By Hunter Mills

Last Wednesday, the OPCD hosted its first event this semester: Practical Action. Representatives from a number of leading organizations were present to recruit students for volunteer, internship, and employment positions. Dr. Sally Hicks provided information on prestigious scholarships and fellowships, such as the Fulbright Grant and the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, while hot coffee and cookies helped stave off the cold as students lined up to get headshots taken for their LinkedIn profiles.

Below, I’ve put together some highlights from the event. Let us know how you are taking action by following us on Twitter and using #MyPracticalAction.

VOLUNTEER

We’ve said it before – giving back to your community is incredibly important. Both the Girl Scouts of America and the Nasher Sculpture Center have openings for volunteers looking to make a difference. Representing the Girl Scouts, Zakiyyah Kitab emphasized the organization’s commitment to empowering girls to succeed in every aspect of their lives. They are currently looking for women to volunteer as Senior Advisors for the BFF (Best Friends First) anti-bullying program.

From the Nasher, UD alum Ester Ippolito expressed a desire to reach out to UD Art Majors, giving them a foot in the door to the museum world. About working for a nonprofit, Ester said, “The best way to get a job in a nonprofit is to be seen working in a nonprofit.” She encouraged students to volunteer at the nonprofits they care about as often as possible. The museum is currently recruiting interns and volunteers.

INTERN

Internship opportunities abound! Even better, everyone that I spoke with expressed a willingness to hire qualified students from any major. Talent and commitment trump field of study. Arrow-Magnolia, for example, is looking for sales and marketing interns. Brook Sims, the recruiter I spoke with, noted that students who do well during their internship have an excellent chance of employment.

Reading & Radio Resource is a small organization that creates audio versions of printed materials and description of the performing arts (such as performances at the Winspear Opera House). Students with an interest in broacasting, disability studies, or journalism are encouraged to apply for an RRR internship – six different programs are available and can be tailored to suit your schedule. While RRR is a small organization, their representative noted that the small size allows interns to contribute in a substantial way.

WORK

Full and part time opportunities are available for UD students and alumni. Undergraduates with an interest in education should consider becoming a tutor with Kumon. Math and English tutors are needed for grades K-12 on a part time basis – perfect for students balancing a busy schedule. Cuc Liang from Mitsui Bussan Logistics, Inc. spoke with me about her company’s need for full time employees and interns. Current openings include a full-time Business Coordinator as well internships in IT and operations.

STUDY

Dr. Sally Hicks met with students to discuss prestigious scholarship and fellowships. These programs include research grants and scholarships for graduate study. Dr. Hicks also shared information about opportunities available for international students. Serious students with an excellent academic record (GPA of 3.7 or higher) who have an interest in these programs may contact Dr. Hicks via email.

Were you at Practical Action? What connections did you make? How can we help you take your next step? Let us know in the comments, and follow the conversation using #MyPracticalAction  

Start your day off right with our Morning Minute - a quick intro to one of the exciting job leads we can connect you to this week.  

Today’s pick is:
Match Corps - Boston Fellowship (2014-2015)

Are you looking for an opportunity to serve in inner-city schools? Do you want a great gap-year before law school, medical school, or grad school, or before going into a career in the non-profit sector?

Match Corps: Boston is a one-year, full-time residential fellowship program. It pairs Corps members with 6-7 students at Match High School, Match Middle School, Match Next or Match Community Day Elementary School. Corps members run small group or 1-on-1 tutorials, working to guarantee the academic success of Match students while building personal relationships with the students and their parents. This full-time service year program is designed to fully close the academic achievement gap between minority students and their non-minority peers, one student at a time. 

Want to learn more? Stop by Augustine 132 or call 972.721.5131

Start your day off right with our Morning Minute - a quick intro to one of the exciting job leads we can connect you to this week. 

