King's makes promise to students, employers, and community

King’s University College has launched The King’s Promise, a signature program designed to guarantee students meaningful employment within their first six months post-graduation. The King’s Promise gives students starting in Fall 2021 opportunities to participate in programming created or supported by the Office of Student Affairs and other departments at King’s.

“Overall, The King’s Promise is designed to enhance our students' experiences by empowering them to achieve their educational, career and life goals while being aligned with King’s mission as a “Place to Be and a Place to Become,” says Joe Henry, Dean of Students.

The focus of the program is on student engagement and career development enabling students to become adaptive, intuitive and compassionate leaders. Students will participate in opportunities that will expand their outlook and provide valuable experiences that they can include in a resume, speak about in an interview and use to guide their own personal growth.

“Catholic social teaching outlines the dignity of productive, meaningful and rewarding work as a right for all people - this is the essence of authentic leadership. The King’s Promise will prepare our graduates to animate workplaces that put emphasis on the values of growth, development and personal fulfilment for individuals and the community, consistent with our mission at King’s,” says Dr. David Malloy, Principal of King’s University College.

The King’s Promise will be unique, as it is built on the three-pillar promise:

1. A promise to students: King’s will guarantee additional undergraduate courses and career preparation, at no cost, for up to one-year post-graduation if new alumni are unable to attain meaningful employment after six months post-graduation. Students in the King’s Promise program will be encouraged to fully engage at King’s and participate in career building opportunities to help them achieve their goals.
2. A promise to employers: King’s is contributing to the development of well-rounded students for current and future workplaces by collaborating with the London Economic Development Corporation. The King’s Promise will help employers understand the value of the King’s student experience, which helps to develop adaptive, intuitive and compassionate leaders. 
3. A promise to the community: King’s is contributing to the development of change makers and thought leaders who will make a difference in London and other communities. Our program is endorsed by the Mayor of London. Sixty percent of King’s students come from London and King’s is making a commitment to develop talent for meaningful employment and city-builders of the future who want to get connected and make a difference. King’s growing international population means a diverse student body who want to start meaningful careers and give back to life in London.

“The benefits of the King’s Promise Program are immense and extend far beyond the institution and the graduates themselves. Local employers achieve a better understanding of the skills gained by students who enroll at King’s, while all Londoners reap the rewards of the positive impacts these graduates inevitably wind up making here in our community. By virtue of innovative programs such as The King’s Promise, King’s University College demonstrates once more that not only is it an integral piece of London’s history, it is an absolutely vital component of London’s future,” says Ed Holder, Mayor of London.

The King’s Promise will better prepare students to start their careers upon graduation. Throughout the program, students will be provided with the tools necessary for academic/career success. They will be encouraged to fully engage at King’s and participate in career building opportunities to help them achieve their goals. Through this, our community will have future leaders who will change our community for the better.

“This promising initiative will better match emerging King’s talent with in-demand career opportunities in the London region, one of Canada’s fastest growing communities,” said Kapil Lakhotia ’02, President & CEO, London Economic Development Corporation.

The King’s Promise has an advisory body of alumni and community members who will support the ongoing development of the program:

• Chris Overholt ’87 - President and CEO, OverActive Media Group
• Jennifer Anderson - Associate Alumna - Chief of Operations and Service Excellence, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB)
• Michelle Eaton ’05 - Vice-President of Communications and Government Relations, Ontario Chamber of Commerce
• Jason Peetsma ’01 - Managing Partner, Egility
• Violette Khammad ’18 - Corporate Security Coordinator, CIBC
• David Ennett ’13 - Manager, Service London Contact Centre, City of London
• Andrew Webb ’13 - SEO –Founder, employedhistorian.com
• Mike Sherlock – President, Knighthunter.com

To learn more about The King’s Promise please attend our Virtual Open House on Saturday November 7, 2020, noon – 4 p.m. and drop into the Student Life sessions. For more information, please visit www.kings.uwo.ca/kings-promise/.