Liberal Arts Voices

Read the perspectives of our current students

Got a summer internship? Then tell us about it!

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When you’re searching for that perfect summer internship, and you finally get it, your first call is probably to your family.  Then you start telling your friends.  Maybe you mention it to your adviser if you meet him or her on a regular basis.  But what about the Career Enrichment Network?  We are incredibly interested to know when Liberal Arts students are successful in their internship searches, so please share your good news with us!    

You can add your internship information to your Network Symplicity account by logging in and clicking on the My Internship Information tab under Shortcuts.  You also can send us an email at lanetwork@psu.edu with your details, if you prefer.

And in case just asking you to do it isn’t enough, check out our

Top Five Reasons to Report Your Internship to the Career Enrichment Network:

5. For the good of the cause:  Most students don’t realize it, but there are a lot of faculty and staff invested in and interested in your success.  We report annually on the number of students participating in all sorts of enrichment activities, so your internship is certainly important to you, but it’s also important to us.  Tell us so you can be included in the numbers of other Liberal Arts students enriching their educational experiences this summer.

4. Pay it forward:  Your internship may be with an employer or site that we have not connected with yet.  If you report your internship to the Network, then we can contact the site to learn about opportunities for future Liberal Arts students.  Give the students a year or two behind you a hand with their internship searches by reporting yours to us today.

3. Competitive streak:  We all know that Liberal Arts graduates are just as successful as graduates from other colleges.  We’d like to be able to say that Liberal Arts students are just as successful as their counterparts from other colleges in participating in internships and other enrichment experiences.  We don’t know you’re doing an internship if you don’t report it (or if you’re not earning academic credit for it).

2. Bragging rights:  Don’t you want people to know you’re doing cool things?  The Network spotlights Liberal Arts students on our web site, and we’d love to have you sharing your experience with the Liberal Arts community.  Tell us where you are and what you’re doing, and your photo could be on the Network web site this summer/fall.

1. Show me the money:  Many Liberal Arts majors are interested in fields where interns are not always paid (non-profits, government, etc.).  Luckily for them, we have a lot of successful and generous alumni who have donated to the College so we can provide current Liberal Arts majors with enrichment funds to support their internship experiences.  The application process is pretty simple and straightforward, and award amounts range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, depending on the situation, student need, etc.  


*If you don’t have a summer internship and want one, then please review current postings in your Network Symplicity account and/or contact a Network staff member for assistance with your resume and/or cover letters.

Study Abroad as a Career Enhancer?

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I know that as a Liberal Arts student you may be interested in studying abroad because you want to see the world and experience other cultures. Those are great objectives. In addition to those more general motivations, though, I would encourage you to think about study abroad as a way to enhance your skill set and make you a more attractive candidate to future potential employers.

Wondering how you can do that? Here are my top five tips:

Choose a study abroad program that complements your academic studies.
I like to travel as much (maybe more) than the next person, but when you’re thinking about study abroad program options, think about them in the context of your academic program. Where can you study and take courses related to your major that will provide you with a new and interesting perspective on your field? This is something you will be able to highlight to future employers, reinforcing your interest and commitment to your field of study, while demonstrating your willingness to go a little outside of your comfort zone.

Immerse yourself in your host culture through volunteer experiences and internships.
Don’t confine your experiences abroad to classes and travel. Get involved in your host community and search for ways to make a contribution. Volunteering or interning abroad will give you a chance to meet people from your host country who may otherwise never cross your path. It gives you a chance to build a network of professional colleagues abroad, which could be very helpful if you’re thinking about working abroad in the future. These experiences might be grouped on your resume under an “International Experience” category, or they may be woven into other experience sections. Regardless, they will be of interest to potential employers for their uniqueness. You may have questions about differences in work cultures, hours, processes, or just how and why you sought out such an experience.