Today’s pick is:
AmeriCorps - Food on the Move

Food on the Move is an anti-hunger initiative that brings food directly to low income children throughout the summer. Volunteers should be passionate about community service, helping children, and willing to work outside. A living allowance and an education award will be given to participants. 

Want to learn more? Stop by Augustine 132 or call 972.721.5131

UDOPCD Morning Minute

Start your day off right with our Morning Minute - a quick intro to one of the exciting job leads we can connect you to this week. 

Today’s pick is:
AmeriCorps VISTA - Anti-Hunger Organizer

The Texas Hunger Initiative (THI), is looking for potential AmeriCorps VISTA members to serve as organizers/coordinators with local anti-hunger coalitions across Texas. Coordinators will support the functioning of, or help launch, anti-hunger coalitions in Dallas, Ft. Worth, El Paso, Houston, Tyler, Austin, McAllen, San Antonio, Waco, Tyler, El Paso, Lubbock, and Amarillo. THI is looking for individuals who are self-motivated, can work independently, and desire to have a significant, positive impact on ending hunger in the state of Texas. The term of service is June 2014 - June 2015. This is a full-time Americorps VISTA position. 

Want to learn more? Stop by Augustine 132 or call 972.721.5131

By Hunter Mills

Last Wednesday, UDOPCD invited members of the UD community interested in careers in the creative arts to attend a Professional Viewpoints panel. The panelists made for an impressive cast:

• John Buxton (Owner, Shango Galleries, ArtTrak.com, and Buxton Appraisal Authentication and Consulting Services)
• Catherine Cody (Special Events and Volunteer Relations Manager, Dallas Museum of Art)
• Tom Huckabee (Independent Filmmaker and Screenwriting Teacher)
• Kim Kolker (Gallery Director and Office Manager, Shango Galleries; International Society of Appraisers Accredited Fine Art Appraiser)
• Kelly Maher (Senior Video Producer, Cambium Learning Group)
• Sarah Jane Semrad (Marketing and Membership Manager, KXT 91.7) - see our interview with Sarah Jane here

The mood in the Art History auditorium was invigorating as panelists urged the young artists in attendance to stay true to their passion. Throughout the Professional Viewpoints events last week, panelists encouraged students to focus on gaining experience, whether that be an internship, volunteer work, or an entry-level job. While the creative arts panelists certainly agreed that these types of experience are important, there was a greater emphasis on cultivating self-awareness: “Invest in yourself and figure out who you are … you’re not going to show up to an interview and be fabulous if you don’t know who you are,” said Sarah Jane Semrad. The panelists were more likely to suggest taking risks and trying new things with your time in college, rather than a concrete formula of internships and volunteer work. Instead of interning, Semrad told the audience that she used her summers to do “really magical, important things.”

Photo Courtesy of chrissy.farnan

Many of the panelists have had wild careers filled with interesting turns. Kim Kolker began as a teacher, but quickly learned that the profession was not for her. Sarah Jane Semrad’s first job post-college was in a cheese puff laboratory – a job that, according to her, lasted “exactly three weeks.” Kelly Maher’s creative career took a sharp turn into corporate life. She gave students some valuable perspective on career shifts like hers: “Sometimes you take these detours … but you land in a situation where you’re going to be presented with certain experiences [to help your career in art].”  Tom Huckabee recounted the trajectory of his career as a filmmaker in a story that is itself worthy of being turned into a film.

“We didn’t apply for this job. We just invented it.” – Sarah Jane Semrad

For students considering relocating after graduation, John Buxton advised that they connect with museums, galleries, and auction houses as soon as they arrive in their new city. Making face-to-face contact with creative professionals is key. “Immerse yourself and expose yourself to those people and those environments,” urged Kelly Maher. Cathy Cody proposed that a good strategy for making those connections is to use social media in a non-invasive way. For example, young professionals can use LinkedIn to identify commonalities between themselves and people of interest. That opens the door for you to send a brief email that could land you a meeting over coffee. Cody stressed that this type of networking is not about sending out your resume – it’s about building relationships and learning from successful people. Attendees were given a chance to do just that, as the event concluded with the chance to speak one on one with panelists in an informal setting.

