04-17-2022 Education - Flipbook - Page 4
4 The Baltimore Sun | Sunday, April 17, 2022
Colleges contribute to
workforce success
Since 2007, the Association of
American Colleges and Universities
(AAC&U) has published a series of
employer surveys on higher education.
Their most recent survey, published
in April 2021, was titled How College
Contributes to Workforce Success:
Employer Views on What Matters Most,
and presented findings from a survey of
496 executives and hiring managers.
The following are some of the key
findings of the survey:
• Employers value higher education and
think a college education can prepare
future employees to think for themselves, problem-solve, adapt to different situations, and have the technical
knowledge necessary for the workplace.
• Nearly half of employers surveyed said
they are “much more likely” to consider
hiring candidates who have had an
internship or apprenticeship.
• ePortfolios can help college students
communicate the skills they developed
and the experiences they had during
their time in college.
Loyola’s new Rizzo Career Center is an engaging and welcoming place for students.
Preparing for success in the workplace
Landing a job after graduation a focus on campuses
By Carol Sorgen, Contributing Writer
M
cDaniel College is not only committed to its students’ academic
journey, but also to giving them the
skills and confidence they will need
to meet challenges and opportunities once they leave “The Hill,” as the campus is
affectionately known.
To that end, the school has established the
McDaniel Commitment. “This is our guarantee
that students will be on a path to success from
the moment they set foot on campus,” says Erin
Benevento, associate dean for student development, mentorship and networking. Through the
Commitment, students have access to a team of
mentors who help them develop an individually
tailored and personalized experience.
“From the very beginning, and at other key
points throughout the students’ journey here, the
McDaniel Commitment will help keep them on
track toward their goals,” says Benevento.
The multi-pronged Commitment not only
introduces students to the campus and its myriad
activities, but also to the surrounding community.
As students progress in their McDaniel experience, they develop a plan for their educational
experience, take advantage of opportunities such as
internships and study abroad, and ultimately, with
the one-on-one guidance of their faculty mentors
and advisors, focus on the practical knowledge and
career skills that will prepare them to succeed in a
professional environment.
Benevento explains that during students’ junior
or senior year, they complete a one-credit course
entitled My Career, which is designed to guide
them through the steps they’ll need to take for
professional success.
“In My Career, students plan for life beyond
college, guided by purposeful coursework and with
one-on-one coaching,” Benevento says. The students learn to write their best resumes, maximize
online networking, and meet with alumni and
other professionals as they prepare for their next
steps after graduation.
McDaniel also offers students access to
resources and skills-building through its Center
for Experience and Opportunity (CEO). “This
one-on-one coaching helps students develop goals,
engage in immersive experiences, and stand out
when applying for jobs and post-graduate studies, as well as fellowships and scholarships,” says
Benevento.
An active network of alumni and community members are also involved with the students,
offering everything from advice to networking
opportunities to internships. “We’re very focused
on relationship-building,” says Benevento.
Benjamin Yingling, who graduated from
McDaniel in 2007, is one of the many alumni
who not only credits the college with preparing
him for his role as president of Crawford Yingling
Insurance in Westminster, but also gives back to
the school by hiring student interns. “As a political
science major, I learned how to speak in front of a
group, which has strengthened my confidence both
then and now,” says Yingling.
Yingling adds that it’s exciting to have young
talent “right in our backyard.”
“It means a lot to me to be able to help grow this
talent and see these students go on to have successful careers of their own,” he says.
• The skills that employers thought are
most critical for success are the ability
to work effectively in teams, critical
thinking, the ability to analyze and
interpret data, and the application
of knowledge and skills in
real-world settings.
New Career Center at Loyola
Offers Engaging Space
Loyola University Maryland’s Rizzo Career
Center recently moved to the new Miguel B.
Fernandez Family Center for Innovation and
Collaborative Learning, the most important largescale academic renovation on Loyola’s Evergreen
campus in 10 years.
In addition to the Career Center, within the
35,000-square-foot Fernandez Center, are active
learning classrooms, an interdisciplinary hub
featuring open and transparent spaces that can
be reconfigured for different teaching styles, the
Forbes Idea Lab, and the Academic Loft, a collaborative space for faculty and students to engage in
interactive, innovative, and interdisciplinary learning. A cafe and expanded outdoor spaces provide
additional opportunities for students, faculty, and
staff to both collaborate and socialize.
Preparing for success,
continued on page 7