Make a concerted effort to meet natives from your host country.
There are lots of types of study abroad programs available to Penn State students, so regardless of whether you’re studying in a center with other international students or integrated into classes with students from your host country, make an effort to meet and befriend natives from your host country. A native can provide you with insight into the country and culture in a way that few others can. This is something to talk about with potential employers when they ask about your ability to work with people from different cultures or who offer different perspectives.

Work on that second language.
If you’re studying in a location where a second language is required, take it seriously and work on improving your speaking abilities and learning local expressions and the intricacies of the language, even if the majority of your classes are in English. Even if you don’t intend to achieve fluency, you never know when being able to say a few sentences in another language will be useful in the future. Also, working hard on learning a second language says something about your level of motivation and ability to adapt to a new environment.

Document your experience.
Methods for documenting and curating your time abroad are ubiquitous. Maybe you want to blog about your experience on a regular basis, including both your challenges and achievements in adjusting to a new culture. Create an e-portfolio where you can include links to any volunteer or intern organizations, post your resume, include notes and links about your progress with language acquisition, or detail a specific project you decided to tackle, either as part of a course requirement or because of your own interests. Thinking about a career in communications? Then find someone working in that field in your host country and conduct an informational interview to learn about the required skills and educational background. Interested in working abroad in the future? Then start researching visa requirements and application standards in that country.

If you’re thinking of studying abroad next fall or for the next academic year, Penn State’s application deadline is January 20, 2013. You still have time to talk with your Liberal Arts academic adviser, research program options, and meet with an Education Abroad adviser to help you with narrowing down your options.  Think studying abroad during the fall semester isn’t a good idea?  Then read Juliana Viau’s post, “Top Five Reasons to Study Abroad in the Fall,” to get a different perspective.  If you’re looking for other first-hand perspectives on study abroad, check out the Education Abroad category on the LAUS@PSU blog to read about Liberal Arts students’ international experiences.  To learn more about becoming a contributor of our blog, email LASocialMedia@psu.edu.

P.S.  Worried about how you can afford to study abroad?  Check out the Ed Abroad advice on keeping your experience affordable, and be sure to apply for Liberal Arts Enrichment Funds!

Susan Knell is the director of the Liberal Arts Career Enrichment Network and can be reached via email at lanetwork@la.psu.edu or by phone at 814-865-1070.

Career Resources for Liberal Arts Students

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PSU students often hear about how lucky they are to be members of the Penn State network.  But actually understanding how to navigate that network and make important connections is often quite another story.  Penn State Live recently posted an article focusing on several resources and networking opportunities available to all Penn State students, and we want to make sure Liberal Arts majors are aware of a new resource: the Career Enrichment Network (CEN), which focuses on assisting CLA majors with their specific career-related needs.  From the centralized Penn State Career Services office to the College-based CEN to your fellow students, using the resources available to you can help you make the connections that will move you along on your chosen career path.

The Career Enrichment Network officially opened during the fall 2011 semester and soon after launched the web-based Network Symplicity system for students to post resumes, search for internships, and keep track of various career events.  I wrote about some of the services Liberal Arts majors can expect from the CEN in a blog post last December, and since that time, our resources have continued to expand.
 
During the spring semester, we had four undergraduate Network Assistants working with us.  They blogged about various events, services, and opportunities (you can read some of their past blog posts here and here and here).  We hosted a Networking 101 session to kick off the semester, and attendees had a number of department- and College-related opportunities to use their newly polished networking skills throughout the semester, culminating in a very successful Alumni Networking Event.
 
Students have been using Network Symplicity to search, apply for, and secure internship opportunities. Communication Arts & Sciences major Sadie Buckallew wrote about her summer internship with the Penn State Press earlier this week.  Numerous other liberal arts majors will be blogging about their various enrichment activities throughout the summer. Be sure to watch for new postings that may give you some ideas for experiences you will want to apply for in the future!

