Career Services Online Interactive Conference
Conference Sessions
Click Here To Download The Official Conference Brochure
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Opening Keynote Address - 11:00am to 12:00pm EST
A Career Services Stimulus Plan
Dr. Manny Contomanolis
Associate Vice President and Director of Cooperative Education and Career Services, Rochester Institute of Technology; Past President of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
These are unprecedented and challenging times for career services offices - more client and institutional demands and expectations; fewers resources and an depressed employment market in which to work. How do career services best respond? This opening session will identify the challenges but most importantly focus on the key strategies career service offices must implement in order to ensure added organizational value and remain successful even during these challenging times.
Session 1 - 12:30pm to 2:00pm EST
Your choice between the following two sessions.
A Call to Public Service: Advising students on securing careers in the federal sector
Nicholas Barrett, The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars
Since President Obama’s call to serve in early 2009, students have shown an increased interest in public service. Coupling this phenomenon with the current state of the private sector, more and more students are looking to Pennsylvania Avenue instead of Wall Street for careers and the security that comes with working in the federal sector. In fact, in a recent poll, 64% of The Washington Center’s student population stated they were interested in the public sector. The Federal Relations Staff of The Washington Center will briefly discuss introducing students to federal service and how advisors can make students competitive candidates. In greater detail, strategies for referring students to federal opportunities will be explored, including special internship and professional development programs. Last, participants will be introduced to how to train students on navigating the direct application process.
Advising Those Considering Graduate Study
Dr. Donald Martin, Graduate School Road Map
In today's economy, a graduate degree seems to be the new educational benchmark for employers. The numbers of those thinking about graduate school is increasing. Yet, there are some major myths and mistakes that can lead to making the wrong choice of program/institution, or a decision not to attend grad school at all. This workshop will provide practical, succinct, and comprehensive information to help in advising individuals thinking about graduate study. The presenter, Dr. Donald C. Martin, is a career insider, who, from 1980 to 2008, held administrative positions in enrollment management and student services at Columbia University, The University of Chicago and Northwestern University. Dr. Martin has worked with thousands of prospective students, applicants and current students, traveling to all 50 states and to over 60 countries.
Session 2 - 2:30pm to 4:00pm EST
Your choice between the following two sessions.
Budget constraints exhausting your creativity?
Tracey Dowling and Erica Walbert, The University of Georgia Career Center
Budget cuts threatening your fail-safe program? Reinvent that workshop /presentation with creative solutions. Hear how The University of Georgia Terry College of Business Career Consultant Team reinvented their hit “Terry Working Lunch” series to be high impact and low budget for the Fall 2009 semester. In the past, TWL has drawn crowds of 75-200 per luncheon. Budget cuts eliminated the ability to cater the series. Learn how the team was able to draw students even without using food as an incentive!
Recruiting Those Who Recruit Your Students...
Robert Shindell, RSC Consulting
Let's face it, preparing students for the world of work is only half of the battle! The other is getting employers to campus to provide opportunities for our students and then to keep them coming back semester after semester. Recruiting those who recruit your students is focused on helping you learn a step by step process of developing a proven plan of recruiting and retaining companies to your campus, but also one in which you will be able to put your plan into action, regardless of the size of your office or campus.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Session 3 - 11:00am to 12:30pm EST
Your choice between the following two sessions.
Hispanic College Graduates: Recruitment and Retention Strategies
Dr. Miguel Corona, AdMentis Hispanic Talent Solutions
This workshop is designed to introduce participants to new research regarding the cultural and leadership attributes of Hispanic Americans. Specifically, the workshop is designed to explore how Hispanic culture and leadership characteristics might impact their recruitment and retention. Participants will develop practical ideas for recruiting and retaining Hispanic college graduates. Suggestions for recruitment "best practices" in the context of Hispanic culture will be offered.
From Tweeting to Meeting: Creating a Coherent, Cost-Effective and Sustainable Web 2.0 Strategy to Engage Students
Katharine Taflan, Elizabeth King, Patrick Richards, and Kyle Younger, Columbia University
As young adults make increasing use of Web 2.0 technologies in their daily lives, educators and career development professionals must keep pace with that change. Columbia University's Center for Career Education has recognized the potential to proactively use Web 2.0 technologies to not only aid in how career centers communicate with students; but to help make students more employable based on their knowledge and use of these technologies. Join us for an informative and interactive session that will use the Center for Career Education at Columbia University as a case study to demonstrate the potential to innovatively use Web 2.0 technologies in career development initiatives. We will discuss our experiences with Facebook, Twitter, Alumwire, Drupal, and other emerging technologies. We will also forecast future trends. Participants should have a foundational understanding of these web-based tools.
Session 4 - 1:00pm EST to 2:30pm EST
Your choice between the following two sessions.
Me and My Shadow - Two Approaches To A Successful Externship Program
Rachel Moeller, Lafayette College and Alana Albus, Muhlenberg College
One experiential education idea - two unique and successful approaches. This interactive session will present best practices and essential tools for developing and implementing a highly effective job shadowing program that students will beg to join. The presenters will discuss the pros and cons of two different administrative concepts - one driven by host availability and the other by student demand. Applying the models to different types of institutions will be addressed, as will the impact on staff and other resources. Attendees will leave with concrete examples and practical knowledge that can be applied to creating or revamping a shadowing program at their home campus.
Green Job Search Strategies & Greener Recruiting
Gayle Oliver-Plath, CareerEco
The presentation will focus on the green job market and job search strategies that will benefit college students and recent graduates who would like to focus on pursuing careers with eco-minded companies. The CleanTech and Green Technology market is expected to account for significant economic growth in the coming decades. The goal of this presentation is to help educate Career Services professionals and companies on trends, resources, and opportunities of this emerging market. Participants will be able to better coach and support their students who would like to align themselves with the careers that will address Energy Efficiency, Carbon Emissions Reduction, Environmental Sustainability, and Clean-Green Technologies.
