WEEK OF DECEMBER 10, 2007

 

Welcome to CES_SEZ, the weekly newsletter of the Career Exploration Services office in The College of Arts and Sciences.

 

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR:

Happy Almost Holidays! I'm sure many of you are done with final papers and exams, and the rest are nearing the finish line. Perhaps your semester ended as you expected it would, perhaps it was better, perhaps worse. Whatever the situation, we encourage you to call or e-mail us over break--and certainly to visit the CES office next semester--to discuss your major and minor directions. Many students in A&S (we wish we could say the majority!) stop by at least once per semester, and even more regularly, to determine how their progress at SU is shaping their future beyond SU. Even though it may only feel like one grade, one course, one semester, it might give you some indication about career paths that are in--and those to be crossed out.

As you are immersed in holiday plans, events, and shopping, remember that Career Exploration Services is your home career office with staff who really understand what it means to be a liberal arts student (we were!) facing the unique choices and making the unique decisions (eg, work, grad school, a gap year, Peace Corps, a post-grad internship) that reflect who you are. And as always, we can help you figure it all out.

On behalf of the CES staff, I hope the winter break exceeds your expectations. We look forward to your return in mid-January.

 

~ Teresa DiMagno, Director, Career Exploration Services

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Panasci Business Plan Competition

Do you have an entrepreneurial dream you want to make into a reality? Enter the Panasci Business Plan Competition for your chance to win part of $40,000 in cash prizes towards your business idea! 

This is a campus-wide competition with $40,000 in prizes.  Competition will be between student teams, and at least one current SU or ESF student must be on each team. The deadline to enter is December 14th, 2007.  Entries are accepted for any stage of business--from just an innovative idea to a business which may have already been started. The competition will evolve over four months, and The Martin J. Whitman School of Management's Entrepreneurship Department will work closely with each team over this time period to help teams to solidify ideas and design their business plans. The Business Plan Laboratory is also available as a resource to help students. The lab will meet Thursday evenings and cover the various stages of writing a business plan. One to three credit hours are also available for interested students. Mentors are available to help all teams who make it through the first round of competition.  In early April, sixteen semi-finalist teams will be chosen to pitch their business plans to a distinguished panel of judges.  Teams moving to the final round will pitch their plans to a panel of judges including venture capitalists and angel investors for a chance to win cash prizes and more!

For more information or to enter the competition, visit: www.whitman.syr.edu/eee/panasci.
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation's 29th College Television Awards: CALL FOR ENTRIES
THE NATION'S BEST IN STUDENT VIDEO, DIGITAL AND FILM WORK
Each year, hundreds of students--from colleges and universities across the nation--enter this prestigious competition. Categories include: Animation, Children's, Comedy, Comedy Series, Commercial, Documentary, Drama, Drama Series, Magazine, Music (Best Composition), Music (Best Use of Music), and Newscast. For entry guidelines and additional information about the submission process, visit: http://www.emmys.org/foundation/collegetvawards.php.
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Working for the Federal Government
No matter what your major or area of undergraduate study, if you're looking for a job where you can develop your professional skills and make a difference in the lives of others, the federal government has a job for you.  Here's a link to a panel discussion that occurred on the SU campus earlier this semester.  The two guest alumni have backgrounds in law, information management, environmental science, geology and chemistry.  They spoke about their day-to-day work within the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and provided career advice to students considering a career in public service.

For security reasons, the CIA representative requested that the video be password protected, so you will need to request the password by following the instructions on this Web page (specify that you wish to have access to the September 28th "Working in the Federal Government" video): http://students.syr.edu/careerservices/aboutus/login.htm

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New Jersey Collegiate Career Day

Friday, January 4th, 2008, 9:30 am to 3:30 pm, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
Rutgers will host 250 employers who have full-time employment and internship opportunities for students with majors in the liberal arts, business, science and technical fields. On-line resume submission is free and available beginning December 1st. To submit your resume or to obtain directions and parking information, please visit: http://careerservices.rutgers.edu.

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Long Island Works Coalition:  Internship/Summer Job Connection Fair

Wednesday, January 9th, 2008, 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Huntington Hilton, Route 110, Melville, NY

(pre-registered students can enter at 4:30 pm)

Attention all A&S students planning to be on the Island during the summer:  over 100 employers will be available to share their internship and summer job opportunities.  All majors are encouraged to attend.  For more information, please visit www.liworks.org or call 631-843-4014.

