During the Sumer Months (June, July, & August, the newsletter will be distributed once a month.)
Welcome to the Career Services electronic newsletter: Working Beyond Expectations! We hope that you find this newsletter both informative and useful as you prepare for the next level of your life.
A Note from the Director, Mr. Mark Anthony: "You came to college to get a good education that leads to a good job or admission to graduate school. But, there are no guarantees. The Office of Career Services can help you prepare by obtaining the skills, abilities, opportunities, experiences, and tools to achieve your goals. This newsletter will keep you informed of how we can help you."
Quote of the Week
Editor's Note
Career News
Coming Up! Join Us!
IUP Featured Alumnus
FR/SO/JR/SR Tip
Let's Hear What Your Colleagues Are Doing!
Did You Ever Consider a Career In...
Quote of the Week
“Regardless of whether we are having lunch with a prospective employer or dinner with a business associate, our manners can speak volumes about us as professionals” – Ball State University Career Center
back to top
Editor's Note
Editor: Tracy VanHorn-Juart, Office of Career Services
Working Beyond Expectations is a bi-weekly publication provided by the Office of Career Services. Its intent is to inform readers of the events that are available through the office. These events are designed specifically to enhance the educational experience and to prepare the student for their next level of achievement. Whether the next level be freshman to sophomore, classroom to internship, undergraduate studies to graduate studies, or student to full-time employee, the Career Services Office offers to assist you in making a smooth and prepared transition.
If you have any questions , or, if you have recommendations for enhancing this resource, please contact me via email at tracyvan@iup.edu.
back to top
Career News
by: Emily Tamosauskas, Graduate Assistant
University Testing Center/Career Services
Personal Behavior for Professional Success
Do you know proper dining etiquette if you had to join your employer for a business luncheon? The following 5 tips will help you portray a professional image while at the dinner table.
¨ At a dinner party, guests wait until the host/hostess is served
and picks up her fork to begin.
¨ In a restaurant or banquet, never begin eating any course until
everyone has been served, unless prompted by the host or
hostess to do so.
¨ When you must leave the table during the meal, the napkin is
placed on your seat. After the meal, napkins are folded
casually and placed to the left of the plate -- never on the
plate.
¨ Become familiar with various table service and settings.
Silverware is set in the order of its use. Start on the outside
and move inward as the courses are served.
¨ Once you use a utensil, it should never touch the table again.
Rest it on the edge of your plate.
back to top
Coming Up! Join Us!
JOB FAIRS
WANT TO MAKE CONTACTS WITH LOTS OF EMPLOYERS IN ONE PLACE, ON ONE DAY? Check out these job fair opportunities!
IUP Teacher Recruiting Fair - Scheduled for Tuesday, April 17 from 1 - 5 pm at the Memorial Field House. There is no pre-registration and no fee for candidates; however, IUP students and alumni are encouraged to register and post their resumes on CollegeCentral Network so school districts can review resumes before the job fair. A list of participating school districts is available at www.iup.edu/career/TeacherFair and the list will be updated weekly as new districts register.
Mock Interviews
This program is designed to allow you to practice interviewing in a simulated setting, one-on-one with a trained mock interviewer. Immediate feedback is offered on your performance. Mock interview packets must be purchased in the Career Development Center before interviews can be scheduled.
The last day to purchase a Mock Interview Packet from the Office of Career Services will be Friday, April 13, 2007. Please purchase your packets well in advance so that you might be able to prepare for what we hope will be a great experience.
Student Employment Appreciation Week (April 8 - April 14, 2007)
In celebration of Student Employment Appreciation Week, the Student Employment Center is hosting an Ice Cream Buffet in the Delaware Room of the Hadley Union Building (HUB) from 11-4 p.m., on Friday, April 13, 2007. If you are employed either on or off campus, you are invited to come and create your own sundae. If possible, bring your supervisor with you! Supervisors/staff members who are affiliated with student employees are welcome too! We hope to see you!
back to top
IUP Featured Alumnus
Kelly E. Webb ‘04
B.A. Sociology
Share your Undergraduate Experience
I was 26 when I decided to return to college to pursue a degree. I remember being so worried about fitting in because I was a non-traditional student. I was also worried about my academic performance because I had been out of school for so long. I loved my department (Sociology). The professors were so down-to-earth and caring. They were ready to help me, both academically and personally. The classes were small and I was able to get to know a lot of the other students in my major. It felt like we were one big family. This made my whole transition easier and memorable. I still maintain friendships with a few of the professors.
Did you work while you were a student?
I worked at The Open Door as a Crisis Intervention Specialist. I also volunteered at the Alice Paul House on their crisis hotline.
How did your experiences at IUP (both academic and/or work experience) assist you in deciding what to do post undergraduate graduation?
Sociology offers several tracks for their majors. I chose the Human Services track and chose classes that focused on children and the family. I took a class with Dr. Deanna Chang and became interested in Domestic Violence. I did my Internship at the Alice Paul House, a local Domestic Violence Shelter. I began to counsel women, but was drawn to children. I spent my summer working closely with the children’s counselor. I decided that I loved working with children but wanted to do it in a different setting. It was then that my dream of being a School Counselor was born. I have recently submitted my application for graduate school and I am hoping to be accepted into IUP’s Master of Education in School Counseling program.
What are you doing now?
I currently hold two jobs. I am a full-time Social Worker at Beacon Ridge, a local nursing home in Indiana. I also work part time for Family Behavioral Resources as a Therapeutic Staff Support person.
Where do you see yourself five years from now?
