About Network Matters

Building the bridge between academic achievement and career success.

Our Mission

The social capital gap leaves talented students professionally disconnected and underprepared. Your zip code and your parents' careers shouldn't determine your professional future.

Too many students graduate academically qualified but professionally underprepared. They have the grades, the degree, the intelligence — but they don't have the connections, the confidence, or the practiced skills to launch successful careers.

Hard work and good grades should be enough to launch a career. Career readiness should be democratic, not dependent on built-in advantages.

43%
Recent grads underemployed
70%
Jobs found through networking
35%
First-gen students lack professional networks
50%
Employers say grads lack soft skills

Our Story

We started Network Matters because we saw firsthand how overwhelming professional life feels when you don't have connections or practice. We've been where you are.

We watched talented students struggle not because they lacked ability, but because they lacked the social capital that others took for granted. Students who could ace exams but froze in networking events. Students with incredible potential who couldn't articulate their value in interviews. Students who graduated still wondering if they were ready.

"Career centers offer advice. We offer community and practice. That's the difference."

We realized that the problem wasn't the students. The problem was the system. One-off workshops don't build lasting skills. Career center appointments don't replace sustained mentorship. LinkedIn connections don't substitute for authentic relationships built over time.

So we built something different. A multi-semester community where students practice professional skills alongside real employers and peers. Where relationships develop naturally through repeated engagement. Where confidence grows through safe repetition, not high-stakes moments.

Our Approach

📅

Multi-Semester Community

Not one-off events. We're with you for an entire academic year, building skills and relationships through repeated engagement.

💪

Practice Over Theory

You don't learn to swim by reading about it. Professional skills come from doing, failing, getting feedback, and trying again.

🤝

Real Employer Engagement

Our employer partners aren't just recruiters. They're mentors, workshop leaders, and networking connections invested in your growth.

Meet the Team

Network Matters was founded by professionals who remember what it's like to feel underprepared and who are committed to changing the career development landscape.

Jayne Samborn
Jayne Samborn
Co-Founder & Executive Director

Jayne brings a passion for nonprofit work and a track record of leadership across campus organizations and community initiatives. As a college student herself, she understands firsthand what students need to succeed professionally.

Andrea Spiro
Andrea Spiro
Co-Founder & Chief Administrative Officer

Andrea ensures Network Matters runs smoothly and sustainably. Her operational expertise turns vision into reality for students and employer partners.

Our Values

Equity

Social capital shouldn't depend on zip code, family background, or who you happen to know. We're committed to making professional development accessible to all students, regardless of their starting point.

Practice Over Theory

Skills come from repetition. We create safe environments where students can practice, fail, get feedback, and improve before high-stakes moments like job interviews.

Community First

You're not navigating professional development alone. We build cohorts where students support each other, learn together, and form lasting relationships.

Sustained Engagement

One workshop doesn't change careers. Relationships and confidence build over time through consistent engagement and authentic connection.

Our Impact

Pilot Goals (Fall 2026 - Spring 2027)

Launch at University of Maryland with 75-100 students. Partner with 15-20 employers. Measure confidence growth, network development, and job placement outcomes.

Long-Term Vision

Expand to universities nationwide. Build a multi-campus network where students connect across institutions. Create a scalable model any college can adopt.

Commitment to Measurement

We track what matters: confidence assessments, network growth, skill development, job placement rates, and long-term career trajectories.

Join the Movement

Be part of building a future where all students can launch successful careers.

Apply for Fall 2026