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Annual Mark and Pearle Clements Internship Awards

The Mark and Pearle Clements Internship Awards enable SU students to undertake internships that would not be possible without financial help.  Clements Interns typically spend one semester or summer away from the University, working under the guidance and supervision of an expert who can help them explore opportunities to link theory and practice in the world of work.

Applicants are responsible for obtaining their own internships, and should make initial arrangements with the proposed internship site before applying for a Clements Internship Award.  Applicants with questions about this requirement should talk to Greg Victory, Associate Director in the Center for Career Services.  Successful applicants must obtain confirmation of the internship offer before any money will be released to them.

Eligibility:  Full-time matriculated sophomore, junior, senior and master's level students from all schools and colleges of Syracuse University are eligible to apply for a Clements Internship Award.

Awards:  Clements Awards typically range from $2,500 to $5,000, and may be used during the Summer or Fall semesters of 2008. Internships must be confirmed no later than April 1st, 2008.  The award may be used to pay for internship-related travel, living expenses, and required materials, but may not be used to pay for salaries, stipends, or tuition.  As the Awards are intended to facilitate practical experiences that bridge from and build upon the student's formal educational program, internships closely and/or necessarily linked to formal educational structures or institutions are not eligible.  Nor can Clements Internships be used to help satisfy degree program requirements.

For more information and to complete an application, go to the OrangeLink Web site at http://syr-csm.symplicity.com/students. Deadline:  All material must be submitted by January 25th, 2008.  For more information contact Greg Victory by e-mail at gjvictor@syr.edu, or by phone at 315-443-3616.
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Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP)
The Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students with Disabilities (WRP) is a resource which connects public and private sector employers nationwide with highly motivated post-secondary students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to prove their abilities in the workforce.

Interviews are conducted on a non-competitive basis on college campuses nationwide, and summaries and application materials become part of a database that employers utilize as they seek qualified candidates for internships and permanent roles.

The WRP is co-sponsored nationally by the Office of Disability Employment Policy and the Department of Defense, with support from other Federal agencies. For more details, visit: http://students.syr.edu/careerservices/news/wrpinfo.htm

A number of other opportunities are also available. Visit this page on the Center for Career Services Web site for further information: http://students.syr.edu/careerservices/undergrad/diversity-disabilities.htm
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Woodward Internship Program at Westport Country Playhouse
Applications are accepted year round.  Internships are available in the following departments:  Production, Arts Management, Marketing, Development/Fundraising, Education, Company Management, and Artistic/Literary.  Intern slots range from January to April, May to August, or September to December.  For more information go to: www.westportplayhouse.org.
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Student Conservation Association (SCA) Contest
The Student Conservation Association is offering students an opportunity to protect the environment, challenge their intellect, and win top prizes. The SCA/Mazda Conservation in Action Multimedia Contest is part of a year-long series of events to celebrate SCA's 50th anniversary and honor founder Elizabeth Titus Putnam, whose senior thesis launched SCA in 1957. She proved that a young person with vision and determination can make a difference. SCA believes that’s still possible. Submissions may be a research project or thesis, or a video, PowerPoint presentation, or even a Web site. Prizes include a 2008 Mazda3i, $37,000, and eight expense-paid trips to SCA's April 2008 EarthVision Summit in Washington, DC. The deadline is December 1st, 2007. See http://www.thesca.org/contest for more details.
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Dell Thurmond Woodard Fellowship for Summer 2008

The Dell Thurmond Woodard Fellowship, which includes one $5,000 grant for one student each year, is part of the Tisdale Fellowship program, a summer internship available to undergraduate and graduate students.  Any student-- undergraduate or graduate--who is interested in diversity and ethics issues and in learning about high-tech public policy issues, can apply for this Fellowship.   

 

The Dell Thurmond Woodard Fellowship was established in 2007 as an additional grant/internship opportunity within the Tisdale Fellowship.  The Tisdale Fellowship is a high-tech public policy summer internship program in Washington, DC.  The Dell Fellowship was created in memory of the late Thurmond Woodard, Dell's former Vice President of Global Diversity and Chief Ethics, Privacy and Compliance Officer.  Those interested should use the Eben Tisdale Fellowship Application, and follow the instructions for submitting an additional essay on ethics and diversity.  The Dell Thurmond Woodard Fellowship grant recipient will participate in the same program as those in the Tisdale Fellowship--an eight-week internship and weekly high-tech policy seminars.

 

The Fellowship has two main elements:

 

Internship:  Fellows do an eight-week internship in the government relations office of a leading high technology company or association.  In the recent past, fellows have interned at such companies as Agilent Technologies, Hewlett-Packard, Philips Electronics and Infotech Strategies, as well as associations such as the Business Software Alliance.

