Oct. 29, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WVSU students to receive real world advice at convocation
INSTITUTE, W.Va. – Leaders in the Kanawha Valley’s business community will conduct mock interviews with West Virginia State University students at the fourth annual College of Professional Studies Convocation on Tuesday, Nov. 13.
During an interactive session called “It’s Interview Time: Navigating the Speed Bumps,” WVSU students will be put through a simulated job interview by: Michael Jones, program manager of KISRA; Steve Burton, program director of First Choice Health Systems; Paul Burdette, human resources manager of Lowes; and Amanda Harrison, vice president of Roark-Sullivan Lifeway Center Inc. Debra Anderson-Conliffe, chairman of the Department of Health and Human Performance and Leisure studies at WVSU, will introduce the session.
At the conclusion of the interview, students will receive constructive feedback on what went well, and also on what areas they should work on to improve. This session will take place in Room 136 of the Wilson University Union and is one of three concurrent sessions offered at the convocation. All sessions will run from 12:30 p.m. to 1:20 p.m.
The free, annual event is designed to prepare students in the College of Professional Studies for life after West Virginia State University.
“The purpose of the convocation is to provide students with career advice and job search preparation skills,” said Sandy G. Maharaj, director of the Office of Career Services and Co-operative Education.
The theme of this year’s convocation is “Career Success Strategies,” and in addition to the session on job interviews will also feature sessions on resume writing and graduate school.
“Resume Writing 101: Getting Ahead of the Pack,” will be introduced by Dr. Steve Richards, WVSU associate professor, and will feature Kathy Carroll, director of human resources for the West Virginia Division of Corrections. It will be held in Room 135 of the Union.
“Pathways Ahead: Considering Graduate School,” will feature a panel discussion and be introduced by Dr. Sandra Orr, chairman of the Education Department. Panelists will by WVSU faculty members: Dr. Walter Stroupe, chairman of the Criminal Justice Department; Dr. Michael Kane, assistant professor of Criminal Justice; and Dr. Brenda Wamsley, chairman of the Social Work Department. This session will take place in Room 134 of the Union.
The deadline to register to attend the College of Professional Studies Convocation is Nov. 7. Registration forms are available from all department chairs.
West Virginia State University is a public, land grant, historically black university, which has evolved into a fully accessible, racially integrated, and multi-generational institution, located in Institute, WV. As a “living laboratory of human relations,” the university is a community of students, staff, and faculty committed to academic growth, service, and preservation of the racial and cultural diversity of the institution. Its mission is to meet the higher education and economic development needs of the state and region through innovative teaching and applied research.