Looking for a new professional headshot?
University of Miami students, alumni, and faculty and staff members should search no further than the Toppel Career Center, where they can visit its new Professional Headshot Photo Booth and get pictures emailed to their phone on the spot.
Funded by a generous donation from the Mewbourne family, Toppel staff unveiled the personalized booth this week and hope more students will take advantage of it now.
“We are very excited to share this incredible resource with the University community,” said Christian Garcia, associate dean and executive director of Toppel. “Headshots are one of the top requested services from us. And in the past, we have done it in various ways. But this is a great solution to meet the needs of our students year-round.”
Having a professional photo on a candidate’s Handshake or LinkedIn profile page often helps catch employers’ attention for potential internships, jobs, or prestigious awards, Garcia noted. According to LinkedIn—a professional networking website—just having a profile photo can generate 21 times more views and nine times the connection requests.
“We want students to have access to any and all things. And even though phone cameras are great today, there’s something to be said about getting a professional headshot,” Garcia added. “Because some students cannot pay for that, this is about giving them access to these photos. And that’s why this booth was such an important addition to the Toppel Career Center.”
For students, like junior Charly Hill, a headshot can be critical. She is studying broadcast journalism at the School of Communication and needs a professional photo to apply for any internships or jobs. When Hill recently earned a scholarship from the National Association for Black Journalists, she had to take a last-minute photo outside her apartment. So, she is eager to try the booth.
“This is much more convenient, and the photos are sent so quickly—plus it’s free,” she said.
Garcia learned about the self-service Iris Booth last winter from colleagues at other institutions and immediately wanted to bring it to Toppel. He was looking for a way to raise funds for the booth when the parents of senior Libby Mewbourne offered to donate it. Mewbourne, a psychology major, told her parents about the help she received at Toppel as a first-year student to guide her toward a major and career when she had no idea what she wanted to study.
“If it wasn’t for Toppel, I wouldn’t have discovered as quickly and easily what careers are out there for me, and what path I could take,” said Mewbourne, who is studying the intersection of evolution and psychology.
Her parents, Curtis and Briar Mewbourne, said they were glad to sponsor the booth and believe it will be a tangible way to help students build their professional identity.
“As parents raising two children, we have recognized that not everyone has access to the ‘extras’ such as obtaining a professional photo,” they said in a statement. “It’s our hope that supporting the University of Miami in providing this service to every student helps level the playing field and will have a positive impact on the ’Canes student body as they pursue their dreams.”
Visit the Toppel Career Center to learn more about the booth.