Issues Seminar:  The issues seminar is a weekly lunch hosted by the different sponsoring companies and associations.  Expert speakers lead discussions about current public policy issues in Washington and the methods the high technology industry uses for effective advocacy.  A new lecture on diversity and ethics has been added to the Tisdale Fellows speaker series.

The Summer 2008 Fellowship runs from June 16th through August 8th, 2008. The goal of the Fellowship is to create a supportive and collegial environment in which a new class of public policy professionals will be mentored to help ensure that the high-tech industry continues to have highly capable and well-trained individuals in both policy advocacy and senior management positions. Students may find more information and apply at www.tisdalefellowship.org.
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The Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars Program
The deadline for the 2008 program is 5:00 pm ET on December 14th, 2007. The application form is now available.

PROGRAM - The Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars Program brings talented college seniors and recent graduates to Washington, DC, where they are placed in congressional offices and learn about health policy issues, with a focus on issues affecting racial and ethnic minorities and underserved communities. Through the nine-week program (May 19th-July 26th, 2008), Scholars gain knowledge about federal legislative procedures and health policy issues, while further developing their critical thinking and leadership skills. In addition to gaining experience in a congressional office, Scholars participate in seminars and site visits to augment their knowledge of health care issues, and write and present a health policy research memo that addresses a problem of concern to disadvantaged populations.

PURPOSE - The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation established the Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars Program at Howard University to honor the legacy of former Foundation Trustee and Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, and to expand the pool of students in the field of health policy who are interested in issues affecting racial and ethnic minorities and underserved communities. As a member of the United States Congress and the Texas State Legislature, Barbara Jordan's distinguished career was exemplified by her tireless advocacy of behalf of vulnerable populations. She brought this passion to her work, inspiring others to become involved in addressing challenging health policy issues.
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The Wellstone Fellowship for Social Justice
The Wellstone Fellowship for Social Justice aims to advance social justice through health care advocacy by focusing particularly on the unique challenges facing communities of color. Through this fellowship, established to honor the memory of the late Senator Paul D. Wellstone, we hope to expand the pool of talented social justice advocates from underrepresented racial and ethnic minority groups.

The ideal candidate must demonstrate an interest in health care policy and racial/ethnic health disparities. Additionally, we are looking for an individual who displays the potential to contribute to social justice work after their year of hands-on experience as a fellow. The application deadline is January 15th, 2008. You can find more information, including a downloadable application form, on our Web site: http://www.familiesusa.org/about/wellstone-fellowship.html.

This fellowship is a year-long, full-time, salaried position at our office in Washington, DC. Each year, one candidate will be selected. The selected fellow will receive a compensatory package that includes an annual stipend of $35,000 and excellent health care benefits. If you have questions or would like to request hard copies of the application brochure, send an e-mail to wellstonefellowship@familiesusa.org.
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The Villers Fellowship for Health Care Justice
The Villers Fellowship for Health Care Justice was created in 2005 by Philippe Villers, Founder and President of Families USA. Villers Fellows work in our health policy department and assist our organization's efforts to improve access to health coverage for all Americans, especially for low-income and other vulnerable communities. Specifically, Villers Fellows will conduct research on a range of health care policy issues, and write and contribute to publications that are relevant to current health policy debates.

 

In creating the fellowship, Mr. Villers aspired to develop a network of young leaders who share a passion for health care justice. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a commitment to health care justice work following their year as a fellow. Additionally, in order to encourage the development of future leaders, Villers Fellows must commit to mentoring at least one person over the course of their careers. The application deadline is January 15th, 2008. You can find more information, including a downloadable application form, on our Web site: http://www.familiesusa.org/about/the-villers-fellowship.html.

 

This fellowship is a year-long, full-time, salaried position at our office in Washington, DC. Each year, one candidate will be selected. The selected fellow will receive a compensatory package that includes an annual stipend of $35,000 and excellent health care benefits. If you have questions or would like to request hard copies of the application brochure, send an e-mail to villersfellowship@familiesusa.org.
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University of Michigan's Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) in Health Management and Policy

Many hospitals and other health care organizations in the Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint area have agreed to provide paid ($3,000 for the summer) eight-week summer internships in health management and policy to qualified undergraduate students who are interested in the elimination of racial/ethnic health disparities. Students accepted will also receive housing, a food allowance, and travel expenses to and from Ann Arbor. The application deadline is March 3rd, 2008. For more information, contact Sha' Duncan Smith, Program Coordinator, at 734-936-3296 or um_sep@umich.edu.

