William H. Kelly III and Nicholas Thornton
MC Contributors/Staff Writers
Jackson State University opened the doors of opportunity to students with the annual Spring Career Fair held on Feb.10, and the Beyond Please and Thank You Etiquette Dinner on Feb. 11
To aid JSU students in their transition into the workforce, the Career Services Center (CSC) at Jackson State holds these annual events to bring employers and opportunities to the students.
Many of the students are able to gain access to prestigious job opportunities, internships, and co-op positions.
“Jackson State University’s Career Fair goal is to help students establish nationwide networking capabilities. Graduating seniors benefit tremendously from the fair because the fair provides a smooth transition into the work force,” said Alisa Hughes, CSC Internship Coordinator.
Jackson State offers two annual career fairs, one in the fall and the other during the spring semester. The spring career fair boasted its biggest turn out since inception.
Some of the companies participating in this year’s event included: Signet jewelers, Service Master, and IBM.
Not only do graduating seniors benefit from the career fair, underclassman benefit as well.
Eric Gandy, a freshman business administration major hailing from Starkville, Miss says, “ The career fair was a very nice opportunity to see the different careers that Mississippi has to offer, as well as other states Although the businesses are looking for upper classmen status, I believe freshman engagement is necessary. At the end of the day, I felt more prepared for the next career fair when I gain upper classman status.”
The CSC also held its annual “Beyond Please and Thank You” Etiquette Dinner on Feb. 10 in the Student Center Ballroom A, to educate students on proper dining etiquette.
The dinner is in a formal setting requiring students to be dressed in professional attire. Those in attendance are guided through a slideshow created by CSC that shows examples of what and what not to do while in a professional setting.
The Associate Director of CSC, LaVenita Cottrell, encourages all students to take advantage of this opportunity.
“We have realized that a lot of our recruiters take students out to lunch, to dinner, or during information sessions on campus,” said Cottrell. “It really gives that student the opportunity to learn what is proper and improper during the process because an interview doesn’t just take place in an office behind a desk, it actually continues in a social setting as well as a business and dining setting.”
As a way to enhance the experience of being in an actual business setting, guests were randomly seated in order to network with others. Along with that, they were also guided throughout each portion of the dinner as they were served an appetizer, soup, salad, sorbet, rolls, an entrée, deserts, and three beverages.
Students such as Ariel Davis, a sophomore economics major from Chicago, Ill., have attended the etiquette dinner previously and enjoys the experience.
“I thought it was amazing because I got to learn something new each time, this is my second time here, it’s just something different and I got to meet a lot of cool people,” said Davis. “It’s not many places you can learn proper etiquette as a student, so this is definitely something that is a rarity and people should take advantage of it.”
Students interested in participating must be registered with the Tiger2Work and using the account to search for internships, employment opportunities, and being updated on the major CSC events.
“We just started a new process, January 2016, where now every student is a part of Tigers2Work. All the student has to do is go in and activate their account with their J#,” said Cottrell. “When they (students) go to Tigers2Work, which is our online manager system for the Career Services Center, all they have to do is go to “Students/Alumni” and put in their name and activate their account.”
Photos by William H. Kelly III
