The Chart Online

Career Day receives positive turnout
Josh Ray

Diversions Editor

Billingsly Student Center was packed on Wednesday with countless students and numerous organizations milling around for this year's Career Development Day.

With 102 registered organizations in attendance, this year showed a slight rise from the event in 2001. Students jammed the third floor of the BSC walking around, picking up fliers and free stuff, and talking to the organizations with booths set up. Organizations included everything from the Army to Concordia Care Center in Bela Vista, Ark., and even Hastings of Joplin. The organizations were there to recruit students, and students were there to find job opportunities.

Pat Hurley, director of career services, helped plan the event. She said she was pleased with the turn out of students and organizations alike.

We're very happy in this economy that we have organizations coming out to let students know about opportunities," Hurley said. We had a great turn out."

She said the organizations were chosen to attend through numerous means. Some are on the mailing list as past participants, while others are found through a database, departments on campus, Southern alumni, and through meetings. Any organization interested in recruiting students is considered for the event.

For the organizations, it is a way for them to get their name out to students. Mary Bublitz from the Concordia Care Center said she enjoys talking to students and telling them what her organization needs. She thinks Career Day is a wonderful tool for organizations and helps students to see what "is out there in their field."

I like to show them what we have and what we need," Bublitz said. It helps me to point out aspects of their career that they never knew about.

Hurley said the day was a help for students in all years of college. For first and second year students, the event was an opportunity for them to be recruited and to get job and career ideas. Juniors and seniors got a chance to look at internships and job opportunities.

Destiny Clute, freshman nursing major, said she was impressed with the way it was set up. She went to look at job opportunities.

I think it s a good idea, just as long as they [students] are not using it to get out of class and get free stuff, Clute said.

She also thought there was a fine selection of organizations.

Planning for next year s Career Day will begin soon. Hurley said the main detail work occurs during the summer.