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CAREER COACHING CORNER
Professional References
Having solid professional references is important for all job or internship seekers. It is important for you to begin now to gather written recommendations and identify references who are available to speak with potential employers over the phone. Read this article for more information about who to ask and how to go about doing so.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Volunteering Builds Career Readiness Skills and Adds Substance to Your Resume
Volunteering not only shows employers that you are a person who cares about your community, but also helps you build skills to enhance your career. Read this article for more information:
http://www.quintcareers.com/community_service.html

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What Do E-Mail Salutations Really Say?
E-mail has become a necessary part of the communication flow in many workplaces.  Workplace etiquette experts say that using the correct sign-off to end an e-mail can help workers make sure their written communication sends the right message. Find out more from:
http://www.entrepreneur.com/management/article180872.html
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Dress for Success
This is a great resource that talks about what is appropriate and professional for the interview setting.  It will be useful for both job and internship interviews:
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewsnetworking/a/dressforsuccess.htm
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Internships with the Federal Government
One-stop portal for government internship opportunities in a variety of departments and agencies:
http://www.studentjobs.gov
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Marketing Your Liberal Arts Degree
This article is all about marketing your Arts and Sciences degree. It is a step-by-step guide which discusses everything from searching for a position to utilizing your cover letter and resume to highlight your skills and accomplishments. There are great links within this article for you to check out as well.
http://www.quintcareers.com/marketing_liberal-arts_degrees.html

 

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QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Question:  I know I need to have professional references, but I don’t know who to ask or how to do so?

Answer:  You are correct-–it is VERY important to find solid professional references who can speak about your interpersonal skills and character. You want to pick people who know you, who understand your work ethic, and who have actually observed you in a professional setting.  Professors, advisors, and internship or job supervisors are perfect! CES recommends that you find three recommenders and speak with them in person about your request. Be honest with them and tell them what you are looking for in your next experience. Give the recommender an updated copy of your resume as well as information about the organizations/companies to whom you are applying. Also, as you progress in your search, you will want to update all of your references. Last, but not least, make sure to thank them; a small gesture goes a long way! Check out the CAREER COACHING CORNER section for an article about who to ask and how to ask for a reference.

 

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COMING CAREER ATTRACTIONS

Stay tuned for details. In the meantime, jot down these important dates to remember:

February 7th, 2008:  Spring Career Expo (combined internship and career fair)
February 27th, 2008:  Community Connections Non-Profit/Government Fair
February 28th, 2008:  SUNY ESF Environmental Career Fair
March 15th, 2008:  Big East Career Fair at Madison Square Garden, NYC
April 14th-16th, 2008:  CNY Communications Consortium 

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MAJOR INSIGHTS
2007-2008 Edition of Major Insights Available Online!
Are you an undecided Arts and Sciences student?  Are you considering changing your major or adding a major?  Check out the 2007-2008 edition of our publication, Major Insights--which is available online.  This booklet includes a description of all majors available in The College of Arts and Sciences, as well as lots of other relevant information which would be useful to anyone who is in the process of selecting, changing or adding a major.  Here's the link:

http://ces.syr.edu/majorinsights.pdf

 

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ORANGELINK

OrangeLink is the online career management system you can use to search for a job or internship, or to network with alums and/or employers.  You will create a profile, then upload your resume(s), cover letter(s), etc., to make available to prospective employers:

https://syr-csm.symplicity.com/students

 

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CONTACT INFORMATION

Teresa DiMagno, Director

Amy Friers, Career Counselor

Lynn Fall, Office Coordinator

Caitlin Horgan, Student Assistant

 

Career Exploration Services (CES)

329 Hall of Languages

Syracuse, NY 13244-1170

315-443-2206

315-443-9397 (fax)

http://ces.syr.edu

ces@syr.edu

 

By appointment:

Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm

(except Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00 to 5:00 pm)

 

Walk-in hours:

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:00 to 5:00 pm

 

We now have walk-in hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00 to 5:00 pm in 329 HL. Walk-in hours are intended to be 10- to 15-minute meetings designed to assist you with quick questions such as a preliminary resume or cover letter critique.  We are happy to schedule a follow-up appointment for you if your questions or concerns are not fully addressed.

 

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PREVIOUS ISSUES OF CES_SEZ
You may wish to browse our archive, especially the general career advice featured in the CAREER COACHING CORNER and QUESTION OF THE WEEK sections:

 

November 26th, 2007
November 12th, 2007

October 29th, 2007