On the Blvd
Job centers help graduates search
Placement services help find possible employment
Finding a job is usually an important priority for college graduates. The four placement centers on campus assist students find career opportunities.
The business, engineering and journalism schools operate placement services within the professional schools. The University Placement Center in the Burge Union serves students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the schools without individual placement services.
Terry Glenn, director of the UPC, said the center had not seen an increase in activity because of the number of December graduates but that not many companies interviewed at this time of the year. More than 200 companies interview annually at the UPC. Most of the activity is in the spring.
"There are always jobs opportunities," Glenn said. "Insurance companies and companies like K-Mart and United Parcel Services hire year-round."
To be eligible to interview through UPC, students must register with the center and pay a fee. Weekly mailings are sent to everyone in the center's database. The center also has a home page on the Internet with listings for full-time employment.
"Many employers now request resume referrals," Glenn said. "We can send them resumes electronically with the Resume Expert program."
Fred Madaus,placement director for the School of Business, said the economy was the most important factor in business students finding employment.
"Large companies with training sessions can project the number they will hire in December and May, but the demand for students depends on the economy," Madaus said.
Employers report a favorable job market. The business career fair in September had 103 businesses represented, a 20 percent increase from last year.
"The career fair increase is a positive sign," Madaus said. "The national trend shows fewer companies visiting campuses, but KU has the advantage if companies go to fewer campuses because they are attracted to the critical masses."
The business placement center also requires registration before students can interview with visiting companies. Electronic resume services also are offered.
"The number of resumes requested has increased 80 percent in the last two years," Madaus said. "Companies are using the resume requests instead of visiting campuses for interviews. The number of companies interviewing at KU decreased by two percent last year to 148."
More companies participated in the engineering career fair than in recent years, and the number of companies interviewing on campus is projected to be significantly higher than the 61 companies last year, said Karen Kelm, secretary at the Engineering Career Service Center.
"The job market looks good," said Tom Mulinazzi, associate dean of engineering. "The companies at the career fair were hiring this year in addition to just waving their flags to remain visible."
Students must register with Kelm to be eligible to interview on campus. Registration is free. The typical company interviewing engineering students requests resumes of those interested in interviews and then sets up a time to meet the students on campus. After interviewing students, the prospective employers make decisions about invitations for plant visits. After that, if all goes well, is the actual job offer, Kelm said.
The engineering center also offers a library of career informational videos and publications. The center recommends that students register their resumes on computer.
Susan Mar, Garden City senior, will graduate this month with a degree in electrical engineering. She has a full-time position at the company where she worked as an intern. She obtained her first internship placement from an interview through the engineering center.
Internships also are important for helping journalism students get full-time jobs.
"The job outlook will be decent," said Dana Leibengood, director of student services for journalism. "A fair number of jobs have been found. They're not all glamorous, but they allow the graduate to gain experience."
Leibengood said students should be flexible and willing to consider many kinds of jobs and locations but not to take a job that they didn't want.
"The journalism industry often consists of small staffs, and they can't keep a job open very long," Leibengood said. "We recommend students look for employment close to when they are available to work."
Approximately 40 companies interview on campus annually, Leibengood said. Most job opportunities because of the size of the staffs in the industry, are found through personal contact.
Journalism students must register a pay a fee with the journalism job information center before being eligible to interview with potential employers.
—BY KRISTIE BLASI
December graduates miss chance to participate in longtime tradition
More than 800 undergraduate students have applied for December degrees, but there will be no walk down the Hill for these graduates.
Graduating at the end of the fall semester is a different affair than the traditional May graduation. Not only is the weather colder, but fall graduation procedures also vary for each division.
All fall graduates from the professional schools and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences may attend May commencement exercises, and some schools have recognition ceremonies in the fall.
However, the College is not one of them. The 365 applicants for liberal arts and sciences degrees won't be recognized this month.
"The graduates usually go through the May exercises," said Diana Fox, assistant director of undergraduate graduation for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. "Their name appears in the May program regardless. The fall ceremony was discontinued about seven years ago."
The School of Business, which has a recognition ceremony, has about 125 students graduating in December.
"The recognition ceremony luncheon on Saturday will mark the fifth year of the fall graduation ceremony," said Rhetta Jo Noever, assistant director of undergraduate programming in business.
"I'm going to the business ceremony," Veronica Yaghmour, Pittsburg senior, said. "I'm thinking about walking down the Hill this spring, but it depends on my job location. If I'm far away, then I won't go,
The school has had graduation ceremonies for fall graduates since 1987. The ceremony will be Sunday in Woodruff Auditorium with a reception following for the graduates, said Ann Bakerink, director of academic services.
"Tl go to the fall engineering ceremony," Ruth Rodriguez, Mexico City senior, said. "I had a chance to go to commencement last spring, but I didn't go. I don't really care about coming back this spring."
but if it is in Kansas City, I will come back."
The School of Education estimates about 80 undergraduates will receive degrees this month. Fall graduates have the option to attend the spring commencement exercises at the Lied Center, said Jerry Bailey, associate dean of education.
The School of Fine Arts expects about 75 graduates this fall, but there is no recognition ceremony.
About 115 students will graduate from the School of Engineering this semester.
The School of Journalism has 101 candidates for December degrees. This is the first year journalism graduates will be recognized in the fall. The ceremony will be Sunday in Woodruff Auditorium.
The Schools of Architecture and Urban Design, Pharmacy, and Social Welfare each will have less than 20 graduates this fall because their curriculums are structured for spring completion of requirements.
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Hawk Holidays
"Most December graduates go to our big ceremony in May," said Edith Black, assistant dean of the School of Social Welfare.
—BY KRISTIE BLASI
= Hill • December 6, 1995