Five years from now I see myself working down south as an Elementary School Counselor.
back to top
FR/SO/JR/SR Tip
by: Kate Cook, Graduate Assistant, Office of Career Services
Freshman Tip:
Read any assignments provided, and most importantly, read that syllabus! It’s given out for a purpose. If you have time to read leisurely, do so! Just the familiarity with texts will help improve your grammar, spelling, and communication skills.
Sophomore Tip:
This may sound elementary, but LISTEN to your professors. It may be very tempting to write a transcription of your professor’s lecture, but what you may end up with is a bunch of unreadable scrawlings that rival a novel in length. Pay attention to what the professor says, and jot down key points.
Junior Tip:
Take advantage of your instructors´ office hours. The one-on-one discussions will give you an opportunity to have questions answered that were unanswered in class.
Senior Tip:
As you look to applying to graduate school, make sure you research the professors as well as the program. Take the time to find out who is teaching the course before you take it. Check out the program’s website for faculty’s current vita. Knowing you will be taught by someone who has done work outside of the classroom is just as important as a good professor inside of the classroom.
back to top
Let's Hear What Your Colleagues Are Doing!
Amber Pangallo - '08
Speech Language Pathology
At what point did you choose your career and why?
My name is Amber Pangallo and I am a Speech and Language Pathology graduate student. I plan to graduate in May of 2008. I chose this career after a family friend introduced me to it. I shadowed a Speech Language Pathologist for a couple of days and just knew that this is what I wanted to do. I have always wanted to work with and help people, not just young or old, but of all ages and this profession allows me to attain that goal.
What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort?
Most of my motivation to succeed comes from my parents. They have always worked so hard to provide for our family and have always taught me to do my best, whether it is an athletic competition or an exam. I have adopted my work ethic and determination from my parents and strive to do the best in whatever task is at hand.
Who is your favorite professor and why?
The professors in the Speech and Language Pathology Department are wonderful and I would not be able to pick one as my favorite. Every professor has vast knowledge of the field and they are always helpful to all of the students. My professors are one of the main reasons why I have had such success, and they are a motivating presence that helps me continue to succeed.
What are your standards of success in school, and what have you done to meet these standards?
I always try to do my personal best in all of my academic endeavors. To achieve this, I work extremely hard on projects and prepare myself thoroughly for any exam that I may have. In addition to classes, I am a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honors Fraternity and I played on the IUP softball team for four years as an undergraduate. These experiences have allowed me to learn how to work together to achieve a goal.
In addition to my academic course load, what activities, memberships, jobs, etc. do I maintain?
I currently work as a graduate assistant for a professor in my department and help as an assistant coach for the Indiana High School softball team. Being an assistant coach has given me the opportunity to improve my leadership skills and learn to collaborate with other coaches to make important decisions. After graduating, I plan to start my career in either a school or hospital, where I can help people improve their quality of life.
My advice to other IUP students is to work hard in your academic studies and never let yourself settle for a sub par performance when you know you can do better.
back to top
Did You Ever Consider a Career In...
...Sociology?
Are you a “people watcher”?
If you enjoy finding out how and why people do the things they do, you would enjoy Sociology! Sociologists study people interacting in social groups to better understand social behavior and to help create change to improve social conditions for people. Among the social sciences, Sociology is the study of group life, including families, communities and organizations, social movements and social change, work and occupations, mass media and culture, politics and the economy, deviance, health and medicine, science and technology, aging and the life course, gender and sexualities, social class and stratification, race and ethnicity, and an array of contemporary social issues and problems.
What kinds of careers you can have with a degree in Sociology?
Since a degree in Sociology gives you background knowledge about social processes in a variety of settings, as well as research design and methods, and applied skills for working with people, it provides you with a foundation for careers in human or social services, business, government and community organizations. Other areas that Sociology majors go into include marketing, criminal justice, public relations, community development, law, counseling, policy and planning, social research, and teaching.
At IUP, you can choose from 4 different academic tracks within the Sociology major to fit your interests and career goals. A minor in Sociology is an excellent complement to a variety of majors and can give you additional understanding and skills to enhance your knowledge and career potential.
The General track in Sociology is ideal for students wanting to explore the broad range of areas within sociology. Its flexibility makes it appropriate for students who want to pursue graduate education in the social sciences or law, students seeking a double major in compatible fields such as psychology or criminology, or students seeking careers in business, industry, or government. A Sociology minor in the General track is a great complement to the majors in history, business, journalism, political science, communications media, philosophy, economics, religious studies, and many other majors.
The Human Services track in Sociology provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to become practitioners in a variety of human services in public, private, and non-profit settings. Graduates typically work in fields related to juvenile delinquency, medical sociology, gerontology, counseling, children and families. A Sociology minor in the Human Services track is a great complement to majors in psychology, criminology, child development and family relations, special education, and health-related fields.
The Applied Social Research track in Sociology develops research skills vital to conducting community and program needs assessments, program development, and data analysis that are important for program planning, policymaking, and community development. Many students find this track is excellent preparation for graduate school or for work in government. A Sociology minor in the Applied Research track is a great complement to majors in marketing, psychology, political science, economics, and business.
The Disability Services track in Sociology prepares students for a career in therapeutic support services such as mental health/mental retardation; community-based residential/employment/training programs; early intervention, residential treatment, and aging programs; and other services for individuals with disabilities. A Sociology minor in the Disabilities Services track is a great complement to majors in rehabilitative medicine, health-related fields, and special education.
If you are interested in exploring how a degree in Sociology can prepare you for your career, contact Dr. Kathryn Bonach at kbonach@iup.edu. You also can download free career publications from the American Sociological Association at www.asanet.org or visit the IUP Sociology Department’s web site at www.iup.edu/sociology.
back to top
