Join clubs or organizations on campus. For example, if you are majoring in computer science, join your school's computer science club and get the names and phone numbers of some of the club members. If the club is involved in doing technical support for different academic departments on campus and you are skilled in this, volunteer to work on a few projects with the club members.
Apply for internships. If your goal is to become a researcher for local universities or nonprofit organizations, meet with your professors and inquire about any current openings for summer research internships at your university or other universities in your city. Also research various nonprofit organizations in your city and state that specialize in research for certain causes, and apply for any internships that are available.
Take elective courses that pertain to your career. If you are majoring in sociology but you want to work as a policy analyst for a federal government agency, take a few courses in history, political science and economics. Or if you are an English major and you are also interested in a career that combines English skills with finances, take some business courses in addition to your English courses.