With major career choices, whether in life or deciding a college major, students can gain access and assistance at EWU Career Services, located on the first floor of Showalter Hall.

According to the Eastern Career Services’ website, its mission statement is empowering students to forge valuable connections, as well as networking, within thier college experiences, including their professional and personal lives.

Mentors provide EWU students help in exploring possible career opportunities, choosing a major, searching for jobs and internships, as well as preparing them for future interviews.

“We do a lot of outreach including class presentations and workshops,” said Career Services Director Virginia Hinch. “We really try to make ourselves as available as possible for students who want to make an appointment to see us as well.”

Students can make an appointment to see a career adviser through EagleAXIS. Drop-ins are welcomed, but Hinch said specific career service administrators communicate best with email.

Associate Director Robbyn Hoffman works with undecided and undeclared students — usually in their freshman and sophomore year — to help them choose a career path. Furthermore, Hoffman teaches a course in career exploration at Eastern called Career Development. It helps students to examine different career options based on their strengths, interests and personality.

Hoffman oversees a career exploration internship, which is relatively new. It is an opportunity for EWU students to get internships early on in their academic career so they have the opportunity to try something out they may be interested in and therefore decide if they are still interested once the internship is completed.

“We like to see students sooner than later,” said Hinch. “I seem to find a lot of students are especially attracted to the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields but then, for whatever reason, sometimes don’t end up staying with [STEM majors.] It can be incredibly stressful for the student, which is why we are here to help.”

Internship advising is large this quarter. Romeal Watson, EWU internship coordinator, is starting a weekly Wednesday workshop here on the Cheney campus that students can sign up for using EagleAXIS. The workshops are for students to find out information about various internships and how to apply.

Most students, according to Hinch, spend winter quarter applying for summer internships. Earlier applications that are put in by students lead to more choices.

If students are unable to use the workshop due to other commitments, EagleAXIS is a great tool to use when looking for internships in the Spokane and Cheney area. CareerShift, which is linked to Eastern’s website, is an efficient tool when looking for internships in Seattle, according to Hinch.

The newest addition to the EWU Career Services Center is career ambassadors. These students have advanced training in creating and advising students on résumés and cover letters.

“I recently had help with my résumé and cover letter by someone in the Career Service Center and I have no idea why I did not go to them earlier,” said EWU junior Angela Striker.

The schedule for career ambassadors will be complete in the coming weeks, according to Hinch, and they will be located in the EWU Libraries’ Learning Commons.

Even though the EWU career center is growing, mentors and advisers are always willing to help students, regardless of how busy they are.

“Everyone was extremely helpful and I learned even more about the career I’m pursuing,” said Striker.

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SPECIAL DATES
April 13th – Women in the Wage Gap
April 15th – Educators Career Fair (in downtown for education majors)
April 30th – Presentation with the Pride Center called From the Closet to the Workplace