Wright State University has always claimed to be student-focused, but in recent years, the campus's slow but sure makeover proves that. On the first floor of the Student Union, near the Student Involvement and Leadership Office and new Bookstore, WSU recently opened its new Career Hub. This modern space has many amenities and important services that all WSU students need to know about.
The hub
Ashley Hill-Mercer is the assistant director of career education and career consultant focusing on students in the college of science and math. Prior to the move, Hill-Mercer's office was located in a corner of Brehm Laboratory, and shared that she prefers being close to her fellow career advisors.
"I think this will be much better because the areas we're helping [students] with- the career areas, we can lean in and ask, right? Because sometimes I'll have a student who, like a psychology student, who is minoring in criminal justice, which is in a different college, and there's a lot of careers that overlap with other colleges, right? They're not like all in vacuums," Hill-Mercer said.
The previous set-up of advisors, however, forced the career consultants to all exist in separate, faraway corners of the WSU campus.
"I was very by myself in Brehm and so now I'm like, there's people everywhere, so if I don't have a student with me, I can just talk, and no one will stop me," Hill-Mercer said. "Mariann is my work bestie. So I'm always leaning in her door."
Mariann Boron is the associate director of career advising operations and data management at WSU's career center. She shared that she is excited to finally be moved into the new space and looks forward to all the chances for collaboration this will bring.
"I think having everybody under the same roof [is a positive change], because before we were kind of all separate out in our colleges, and now we [are] finally back together again. And I think a lot of times it allows for a lot better communication and allows a lot better collaboration on events and workshops," Boron said.
The career center has been very busy lately, from settling into their new home to hosting one of their biggest events of the year. Boron shared that well over 600 students attended the recent career fair, networking with professionals from the 64 employers that came to WSU for the occasion. The hub is already hosting some of these employers to interview students in the new space.
Those who have already visited the hub for various appointments have been pleasantly surprised by the modern space with comfortable seating and an electric fireplace. However, many students are buzzing about one particular amenity the new career hub offers: the photo booth.
The photo booth
In its own miniature room in the career hub, there is a station open to students where they can get professional-level headshots taken at any time. With a background and camera set up at all times, this photo booth is open whenever the career hub is.
"I think the headshot booth, of course, [will be] really helpful, especially when students know it's here, because it's just really up and running as of last week. So, I think that part will be really great once students kind of recognize really how much that helps them. It does, even statistically, we know, make a huge difference in how many clicks or actual views you get on your LinkedIn," Hill-Mercer said.
Hill-Mercer stressed the importance of being a well-rounded individual by the time a student gets to the job market and explained that a good headshot is a necessary step to creating a profile companies want to interview.
Tyler Toves is a freshman at WSU and works the front desk of the career hub. Last semester, he took a class called effective career planning and declared his major as nursing. His professor also works in the career hub and encouraged him to apply for his current position.
"I've done a lot of the photo booth. I got a really good headshot," Toves said. "I feel like this is a very helpful resource for students."
The process is quick, and the pictures come out nicely. This photo booth is a must-try for any students needing to update their headshot.
"We're excited for students to have something to help give them that more professional image when they're grading their Handshake account and their LinkedIn profiles and just putting a good professional face forward," Boron said.
The future
The career hub, while shiny and new, is not yet complete. Nearby, there is yet another part of career services that will be available for students in the near future.
"There's another section of the career hub, kind of across the hall, right at the top of the ramp, so they're still working on some things over there. But those will be two large conference rooms for our career workshops. There'll be a career lab where that'll be staffed by student peer career coaches that will probably open in the fall semester," Boron said.
The current hub is fully operational, meaning that any seniors graduating before the second part of the new construction can still take advantage of all that has already been done. And, for those who are graduating soon, the career hub has a request.
"For students that are about to be graduating at the end of towards the end of the semester, they'll be getting like a first destination survey. So, [giving them] an opportunity to tell us, like, where are you going, or did you get a job? Are you going to grad school? So, they should check their email for those, because they'll get those at the end of the semester. And we really want to hear where they're going. We want to brag on them too, and share their opportunities and also help, you know, develop our connections with those companies too, because a lot of the companies, especially around here, hire our students," Boron said.
Staff members at the career hub also want to stress that students do not need to wait until their senior year to make appointments with them.
"I think if every first semester, second semester student just had a conversation with us so that they understood. Okay, here are the things I want to think about before I graduate, instead of getting ready to graduate and then reaching out saying, I graduate soon. Are there things I should have been doing? So, it's never too early, even if you don't know what to meet with us for, just make an appointment. We promise like we'll give you something that you will be so happy that you learned," Hill-Mercer said.
Appointments at the career hub can be made at any time through a student's Handshake account. Students can make appointments with a career advisor from any specific college or can make an exploratory appointment. As Hill-Mercer said, it is never too early to visit career services.
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