NSU Horizons Spring 2016

46 NSU HORIZONS and aligning with alumni and corporate partners who can offer positions to students. To that end, Hanbury pointed out in the article, NSU students who take advantage of career development services “are guaranteed an internship during their senior year.” Diane Klein, M.S., associate director of NSU’s Office of Career Development, agrees that there is something for everyone who wants it. “There are more opportunities than students. It has always been that way,” she said. What has shifted in recent years, Klein said, is that more students seem to recognize the value of internships and are starting to fill their resumes with work experience long before they graduate. “They understand that today you need to be more than a 4.0 student and more than a leader on campus. You have to show work experience outside the classroom,” Klein added. “Competition is high in the job market, and you need to stand out as a candidate. That’s what we groom here. We give them a competitive edge.” Getting a Jump Start Alex Lopez, a freshman majoring in marketing, with a concentration in management, at the H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship, set a goal to have an internship by the end of his freshman year. He had learned a valuable lesson from his cousin, who missed out on a good job opportunity after graduating because the company required three to four years of experience. “I realized I can start now to get that experience so I can get a good paying job right out of college,” Lopez said. His freshman year had barely begun when Lopez happened upon a small career fair at the Don Taft University Center. A position was open for an on-campus assistant marketing director for Chartwells, a Fortune 500 company that provides the dining services at NSU and other colleges. Lopez went to Emilio Lorenzo, M.S., assistant director of career advisement in the Office of Career Development, for help in applying for the internship. Lorenzo assisted Lopez in polishing his resume, writing a cover letter, and practic- ing for the interview. “That’s what we do,” Lorenzo said. “Especially when the students are freshmen and sophomores, they don’t under- stand the importance of things such as email etiquette. We coach them, help them polish their presentation. We set up mock interviews. We go over everything. So they go in feeling confident, thinking ‘I can do this.’ ” Lopez said Lorenzo’s help and support were invaluable. By October 2015, just three months into his freshman year, Lopez was hired for the internship and is hoping he will be able to grow in the position throughout his undergradu- ate years at NSU. He is enjoying the mentorship of Sean Armstrong, Chartwells marketing manager, and Jason Fitch, Chartwells resident district manager; coordinating monthly events at NSU; and participating in a variety of marketing activities.