New career-development program offers students internship and career positions with America's top Fortune 1000-level corporations.
Virginia Wesleyan College's Career Services Center is offering students a unique program that connects them with major corporations seeking interns and employees.
Called Career 15, this new career-development program created by the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges (VFIC) is just another resource for students to land a job post-graduation, or get their foot in the door through an internship.
Describing the program as a "consortium of VFIC schools pulling all their resources together," Associate Dean for Special Academic Projects Debbie Hicks said this new initiative will help students who attend smaller and private colleges get noticed by the bigger corporations in the job world.
"Top corporate recruiters have a tendency to bypass smaller institutions because they do not have a high enough yield of students compared to the larger universities," said Hicks. "Through this program, we hope students at Virginia Wesleyan will locate internships and/or first jobs with major corporations that have not previously been active recruiters on our campus."
Students who wish to take advantage of Career 15 must register online. Once registered, students can upload a resume and search available positions. In addition, Career Services staff will be available to assist with preparing a resume or interviewing for a job.
Since the program's inception in January 2008, a total of 17 companies have signed up with Career 15 including BB&T, Phillip Morris USA, Norfolk Southern, Mercer, Dollar Tree, Genworth Financial and Wachovia. And according to Hicks, the program is still progressing, with the VFIC having a goal of at least 50-75 companies participating in the program.
Founded in 1952, the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges is a nonprofit fund-raising partnership supporting the programs and students of 15 leading private colleges in the Commonwealth. The colleges of Career 15 include: Bridgewater College, Emory & Henry College, Hampden-Sydney College, Hollins University, Lynchburg College, Mary Baldwin College, Marymount University, Randolph College, Randolph-Macon College, Roanoke College, Shenandoah University, Sweet Briar College, University of Richmond, Virginia Wesleyan College and Washington & Lee University.
Although Career 15 is mainly geared toward current students, Hicks said that Virginia Wesleyan alumni may also utilize the program.
"This initiative is about helping our students be successful both in school and after graduation," said Hicks. "We're serving the needs of our students to help insure their potential for career success."
For more information about Career 15, contact Debbie Hicks at 757.455.3338 or dlhicks@vwc.edu.
02.27.08