Turn Here For Career Help
January 20, 2010
When the employment market
is this tough, it makes sense to know the professionals in Career
Services at Saint Leo University. Cathy Wise recently joined the
office as assistant director, working closely with Kim Edwards,
associate director, who has been with Saint Leo for twoyears.
The women divide between them the tasks of helping students and
alumni with their career-exploration needs, whether that means
reviewing resumes, helping someone evaluate a graduate school, or a
finding occupational data about a potential new career field.
“We’re getting called on for all kinds of services,” Edwards said.
“Everybody has individual needs.”
The recent economy and ongoing job losses have prompted more
alumni to turn to the office for research and guidance, Edwards
said. “Some of our alumni have been displaced two and three times.
Some became underemployed. We’ve had a lot interested in returning
to school.”
The office also keeps in touch with employers interested in coming
to campus to interview students and tracks area collegiate job
fairs. It maintains ongoing relationships with organizations such
as the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce and Colleges of Central
Florida Career Consortium to locate job opportunities.
Clients of Career Services can be located anywhere geographically,
as long as they have studied at Saint Leo. The office is located in
DeChantal Hall, where clients can walk in or call for an
appointment. But students and alumni studying online or at a
Continuing Education Center and residing elsewhere can contact
Edwards and Wise through their e-mail addresses, at kim.edwards@saintleo.edu,
or cathy.wise@saintleo.edu.
Current students are also encouraged to visit Career Services,
whether they are graduating seniors who need to be sending out
resumes, or juniors or sophomores. Those undergraduates can start
learning now about different career fields and how their courses of
study––both majors and minors––can prepare them for certain fields.
The office will also help with locating internships, which will be
the subject of an upcoming news article.
Two main campus events are slated in the near future:
- On Monday, February 1, the office of Career Services will sponsor “USA Jobs: Working for America.” Recruiter Scott Smith will speak to students about government job opportunities. The event is open to all students and will be held from 4:30 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. in Selby Auditorium.
- On Wednesday, February 3, students will have an opportunity to meet Edwards and Wise in a more informal setting when the office of Career Services hosts “Cookies and Conversation,” at 2 p.m. in the lobby of the Student Activities Building.
Pictured above: Cathy Wise, left, and Kim Edwards, right, from Career Service
