Illinois Tech × Braven · Partnership Channel
The Braven Partnership at Illinois Tech
A national partnership built to help Illinois Tech students land strong first jobs — through credit-bearing coursework, small-cohort coaching, and a national community of fellows.
Braven is a national nonprofit that partners with universities to help students launch strong careers. Illinois Tech is the newest Braven partner — bringing the model to our undergraduates through BRVN 200: Braven Career Success, a three-credit course launching Fall 2026.
The partnership combines structured curriculum, weekly small-group mentorship from a working professional, and a real-world capstone challenge with an employer partner. Fellows complete the experience more confident, more connected, and ready for the early-career job market.
Proven Outcomes
Join 15,500+ Braven Fellows Nationally
57%
of Braven Fellows from the Class of 2025 secured strong first jobs within six months of graduation — 12 percentage points ahead of peers nationally.
+22pts
Braven 2024 graduates were 22 percentage points more likely to have completed at least one internship compared to graduates nationally.
92%
six-year on-time graduation rate among Braven Fellows nationally — a meaningful margin above peer institutions.
Source: Braven Jobs Report (National), 2025.
“Braven taught me that my identity is not a liability to be managed, but a cornerstone of my professional brand.”
BRANDON POPLAR · SPRING 2024 BRAVEN FELLOW · VANGUARD
How the Course Works
Three Phases Across One Semester
BRVN 200 is structured in three progressive phases. Throughout, fellows work in small cross-disciplinary cohorts — engineering majors alongside business, design, computing, and humanities students — building the kind of teamwork that mirrors real workplaces.
I.
Design Your Career
Bond with your cohort through shared core-value stories, explore leadership and career interests, and build a personal career project plan. Includes the “Find My Ikigai” exercise — a framework for identifying the intersection of what you enjoy, what you are good at, and what careers align with both.
II.
Launch Your Career
Build and refine your resume, develop interview skills through mock interviews with working professionals, conduct informational interviews, and learn to communicate your story and strengths clearly and concisely.
III.
Capstone Challenge
Partner with a local employer for a five-week capstone project. Use design thinking to solve a real-world problem, then present your solutions to a panel of professionals — developing teamwork, leadership, project planning, and public speaking skills along the way.
Who It’s For
A Single Course That Checks Multiple Boxes
BRVN 200 qualifies as a required or optional Elevate experience and satisfies the career component for students in the Chicago Difference and Hope Chicago scholarship programs. If you are looking for one experience that checks multiple boxes on your Elevate checklist, this is it.
Elevate Badges You Can Earn
Professional Communications · Career Critical Thinker · Collaboration Champion · Leadership Development
Ask your Elevate Student Success Coach about how Braven fits your specific requirements.
Course Details
What to Expect
Course: BRVN 200 — Braven Career Success
Credits: 3 credits (counts toward your undergraduate degree and GPA)
Format: Hybrid — primarily virtual with three in-person sessions
Semester: Fall 2026 only
Eligibility: Sophomores and juniors (no declared major required); recommended for transfer students
Section 1: Wednesdays, 5:00–7:00 PM
Section 2: Thursdays, 3:15–5:15 PM
Featured Stories
Real Fellows. Real Outcomes.
Two short films from the Braven national community trace the journeys current and former fellows have taken — from first generation college students to senior associates at Fortune 500 employers. Watch them on the Braven Career Success course landing page.
Opening Doors to the American Dream
Robneek and Jill’s Journey with Prudential
A short film tracing how the Braven experience helped two fellows connect with Prudential and launch professional careers grounded in their own lived experience.
Watch the Film on Vimeo →Braven: The Next Generation of Leaders
Crystal’s Braven Story
Crystal’s story — how the Braven Leadership Coach model, the small-cohort discussions, and the capstone challenge translated into the confidence she carried into her first professional role.
Watch the Film on Vimeo →After the Course
It Doesn’t End When the Course Does
After completing BRVN 200, fellows gain continued access to a national community of peers, leadership coaches, and professional opportunities — including MyBraven (the digital platform), Career Communities across STEM, Business, Health, Arts & Media, Public Service, and Explorers, a biweekly opportunities newsletter, the senior-year Ready-to-Launch bootcamp, and an optional 12-week 1:1 Professional Mentoring Program.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible?
Sophomores and juniors. Transfer students at equivalent standing are also recommended. No declared major required.
Does it affect my GPA?
Yes. BRVN 200 is a 3-credit course that factors into your GPA. Due to the cohort model, full attendance and participation are expected.
Will Braven place me in a job or internship?
Braven is not a placement organization. It ensures fellows have the confidence, skills, experiences, and networks to apply and succeed on their own — and provides ongoing access to an opportunities newsletter and Braven’s exclusive Talent Directory.
Where can I learn more?
Read the full Braven Career Success course landing page for the complete FAQ, fellow voices, and films.
Curated Resources
Where to Go Next
Illinois Tech & Braven
Braven Career Success course landing page · Illinois Tech × Braven · braven.org · Braven Jobs Report 2025
