Page 11 - Laker Connection Fall 2010

week-long Career Boot Camp, the Ca- reer Expo, Practice Interview Day, and the College to Career Fair.
In addition, the university-wide in- ternship program is managed by Career Services. It’s a program that works with faculty to develop opportunities for every major, assist students in identify- ing internships, maintain internship learning agreements, and manage the process of obtaining evaluations from all internship supervisors. Approximately 300 students per semester participate in internships throughout the metro area, bringing the vision statement’s promises to reality. The internship program also provides an opportunity for Clayton State alumni to complete the circle, in Hayes’ phrase.
“Many of our alumni are now in the position to have an intern in their busi- nesses,” she notes. “It’s just another way of bringing them [the alumni] back in.”
Although best known for educating students and alumni, Career Services also serves employers, providing con- nections between the job market and an excellent work force.
“Career Services provides mutually beneficial linkages between the Univer- sity and the employment community, as- sisting organizations in identifying and hiring qualified candidates and connect- ing students to student work, internship, and career employment opportunities,” is how Hayes describes this service, which includes, registering and posting jobs through the Laker Zone Career website (https://clayton-csm.simplicity.com/employers), on-campus interviews and recruiting, and the aforementioned special pro- grams and job fairs... the proverbial win- win for prospective employees and employers.
The Office of Career Services at Clayton State has been in existence since the 1980s. Currently staffed with four professionals (Hayes, Associate Di- rector Bridgette McDonald, Assistant Di-
rector Ryan Whitfield, and Administra- tive Specialist Tomeka Mayo), the office has seen student participation signifi- cantly increase in the past year -- stu- dent visits to the office have increased 33 percent and workshop attendance has increased 75 percent. Plus, in the fall of 2009, Career Services provided individualized assistance to twice as many alumni as in the fall of 2008.
While increased participation shows that students and alumni are “getting it,” the best proof of the success of Career Services lies in final results... Clayton State students consistently win recogni- tion as statewide Experiential Learning
Students of the Year in the categories of arts and sciences, business, education, and engineering/technology.
“Most students attend Clayton State University with the expectation of pursu- ing a career after graduation,” says Hayes. “The Office of Career Services is the critical department for helping them realize their professional and ca- reer goals. In addition, the relationships that Career Services develops with the employment community help not only students and graduates, but also the University as a whole.”
Above: At the annual Career Expo, Lib- erty Mutual employee and Clayton State alumna Shawn Nelson gives a Clayton State student information about employ- ment opportunities. Left: Bridgette Mc- Donald leads a workshop titled “How to Work a Career Fair” to prepare students and graduates for meeting recruiters at the Career Expo.
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