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| Curriculum Plus
Connections ~ Networking for Success released: 10/23/02 |
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| The number
of West Virginia Wesleyan College graduates dispersed across the country
may be relatively few compared to the number in large universities that
graduate thousands each year. However, for many Wesleyan students and alums
it has been precisely our small size and our capacity to know each other
that has made the big difference in building effective relationships that
link students old and new in valuable internship and employment partnerships. The facts speak for themselves. Dr. Charles Emery '63 was instrumental in helping Stephen Ranjan '01 secure a paid summer internship with iStarXchange, Inc., a partner with Toyota and i2 Technologies, in Irvine, California. During his internship, Ranjan, a computer science and engineering physics double major, was issued a Toyota concept electric car for use that summer to explore Southern California. Locally, Lance Koury of American Express Financial Advisors shared the realities of the business workplace with Adam Gregory '03 and Gustavo Pontual-Machado '03. Laura Cocolchos '99 is Director of Public Relations and Marketing for St. Joseph's Hospital in Buckhannon. A recent grad herself, Laura has already helped several Wesleyan interns strengthen their pre-professional skills, including Whitney Hitchcock '02, a business marketing major, and Adam Taylor '03, a public relations major. Not all networking connections occur during a student's residency on campus. Rob Raffety '97, completed requirements for his J.D. degree at Syracuse University's College of Law with the Hon. Thomas Keadle of the 26th Judicial Circuit Court in Buckhannon, who is the husband of Beverly Keadle '66. Melissa Eakle '03, a political science major, interned during her junior year with Frank Hartman III in his private law practice in Buckhannon. Her supervisor is the son of former WVWC Trustee Dr. I. Frank Hartman II '60. Sociology and Psychology major Carrie Shannon secured an internship through alum Jeannie O'Halloran at the Tri-County Health Clinic in Rock Cave, to complete requirements for her MSW & MPA degrees from WVU, but has since been hired in a staff position as she completes additional graduate work. A member of Wesleyan's Academic & Career Center staff, Barbara Morrissette describes career networking as an important resource for students seeking to strengthen their approach to life after Wesleyan. She adds, "The most effective resources for Wesleyan students are those which are closest to Wesleyan," and means closest more than just in terms of geography. No other resource can be closer to Wesleyan than a fellow Wesleyan graduate. A motto of the Academic & Career Center, "Curriculum Plus Connections ~ Networking for Success," aptly describes the special link between students and alumni. Morrissette and Alice Leigh, Assistant Dean and Director of the Academic & Career Center, both hope to improve upon the number of student internship placements with alumni, particularly paid summer internships. They hope that alumni and students with successful networking stories will share their accounts with one another, and as a result more Wesleyan alumni will want to get involved. Alumni interested in learning more about how to set up internships or job interviews with current students are urged to contact the Academic & Career Center directly at (304) 473-8440. |