SUMMER 2013
Education Works A link between area businesses and the University
Change Is Coming Orick to Head Student Development Program Ron Orick, director of career services at University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, has accepted the position of director of the Doug and Kathy Babb Student Professional Development Center, effective July 1, 2013. The Doug and Kathy Babb Student Professional Development Center, housed in the newly expanded and renovated Boreham Library, will provide UAFS career-preparation programs and services to give students a competitive edge in pursuing employment opportunities or graduate education. The center will also serve as a resource to the business community. Not to be confused with Career Services, which will still provide career development, internship and employment opportunities, the Babb Center will take these services to another level by allowing students to complete 12 hours of professional development with a “distinction,” or a noncredit certificate awarded upon completion. During the implementation of this program, Orick will work with College of Business students majoring in Business Administration, Marketing and Accounting. Following the two-year pilot, the Distinction in Professional Development program will be open to nonbusiness students as well. Dr. Paul B. Beran, UAFS chancellor, applauded what the Center provides for students and said the outreach to the business community has “tremendous potential” for economic development. Orick, who has served as the director of UAFS Career Services since March 1999, said he was excited about working with UAFS students through the Babb Center. “This position, in partnership with employers and the UAFS faculty, will provide career programs to assist our students in developing the skills needed
For additional information about the Babb Center for Student Professional Development, contact Ron Orick at (479) 788-7019 or ron.orick@uafs.edu. to excel in today’s competitive global economy,” said Orick. “I look forward to working with the students in their professional development as they prepare to enter the workforce.” During the first year of the Student Professional Development program, Orick will continue providing Career Services functions for the College of Business. For information regarding internships or employment opportunities for all majors outside of the College of Business, contact Monique Forehand, coordinator of career services, at (479) 788-7406 or monique.forehand@uafs. edu, or Pat Widders, executive director of career services, at (479) 788-7390 or pat.widders@uafs.edu.
Page 2 Are you LinkedIn? Page 3 Decade Long Partnership Page 4 Three Best Practices for Internship Success
uafs.edu/careerservices
Are you LinkedIn?
Decade Long Partnership
The Career Services office reached out to career-minded students March 13 with Are You LinkedIn? — a workshop focused on using social media to jumpstart a job search.
As the largest state agency with more than 7,500 employees, the Arkansas Department of Human Services is one of UAFS’s strongest partners. Since 2002, DHS has been a valuable and dedicated partner to the university, attending job fairs, hosting information sessions about job opportunities, hosting networking luncheons with academic departments and faculty, and sponsoring “Hamburgers and Hot Jobs” cookouts for the students each year.
Ron Orick, director of Career Services, led the workshop utilizing videos and his own LinkedIn profile. The students learned the basics of setting up a LinkedIn profile and how to begin using social media as a professional networking tool. The workshop was filled with tips on building a great profile, minding your e-manners, conducting employer research and hunting for jobs. “LinkedIn is a powerful tool for making business connections,” Orick said. “For example, I had a student who wanted to do an internship in North Carolina. I searched my LinkedIn connections and located an Arkansas graduate. I contacted him and he was happy to help out a fellow student from Arkansas and he even provided information on possible intern hosts in the area.” UAFS alumna Shannan Walker, also advocated the benefits of LinkedIn. A complex HR specialist with International Paper, “LinkedIn is an essential tool I use often to search for skilled trade and salaried candidates,” she said. “Not only does LinkedIn afford me the opportunity to browse profiles of potential candidates, it allows candidates to reach out to see if my company is hiring. LinkedIn is an easy way to get your resume in the hands of hiring managers without having to make cold calls or ask for an introduction... LinkedIn is the Facebook of the hiring world. If you want to get your resume at the top of the pile, create a LinkedIn profile.” If you are a UAFS, Westark or Fort Smith Junior College graduate, take advantage of your alumni status and connect with the University of Arkansas Fort Smith Alumni Group. For more information about the UAFS LinkedIn group, networking with students, or other assistance, contact Career Services at (479) 788-7017. You can access all UAFS social media at uafs.edu/social.
Heather Reese, recruitment team manager with DHS, extolled the benefits of the relationship between the two institutions. “Our partnership with UAFS has enabled DHS to hire many graduates from the school. ... Since we are the largest state agency, we have many different jobs available, and UAFS helps us to fill these vital positions that help Arkansans.” DHS hires more than 1000 employees each year, with 400 different job titles across the state. With internships in nearly every department, DHS continually seeks interns for paid and unpaid positions. Through these internships, UAFS students work with Arkansas citizens and gain meaningful experience within their chosen major. “The partnership between DHS and UAFS is a win-win situation,” said Monique Forehand, career services coordinator at UAFS. “It provides our students with an opportunity to gain real-world experience through the internship program, while offering DHS the presence and opportunity to recruit and retain qualified, promising employees. Because DHS’s involvement is year-round, they have developed a great presence on campus and are now a highly sought-after employer with our students”.