Starting this fall, we will be offering a new program, LEAD (Leadership Enrichment through Assessment and Development), in cooperation with faculty and students from the Department of Psychology.  This program, available exclusively to Liberal Arts majors, will provide participants with the opportunity to complete a range of on-line assessments, conduct an in-person interview with one of the program researchers, and as an outcome, receive feedback on strengths to highlight to potential employers, as well as information on areas in which they need to develop their skills, so they can address those needs prior to graduation.  Keep an eye out here on the LAUS Blog, in the LAUS Announcements, and via your Network Symplicity accounts for information on how to register with LEAD.

I said it in my post back in December, but I think it bears repeating – I don’t think there has ever been a better time to be a Liberal Arts student at Penn State, especially in terms of the staff and resources available to help you as you explore the many career fields and options available to Liberal Arts graduates.  Be sure to take advantage of ALL of the resources available to you – through the Network, through Career Services, through your academic department, and through the connections you’ve made or are making at your internships, study abroad programs, undergraduate research assignments, and extracurricular activities.  Building your network, talking with people, and exploring your options will all help you to find the career path you want to pursue.

Susan Knell is the Liberal Arts Career Enrichment Director and can be reached via email at lanetwork@la.psu.edu or by phone at 814-865-1070.

“What is the Career Enrichment Network?”

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This question was posed to me by a student who happened to be walking by the office in 5 Sparks, noticed the sign on the wall, and wondered what this new office was all about. I was thrilled to see her and happy to explain that the Network is a new initiative by the College of the Liberal Arts to centralize a range of career-related services and programs into a one-stop resource for students. You may have seen Dean Long’s tweet about my arrival back in September or listened to episode 29 of Liberal Arts Voices when we talked about the Network and the vision for what it will do to help Liberal Arts students. Now that I’ve been here a few months, I thought I’d share an update on the Network and ask for your input on future directions.

I’ve learned a lot since my arrival in September — about the various Liberal Arts majors, about special opportunities like the Paterno Fellows Program, about student organizations like LAUC and Envoys, and so much more. I’ve met representatives from every department — faculty, advisers, administrators, and students. And throughout it all, I have been incredibly impressed with the commitment and passion everyone has for helping Liberal Arts students to realize their amazing potential as they explore the wide range of career opportunities available to them. I don’t think there has ever been a better time to be a Liberal Arts student at Penn State, and I’m excited to be part of the Network.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers Job Outlook 2012 survey results illustrate that employers are seeking many of the skills Liberal Arts graduates acquire through their educational experiences — the ability to work in teams; to communicate effectively; to make decisions and solve problems; to obtain and process information; and to plan, organize, and prioritize work. Employers recognize the importance of these skill sets, and they also know from direct experience that not all job candidates have them. Liberal Arts graduates do.

So the Network’s aim is to assist Liberal Arts students with applying and further developing their skills through internships, undergraduate research, and study abroad experiences. And here are a few things to watch for in Spring 2012:

  • Implementation of a new web-based software system (Symplicity CSM) will start, which will be a great resource Liberal Arts students seeking internships. Students can create a profile, upload a resume for review, book an appointment with a Network staff member, and search for internships – all in this one system. Liberal Arts students should watch their email in-boxes for a message asking them to get started with the system by logging into the site and completing a profile.
  • Two additional staff members – a Program Coordinator and an Assistant Director – will be joining me in 5 Sparks. We all will be available to meet with students one-on-one and to answer questions about preparing and applying for internships, making the most of a mentor relationship, searching various study abroad options, etc.
  • Part-time Network Assistants will be joining us to help with outreach to Liberal Arts students. They will be Liberal Arts Envoys who are trained to serve as peer career coaches, helping with resume reviews, interview skills questions, and referrals to available resources, and the new software system.

As with any new initiative, there are a million and one things to do and still only 24 hours in the day. To make sure we’re prioritizing to really meet Liberal Arts students’ most immediate needs, I’d love to hear from you about one or two things you hope the Network will do during the Spring semester. Comments to this post would be most welcome, or you can contact me directly at sek104@psu.edu.

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