Earning professional development points and badges
Our goal: Give Business Jayhawks everything they need to make their careers take off.
Using the Suitable app, students can track activities, eligible event attendance and certifications, and more to earn points and badges required for graduation.
Business Jayhawks can build professional excellence by developing four career competencies, which are based on the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) standards and the school's student development plan.
Badge and point requirements
Students must earn four badges, each of which are tied to career competencies:
- (build the) NEST
- HATCH (a plan)
- EXTEND (your wings)
- SOAR (into the future)
To earn the Nest, Hatch, and Extend badges, students will complete professional development activities to earn at least 50 points per badge (at least 150 total).
To earn the Soar badge, students will complete a required experiential learning component.
Level up
Students who go above and beyond can earn special recognition:
- Captain: 100 points in each of Nest, Hatch, Extend competency badges
- Aviator: 150 points in each of Nest, Hatch, Extend competency badges
- Dean's Badge of Excellence: 200 points in each of Nest, Hatch, Extend competency badges
Students can use the Suitable app to track point-eligible activities, trainings or certifications.
The app provides opportunities to earn professional development points, which are required for graduation.
Using the app
- Download the Suitable app from the App Store or Google Play.
- Open the app and enter your default KU email address. (Your default email address will be your KU-Online-ID @ ku.edu.)
- Press continue and enter your password to log in.
- Allow camera access to scan QR codes.
Having trouble logging into Suitable? Be sure you use your full alphanumeric KU email address (ex: a123b456@ku.edu), not an alias or the local part by itself. Still having issues? Email professionalism@ku.edu.
Student points accountability policy
By registering for an professional development point-eligible event involving an external party, you acknowledge the commitment of time and resources others have made to ensure your ability to participate, as well as your responsibility in maintaining the reputation of the KU School of Business.
While we understand that life can present unforeseen emergencies, no-showing the day of the event — or canceling less than 24 hours out — without extenuating circumstances will result in a hold on your Suitable account. You will earn no points until you have provided a formal letter of explanation. Repeat offenses will result in an extended hold on your Suitable account, up to a semester in length, and may lead to ineligibility for scholarships. You may also be referred for review as potential academic misconduct.
FAQ
Earning points provides KU Business undergraduate students with additional opportunities for involvement through a variety of events, certifications and workshops.
This increased student involvement expands students’ foundational knowledge, elevates resumes, and gives Business Jayhawks a competitive edge in the job market.
Students can use the search bar under the activities tab in Suitable. If the student is not searching for a particular event or certification, the student can filter using competencies, experience tags or levels. Students can select more than one filter at a time, further narrowing down a search.
Students can find current point standings under the scorecard tab, under total experience.
Additionally, in the scorecard tab, students can find their achievements, the progress they have made on each competency and activities they have uploaded for points.
Students who transfer into the School of Business during their junior year or after from an external institution or another major (defined as having 60+ transfer credit hours) will have some credit applied to their Suitable account to accommodate for their shortened timeline.
If this applies to you, look for the Junior/Senior Transfer Waiver activity in Suitable and request credit there.
Submissions for the Junior/Senior Transfer Waiver activity will be checked against advising records, and you may be contacted for further verification.
Students admitted into School of Business sophomore year or later
This waiver does not apply to KU students who were admitted into the School of Business later because of an outstanding prerequisite, a low GPA, or being pre-business — only to those who directly come from another major or institution.
If this describes your situation, you must complete all requirements as normal in order to enroll in MGMT 498.
Students must earn at least 50 points in each of the Nest, Hatch, and Extend badges (for a total of 150 points) and complete the Experiential Learning/Soar badge to enroll in MGMT 498.
Students who transferred into School of Business from another university or from another KU major (not pre-business)
Students who transfer into the School of Business during their junior year or after from an external institution or another major (defined as having 60+ transfer credit hours) will have some credit applied to their Suitable account to accommodate for their shortened timeline.
If this applies to you, look for the Junior/Senior Transfer Waiver activity in Suitable and request credit there.
Submissions for the Junior/Senior Transfer Waiver activity will be checked against advising records, and you may be contacted for further verification.
Students admitted into School of Business sophomore year or later
This waiver does not apply to KU students who were admitted into the School of Business later because of an outstanding prerequisite, a low GPA, or being pre-business — only to those who directly come from another major or institution.
If this describes your situation, you must complete all requirements as normal in order to enroll in MGMT 498.
To submit points, students should navigate to the activities tab within Suitable or via their web-based log-in.
- There, students can search or filter to find the event/certification they completed.
- Once the post is found, students will upload a file, write a reflection, etc., depending on what the post asks of the students.
- Finally, students should select the “add to my portfolio” option. The submitted points will be reviewed for approval by administration.
To get the Dean's Badge of Excellence, students must earn 200 points in each of Nest, Hatch, Extend competency badges.
These students will be awarded a pin that they may wear with their graduation regalia. Badge recipients will also be invited to a reception with the Dean during the spring semester before graduation and will be able to add this achievement to their resume.
Yes, students may submit any event or opportunity they believe should count for points. Our team will evaluate the submission based on provided information.