Session 5 - 3:00pm to 4:30pm EST
Your choice between the following two sessions.
You Don't Have a Disability! Career Preparation Considerations for Students with Non-Apparent Disabilities
Sarah Rodriguez and Sarah Helm, University of Tennessee
The unemployment rate difference between college graduates with disabilities and their peers without disabilities is staggering, making it imperative that we focus on how to serve the needs of college students with disabilities in relation to their career planning and guidance. As an example of successful collaboration, the presenters will introduce the Disability Careers Office (DCO) model for assisting students with disabilities in their career development and employment preparation. More specifically, the presenters will discuss the unique needs of students with non-apparent disabilities in regard to topics such as disability disclosure, requesting reasonable workplace accommodations and their rights and responsibilities under the law. The presenters will discuss case study scenarios that illuminate the unique experiences of individuals with a non-apparent disability.
They Want Jobs, Not Trophies: Understanding the Millennial Generation
Heather Huhman, Come Recommended
The Millenials (Generation Y) have carried around the stigma of being a generation that expects to have everything handed to them. Ironically, they are now faced with finding employment in one of the most difficult job markets in U.S. history. Much of the blame for unemployment among Millennials can be placed on the decline in the economy, but there is also a large generation gap between Millennials and their Gen X and older counterparts.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Session 6 - 11:00am to 12:30pm EST
Your choice between the following two sessions.
Generating a Dynamic and Linked Career Website
Joe Momyer, Rogue Community College
Our community college, like many others, has sustained budget cuts in recent years. Career counseling resources were reduced to the point where it wasn't possible to meet the needs of students seeking career guidance much less doing any pro-active systematic outreach for students with poor career goals or plans. Using Title III funds, a career counselor who joined the college after 28 years of corporate human resources experience was freed up for several hours a week to create an online support tool. This session will share that journey, explain the key learnings gained in the process and provide participants with a template that they can use to generate similar systems at their own sites.
Lessons Learned After Piloting an Internship Certificate Program
Amy Bravo and Adrienne McNally, New York Institute of Technology
Last year we presented how our career services office proposed to address the need for consistent experiential education practices in decentralized campus-wide internship programs. This year, we will discuss successes and challenges experienced after implementing an Internship Certificate Program through the Office of Career Services. With a two-person staff implementing a program over two campuses while heavily using online and video-conferencing technologies, we will share statistics, student and employer testimonials, and how the program has developed and fostered staff / faculty relationships.
Session 7 - 1:00pm to 2:30pm EST
Your choice between the following two sessions.
3 Locations - 1 Career Center: How to Provide Effective Career Services on Decentralized Campuses
Lakeisha Mathews, Loyola University Maryland
Does your career center serve students on multiple campuses? Is your staff required to be represented at 2-3 sites at the same time? Participants will learn how The Career Center at Loyola University Maryland offers all of its traditional and on-line services to undergraduate students, graduate students and alumni on three campuses throughout the Baltimore Metropolitan area. Topics include how to collaborate with facilities staff and academic departments; how to determine which resources to offer on each campus and how to overcome challenges such as staffing and scheduling.
Using Interactive Drama to Rehearse for Professional Success
Alexia Vernon, Catalyst for Action
Learners of all ages, particularly young people, need opportunities to practice applying the information they are studying so that it translates into action successfully. Designed for educators and advisers with little to no drama background, this presentation will introduce you to basic, easy to apply strategies for helping students rehearse and refine their performance to effectively network, interview, and communicate in the workplace. In addition to leaving with tools, participants will also explore how to best set up, facilitate, and debrief activities.
Closing Keynote Address - 3:00pm to 4:00pm EST
In Search of New Opportunities: Internships with Small Business
Dave Cofer, Cofer Consulting Solutions
More than ever, internships are proving invaluable to students as they prepare to enter the competitive workforce. Simultaneously, internship opportunities are increasingly difficult to obtain. Organizations considering the use of interns have postponed their plans and those with existing programs are scaling back. So, where does this leave the university student in search of a meaningful and value-added experiential learning opportunity? The answer rests with small and medium-sized businesses. Not often courted to serve as hosts for internship opportunities, small and medium-sized businesses have both much to gain and much to offer. This session will address the importance of bridging the gap between small and medium-sized employers and higher education. Additionally, participants will gain awareness of the value proposition for small and medium-sized businesses to host internships and strategies that college / university career offices can leverage in their outreach efforts aimed at mobilizing employers.
Dave Cofer is Founder, President / CEO of Cofer Consulting Solutions, LLC a firm specializing in delivering expert solutions in the areas of Attracting, Developing and Retaining Young Professionals. Prior to founding Cofer Consulting Solutions, Dave enjoyed a career that spanned 15 years with Bank One / JPMorgan Chase. Starting as an INROADS Intern, Dave gained experience in the areas of Human Resources, Cultural Transformation and Continuous Improvement. In his final years with JPMorgan Chase, Dave made the transition to Entry Talent. Dave had the opportunity to experience and lead all facets of the entry talent management equation. This included day-to-day leadership of a rotation-based management development program. In his last role prior to leaving JPMorgan Chase, Dave served as Recruiting Manager and Intern Program Manager for the Corporate Sector's entry programs. In this role, Dave oversaw the firm's largest entry talent recruiting team and summer internship program globally. Dave is a graduate of Miami University with a B.S. in Business (Majors: Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management). Additionally, Dave earned his M.A. in Education from The Ohio State University, majoring in Workforce Development and Education with an emphasis in Human Resource Development.