Cheryl Deaton, Kevin Dougherty, Paula Abraham, Glenda Simpson and Jerry Awbrey with DHS DHS services include ARKids First health insurance for children, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Transitional Employment Assistance and Medicaid. The agency also works with a system of community mental health care centers serving nearly 74,000 people each year. In all, DHS serves more than 1.2 million Arkansans every year. If you are interested in exploring partnership opportunities with UAFS and our students, contact Pat Widders or Monique Forehand at (479) 788-7017. For more information about DHS, contact Paula Abraham with DHS at (501) 682-6495.
What was the most significant piece that you took away from your internship experience? Katie Basnett Marketing intern at Williams/Crawford & Associates My internship with Williams/Crawford & Associates has been such a great experience and a wonderful learning opportunity. Since I am very interested in the aspects of marketing, I have been paying close attention to how things operate. The most significant piece that I have taken away from this internship experience so far is how important it is to really know your craft and to be confident doing it.
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Scott Boyd IT intern at IMWell Health My most significant piece of experience was the understanding of what is expected in the workforce. The results-driven nature of the real world was the eye opener for me. The chance to serve on a technical level in my field is an experience I am blessed to have received.
Adrian Hinkle Organizational Leadership intern at U.S. Representative Steve Womack’s office, Fort Smith The most significant piece and discovery that I took away from my internship experience at Congressman Womack’s office is that in every career field one must be willing to serve others. Being willing to put the needs of others before your own not only benefits the organization but yourself as well, and you leave knowing you made a difference.
Jordyn Cox Math Education intern at Ramsey Junior High
Abigail Whittemore Media Communications intern at 40/29 TV
Yolanda Ocampo Criminal Justice intern at Arkansas State Probation and Parole Office
My internship surpassed all expectations I had at the beginning of the experience. The most significant piece, if I had to choose from many amazing experiences, would be how I learned that I can create a safe environment in my classroom where success is probable, but the students must do the work. During the class period, students should be working harder than the teacher.
The most credible pieces I took from my internship experiences were learning how to do my future profession and understanding the rundown of how things were going to be if I were to have the same job one day.
This program was very beneficial to me because I gained experience while getting an inside view of the duties and functions of the agencies where I participated. Getting involved in the daily activities of the officers helped me decide that this is the field I want to work in once I get my bachelor’s degree. Interacting with people in the field and seeing what kind of jobs a person can get with a criminal justice degree was very important to me.
Keila Young Surgical Technology intern at Sparks During my internship at Sparks, I was allowed to apply everything that I had learned in lab on campus to reallife situations. Without experiencing the real operating room, I would have graduated unprepared. I also gained confidence and firsthand knowledge of my career choice. During my internship I applied for and accepted a position before I even graduated. The clinical site helps prepare each student for what is to come. Priceless.
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Career Services Staff
Three Best Practices for Internship Success* Pat Widders Executive Director
Monique Forehand Coordinator
There are many “best practices” you can implement to strengthen your organization’s internship program, such as providing interns with real work assignments, offering relocation assistance, and enlisting your executives to make presentations to them. Following are three best practices you may not have considered:
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On campus, students have different activities and a varied schedule each day. A regular working schedule may be an adjustment for them. However, a flexible schedule can make them feel less chained in by an unchanging routine. Other work arrangements to consider include keeping them on as part-time, remote employees after they go back to school, and having them come back to work over school breaks. These are excellent ways to keep communications open and build a stronger bond.
2 Pam Camp Administrative Specialist
The Doug and Kathy Babb Student Professional Development Center
Ron Orick Director
Offer flex-time and/or other unusual work arrangements
Invite career center staff and faculty to visit interns on site
Career center staff and faculty members tend to have few opportunities to visit employer work sites to see firsthand the types of experiences that their students are getting. By inviting them to your site, you will build a better working relationship with these groups, which can lead to more student referrals, enhanced campus visibility, and increased flexibility on their parts when your business needs dictate it.
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Hold new-hire panels
New-hire panels allow an organization to showcase itself to interns as a great place to work. These panels include employees who were hired as new grads within the last three years. As panelists in a meeting of interns, they give a brief summary of their background and answer questions from the intern audience. Your interns get insight about your organization from your new hires—people who they perceive are like themselves and who they consequently view as credible sources of information. *NACE Spotlight for Recruiting Professionals, Feb. 20, 2013
Calendar of Events Campus Picnic and Block Party (co-hosted by Student Activities) Wednesday, August 28, 2013 Campus Green 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Career Fair and Grad School Expo Thursday, October 17, 2013 Smith Pendergraft Campus Center Reynolds Room 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
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Psychology Symposium Thursday, November 7, 2013 Campus Center Reynolds Room 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Education Career Fair Thursday, February 27, 2014 Campus Center – Reynolds Room 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Spring Campus Picnic and Block Party Wednesday, January 15, 2014 Campus Center Reynolds Room 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Criminal Justice Symposium Wednesday, March 5, 2014 Campus Center Reynolds Room 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Spring Health Sciences Job Fair Tuesday, March 11, 2014 Pendergraft Health Science Center Weidman Conference Center (HS 133) 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Spring Career Fair Thursday, March 13, 2014 Smith Pendergraft Campus Center Reynolds Room 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.