Students who need help preparing a resumé, getting ready for a big interview or snagging a job or internship right out of college will have a new state-of-the-art career center on campus to help them, partially thanks to Student Government.
On April 17, SG Senate passed a financial bill that gave a total of $45,000 to help fund technology, signs and furniture for the new Olinde Career Center.
The $45,000 from SG was taken from two accounts: $29,790.50 from SG’s Initiatives Account and $15,790.50 from SG’s Surplus Account, according to the bill.
The Olinde Career Center is expected to open at some point in 2013, according to a Career Services brochure.
Career Services’ 2011-12 abbreviated annual report says it provides services to thousands of students including career assessments, facilitating interviews, holding career expos and assisting employers with job postings in Careers2Geaux, an online job posting resource for students.
Director of Career Services Mary Feduccia said this new career center will be a better resource and will be more visible to students compared to the current center.
“Since Career Services’ inception in 1985 at LSU, we have been located in two completely different locations on campus,” Feduccia said. “Having this new Career Center located in the Student Union will bring all of our staff into one place.”
Feduccia said students currently have to look for Career Services because of its multiple locations, but the new Olinde Career Center will make it more visible to students.
Feduccia said this new state-of-the-art career center will put the University in line with other SEC and ACC Universities across the nation.
She said the Olinde Career Center will not be funded through student fees or state dollars.
“We worked 24/7 and were able to raise the $3.35 million dollars needed for this center,” Feduccia said.
She said many organizations and individuals gave money.
Former SG Speaker of the Senate Meredith Westbrook, author of the financial bill, said the Career Center is an important asset to all students at the University.
“They teach students how to build a resumé, how to go into interviews and how to land a job or internship,” Westbrook said. “It doesn’t just help students get jobs, but it teaches them the skills they will need in the future.”
Former SG President Taylor Cox said the new career center will not only benefit current students, but also University alumni.
“This Center literally benefits thousands of people,” Cox said.
Cox said he not only supported SG’s effort to help fund the new center, but he also made an individual contribution to the center because of how important he believes it is for students.
