Most students move through college without a strategy. They stay busy, collect experiences, and hope things work out — and graduate without the outcomes they were working toward.
These programs give students a framework for changing that. Not motivation. Not generic career advice. A practical, repeatable system for making decisions that compound toward real outcomes — internships, job offers, and grad school admissions.
Workshops & Keynotes for Colleges and Universities
Trusted by 40+ colleges, universities, and high schools:
Pitzer College | Claremont McKenna College | University of Tennessee Knoxville | University of Texas at Dallas | Menlo College | University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | Cornell University | University of Alabama | Stevens Institute of Technology | Loyola University New Orleans | San Francisco State University | Western Michigan University | Pomona College | National College of Ireland | University of South Florida | Stevenson Institute | McMaster University | Claremont Graduate University (CGU) | Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) | Eastern Michigan University | Harvey Mudd College | Scripps College | Lewis & Clark College | Eastern Nazarene College | East Carolina University | Cornerstone University | Converse University | UNC Greensboro | Roanoke College | Belmont Abbey College | University of North Georgia | California Baptist University | West Texas A&M | Amarillo College | Pacific University | Elon University | Westchester Country Day School | Rotary Youth Leadership Academy |
Pitzer College | Claremont McKenna College | University of Tennessee Knoxville | University of Texas at Dallas | Menlo College | University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | Cornell University | University of Alabama | Stevens Institute of Technology | Loyola University New Orleans | San Francisco State University | Western Michigan University | Pomona College | National College of Ireland | University of South Florida | Stevenson Institute | McMaster University | Claremont Graduate University (CGU) | Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) | Eastern Michigan University | Harvey Mudd College | Scripps College | Lewis & Clark College | Eastern Nazarene College | East Carolina University | Cornerstone University | Converse University | UNC Greensboro | Roanoke College | Belmont Abbey College | University of North Georgia | California Baptist University | West Texas A&M | Amarillo College | Pacific University | Elon University | Westchester Country Day School | Rotary Youth Leadership Academy |
What our workshops and keynotes cover
Programs are built around one core idea: that the students who build the strongest outcomes aren't simply the smartest or the hardest working — they're the ones who learn how to think strategically about college before it is too late.
Sessions draw from a framework that helps students align their decisions with long-term goals, identify and pursue high-ROI opportunities, build experiences that compound over time, and tell their story clearly and confidently — to recruiters, grad school committees, and anyone else who needs to understand their value.
Topics include college and career strategy, career exploration, internship preparation, LinkedIn and professional presence, networking, AI in the job search, interview preparation, and more.
Popular sessions
College by Design™
A foundational framework for approaching college strategically — helping students make decisions that compound toward internships, job offers, and grad school admissions from day one.
Experiences That Count
Two students can go through the exact same experience and walk away with completely different outcomes. This session teaches students the difference between holding a role and owning one — and how to turn any internship, campus leadership role, or on-campus employment into career capital.
Leveraging LinkedIn as a College Student
Not just building a profile — using LinkedIn as a strategic tool for networking, recruiter visibility, and career exploration.
Using AI in the Internship and Job Search
How to use tools like ChatGPT as a genuine career advantage — for exploration, application materials, interview prep, and more.
Building Your Career Compass
Most students know they're supposed to explore careers — few know how. This session gives students a practical three-part system for finding direction, closing gaps, and making intentional moves — even when the path isn't clear yet.
How it works
Every engagement starts with a conversation — about your students, your goals, and what your office is trying to accomplish. From there we determine which sessions fit best and how to tailor them to your context.
Engagements can be delivered as a standalone keynote, a single workshop, or a multi-session series. Some institutions start with one session and expand from there.
If you're not sure what format fits, that's what the first conversation is for.
What students walk away with
Every session includes a student workbook — a practical, immediately usable resource tied directly to the session content. Not a handout. A tool students can return to throughout college as their goals and circumstances evolve.
About the facilitator
Lasse Palomaki is the founder of The Strategic Student LLC and has delivered keynotes and workshops at 40+ colleges and universities, reaching 5,000+ students across every major.
He holds certifications in instructional design from the Association for Talent Development (ATD) and in design thinking from IDEO — meaning every session is built with the same rigor applied to the best corporate training programs in the world, and designed to actually change how students think, not just what they know for an hour.
He also serves as Associate Director of Alumni Career Services at Elon University, where he works directly with students, alumni, and employers daily.
→ Connect on LinkedIn
Interested in a workshop? Fill out the Workshop Interest Form below.