This is a real-life scenario that could happen at Penn State. I recently completed my Senior Year at PSU and started fresh there, but I am now looking ahead to the next phase of my life. What I’m trying to understand is this: What are my goals for graduation from this fine institution of higher learning? Is there anything I can do as a student to prepare myself for what is ahead? I’d like to think so! I don’t know all the details, but it seems that Penn State has a great many programs and extracurricular activities for students to participate in.

One of these extracurricular activities is student programming. So, what exactly is this? It is the type of thing you would do at any college or university. In other words, I would be doing something related to my major, but I wouldn’t be acting in my own class. I would be participating in groups and committees.

Why is this important? In my opinion, I believe it’s vitally important. Why? Because I believe that students become more well-rounded human beings if they have a chance to experience all sorts of extracurricular endeavors and events. I don’t think this is a “get rich quick” scheme; however, it does show that students have a wide array of options to choose from and I believe it gives them a better chance to develop meaningful relationships and bonds that will help them through their college years check over here. These are attributes that will serve me well in later life and for my family.

So, how can a student get involved? It starts with taking an intro course that introduces students to the various programs that are available. In my opinion, the intro course should be taken before a semester begins because it gives students a much better overview of the various programs that they can participate in. This also gives them a good starting point to begin browsing which specific organization, club, or organization to join. The other required course that students should take is a placement program; although it would be nice if it were not needed, I do understand why it is required.

A placement program will allow students to work directly with the alumni of the organization that they wish to join. During their second week of employment, I will present a brief overview to the graduate of the placement program and what they can expect from working for the organization. At this point, students should already have an understanding of what the program is, but I still want to touch base on this because I believe it could influence a decision. If I were to suggest to a prospective Ph.D. candidate that the Ph.D. program at Penn State should be his top choice; wouldn’t you agree that it’s important to get this information out to the students?

For example, if I was an incoming freshman, I would want to know what programming would interest mewhat my future plans are, and how much money the Ph.D. would cost. It is extremely important for students to have some idea of where they stand financially and to be aware of their job outlook. So when I give the students a brief overview, I will address the concerns that they brought up with me. At the end of the program, I want students to have the knowledge to begin looking for jobs in this rapidly changing industry. This will be their first step into the digital media world.

My final piece of advice for students is to make sure that they have a strong leadership frame. The students who become leaders need to know the direction that the organization is going. There will come a time in their career when they have to make a decision and either follow the leaders or run in their own direction. If they choose the latter, there is a great opportunity for them at Penn State. When I was hired by this university, the director of media relations and marketing was a recent graduate of the university. She was one of four new graduates that started the new position immediately upon my hiring.

I have learned that the best way for students to have a fulfilling career is to start while they are still in school. There are many positions waiting for them once they complete their credits for their degree. The cost of working at home, in an apartment, or on a campus may be something students aren’t aware exist. As soon as they realize that there are actually opportunities out there, they will be excited about the potential for work in this industry.