stronger
together
On the Job Prioritizing career readiness in the business school BY EMILY E. SMITH
T
he Lillis Complex, home of the Lundquist College of Business, is iconic on the University of Oregon campus. With its floor-to-ceiling solar glass, a giant “O” on its south façade, and a light-filled atrium, it’s been a photogenic hub for Ducks since opening in 2003. A recent reconfiguring of the complex underscores a driving focus of the college: career readiness. Visitors entering Lillis from the south now see Lundquist admissions on the left side of the atrium and Mohr Career Services on the right. The message: careers are not the byproduct of higher education, they’re the destination—and students begin carving
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SUMMER 2021
their path as soon as they enter the building. The reorganization of space in Lillis isn’t the only evidence of the emphasis on job preparation in the business school. New initiatives, networking platforms, and gifts are connecting students, alumni, and employers like never before. Mohr Career Services recently unveiled Lundquist Career Fundamentals, mandatory course work embedded in specific core courses that requires every student to give serious thought to the future and take steps toward their professional goals. For example, students in the business analytics class of instructor Erik Ford learn to navigate Microsoft Excel—and the job market. Jessica Best, senior associate director of Mohr Career Services, visits weekly and assigns students to brainstorm careers, contact alumni in those careers, and prepare for informational interviews. Those activities, says Ford, BS ’13 (general social science), MBA ’15, help students
discover careers, land internships, and build the professional skills that will make them competitive job candidates. “If you have those kinds of things along with your college degree, then you’re walking tall into an interview,” he says. “You’re definitely feeling good about marketing yourself and standing out from the pack.” Last September, Mohr Career Services also launched Lundquist Connect, an online platform where students can connect with alumni, employers, recruiters, and peers. Students can meet professionals, ask questions, and find mentors, and the platform uses an algorithm to suggest professionals and others who share students’ interests. About 800 alumni and 800 students participate. Bailey Hartwick, a junior in business administration and a first-generation college student, says connecting with professionals is vital to building her career. Hartwick often reached out to people on the online employment service LinkedIn for
TRAVIS WORRELL, STUDENT SERVICES & ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT
The relocation of career services to the first floor of Lillis underscores the commitment to students
