadmap for students to navigate their academic and career paths involves four things: time and space to reflect on curiosities, interests, and values; support for experiences that build their confidence and skills; access to a robust network of professional connections; and finally, they need hope, which will spur them to take action toward all of the ‘next steps’ in their lives.”

Lapan brings to the new position more than two decades of success enhancing career readiness programming across multiple disciplines, including liberal arts, social sciences and engineering. She most recently served as assistant dean for career development in UVA Engineering. Earlier in her career she held leadership positions in development and alumni relations for Johns Hopkins University's School of Engineering and led employer relations for JHU's Krieger School of Arts & Sciences and Whiting School of Engineering. Lapan holds a bachelor's degree from the College of the Holy Cross and master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Virginia.

“Talent is everywhere, but access is not. By integrating career design into advising and the classroom, the College is widening the doorway so that all students can see clear pathways to opportunities,” said Christian Garcia, UVA’s associate vice president, career & professional development. “We know it will have a powerful effect across our UVA ecosystem and we’re eager to partner with the College on every aspect.”

“A core tenet of education is to help students develop the knowledge, creativity, habits of mind and self-reflection that fuel lives of meaning and purpose,” continued Acampora. “We look forward to Julia’s leadership building this exciting new endeavor, which will transform our students’ experience and set a new standard of excellence for higher education.”

Please visit the Career Design and Discovery website for more information.

About the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
https://as.virginia.edu

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SOURCE: University of Virginia College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences

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PUB: 02/19/2026 09:07 AM/DISC: 02/19/2026 09:07 AM

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