Did you attend Professional Viewpoints? What was the most important thing you learned?  Tell us in the comments below!

Paul Johnson is a senior Economics major at UD. From Fargo, North Dakota, Paul recently secured post-graduation placement with JP Morgan as an Operations Analyst. He joined us here to share what he’s learned over the past four years.

Paul Johnson (Left) and Senior Career Services Advisor Adrian Ramirez. Photo courtesy of Julie Janik.

You’ve landed an impressive position with JP Morgan. How did you find this opportunity and what inspired you to apply?

I initially got in contact with JP Morgan through the OPCD. Adrian asked me if I would be interested in an internship opportunity that was available in their operations department. As an Economics major, I had not taken any courses in operations specifically. However, one of the many benefits of the core is enabling you to walk into a politics, philosophy, or biology course and be able to understand the material, regardless of your major. Knowing this gave me full confidence that I would be a valid candidate for this position. As I was applying online for the internship position, I noticed that there was a full time position opportunity, so I went ahead and applied for that as well. The full time position offers a 2-year development program at the beginning in which JP Morgan trains you in New York and then mentors you along the way. I wanted to learn from the best in the business, so this opportunity was perfect.

How have you spent your summers as an undergraduate?

I spent the summer after my freshman year volunteering at Crotona, a program in the Bronx in which I mentored a group of 7^th and 8^th grade students. Crotona gave me a better perspective on the various backgrounds that people come from. The next summer, I worked as an insurance reimbursement analyst at Essentia Hospital. This opportunity exposed me to the world of healthcare and the process involved in the insurance side of it. This past summer, I did an internship with a government contract procurement center. This job consisted of doing economic research for small businesses that were applying for government contracts.

Although these experiences are not in the same field as each other, let alone banking, I knew that I needed to get my foot in the door. As long as I was gaining experience reporting to a boss, working with a team, and accomplishing daily tasks, I knew that it was well worth my time.

Have you had any mentors while you were at UD? If so, how did that help you in your search for post-graduate opportunities?

Mike Hasson was a phenomenal mentor. He was my boss at United Development Funding when I did an internship there last semester. He is also the President of the National Alumni Board at UD and the Texas Director of American’s for Prosperity.

There are a number of mentors surrounding us at UD—you just have to seek them out and recognize the value of their experience and advice. Even though I knew I wanted to go into the banking sector, I sought advice from professors, friends, priests, my boss, the OPCD, and former alumni who have had experience with the job search process.

What advice do you have for underclassmen looking to secure a position like you have in the future?

My piece of advice is to do your due diligence in looking for opportunities to expand your experience. Once you’ve done your best with applying, take the best offer you can get for an internship and build off of that. If I had declined those opportunities and instead held out for a banking internship, I am fairly confident to say that I would not have had the opportunity to enter into the application process with JP Morgan. Employers want to see that you are well rounded.

 [Johnson also recommends that job seekers read Case in Point: Complete Case Interview Preparation by Marc P. Cosentino.]

Once you’ve done your due diligence in your job search for the day, take time to spend with your friends and enjoy your hobbies. It is easy to get burnt out. In my experience with one-on-one interviews, 60% of the time was spent talking about my resume and the other 40% was spent shooting the breeze with the interviewer. They want to see if you’re the type of person they want to sit next to on a plane for 2 hours. If your only hobby is to study and do internships, then you might not be a very interesting candidate to talk to. Play tennis, pick up an instrument, go hunting, read the Count of Monte Cristo, run a marathon. The more you do, the more you connect.

Do you have more questions for Paul? Want to talk to a career advisor and take charge of your future? Wondering where to begin? Leave us a comment and then stop by our office – Augustine 132. We want to help you stand out today.