William Masselli ~ Editor in Chief
The University of Lynchburg’s Career and Professionalism Center is planning several events to help students prepare for their career paths in the second half of spring semester 2022.
Executive Director of Career Development Beverly Reid believes the two most important events coming up after spring break are the Grad School Workshop and the LinkedIn Workshop. Reid said,, “LinkedIn is a great place to start along with the grad school workshop, even if grad school isn’t your Plan A for after graduation. Both of these workshops are great no matter what year you are in school. LinkedIn is the number one way that people have been able to network throughout the pandemic and beyond, and connect with alumni, employers, and experts in just about any field.”
Graduate Assistant for the Career and Professionalism Center Eleanor Marindin, said, “The Grad School Workshop is an opportunity to learn more about the graduate school application process, both in general and here at Lynchburg. You’ll learn things like the right & wrong reasons to attend, how to find the right school & program for you, how to financially support going back to school, and what to do with your graduate degree. Anyone who thinks they might be interested should attend, as it is a good way to ask any questions you may have or get some initial information. As a senior in college, I personally had no plans on going back to school anytime soon. After a year off, I realized I missed it and wanted to go back and couldn’t be happier with my decision. Attending our Workshop could help you to realize your interest in grad school sooner, which only works more in your favor.”
Marindin also noted, “The LinkedIn Workshop will cover how to create an effective LinkedIn profile, search for opportunities, and network utilizing all LinkedIn has to offer. This platform is a phenomenal way to get your foot in the door of a job or internship and should be utilized by all students. The University has also made LinkedIn Learning available to all students, which is a professional version of YouTube in the way that it has informative videos on most topics one could be interested in. This workshop will be helpful to all LinkedIn users, especially those who might not use their account much or need further clarity on its features and how to take advantage of them.”
“Whether they are seniors who have waited to the last minute and it’s “crunch time”, or they are underclassmen looking to plan for future jobs, internships, or grad school, it is never too late to jump in and take advantage of our services,” said Reid.
She is thrilled at the impact her office continues to have on students. Reid said, , “Our Education Career Fair was an event where the ballroom was completely packed with school systems looking to hire our graduating students for a number of different types of jobs. Students there had multiple interviews and some were given job offers on the spot! To see our students in their interview attire be so successful was exciting and a testament to all that they have learned here at the University of Lynchburg.”
Marindin noted, “At this point in the semester, I would say that I have been pleased by how many students have utilized our services: Resume Revisions, Cover Letters, Headshots, and Mock Interviews. That being said, I think students are interested in our events and have a need for each of their purposes, but have a hard time committing to attending the event or making time in their schedules, which are busy as ever. Our Job and Career fairs tend to be heavily attended by recruiters and potential employers, so the students that take advantage of these events are definitely doing themselves a favor.”
Career and Internship Counselor Kara Douglas, emphasized on how the Career and Professionalism Center is trying to help students get internships.
Douglas said, “My main advice would be to begin searching and applying for internships now if you haven’t already done so. Prior to applying to internship opportunities, set up an appointment with our office to go over your resume to ensure it’s in tip-top shape. Our office can also help prep students for interviews through our mock interview process. Again, set up an appointment with us by emailing careers@lynchburg.edu.”
Douglas confirmed that, “The Internship Workshop that we hosted would have been the most helpful with regard to providing guidance on internships. At that workshop, students learned how to earn course credit for their internships, the paperwork they must complete to earn credit, how to find internships, and how to be an effective intern. However, every Fall semester, we host an Internship Fair, where many local employers come on campus seeking interns. If students missed out this past Fall, then they’ll have an opportunity to attend the Fair this upcoming Fall. We will advertise it to students once we establish a date for the Fair.”
The following summer internship opportunities to students:
- CVFCU (Central Virginia Federal Credit Union) is seeking a student to run the student credit union on campus. Excellent opportunity for business, accounting, or finance majors who would like a paid internship for the school year. For those interested, contact Kim Wilkerson by phone 434-941-9155 or email kwilkerson@cvfcu.com.
- CloudFit Software, a technology company here in Lynchburg, is offering a paid Summer internship opportunity for students interested in technology. To apply, email a copy of your resume to careers@cloudfitsoftware.com
- Belvac, the world leader in the design and production of continuous motion rotary machinery, is offering a paid summer internship for students interested in Sales. To apply, email a copy of your resume to Kristie Terrell at kristiet@belvac.com.
- Miller Home for Girls is seeking summer interns with an interest in psychology, human service, and or education. If interested, email careers@lynchburg.edu.
- Compass Behavioral Solutions is looking to hire graduating students interested in applied behavioral analysis. They are conducting on-campus interviews on Tuesday, April 5th. If interested in interviewing, email a copy of your resume to careers@lynchburg.edu.
- The Madeline Centre is looking to hire graduating students interested in mental health behavioral health. They will be on campus on April 7th, conducting interviews with interested students.
If you are interested in learning more about the Career and Professionalism Center, please contact careers@lynchburg.edu.
