Updated Career Development Center provides students with tools to succeed

Kara Haselton

The new Career Development Center in Plemmons Student Union can be found on the second floor near the Greek Life and SGA offices. Previously located in John E. Thomas Hall on Rivers Street, the center decided to create a new space so they could have “a more accessible space on campus,” Parker said. “We want people to know where we are.”

Rachel Leahy, Reporter
October 8, 2021

With the semester in full swing, there is a new addition to Plemmons Student Union: the Career Development Center. 

Located on the second floor of the student union, the Career Development Center offers a variety of services including on-campus employment, resume workshops and internship placement. 

Previously located in  John E. Thomas Hall, the career center replaced the White Water Lounge and updated the career exploration center with new furnishings and resources, as well as temporarily restricted access to the balcony overlooking the solarium. 

Sarah Parker, customer service and support specialist at the Career Development center has worked at App State for a year and a half.

Students can use the app Handshake to schedule appointments with career counselors as well as search for internships. 

Sarah Parker serves as the customer service and support specialist at the Career Development Center. She is responsible for greeting students when they come in and making sure their student staff directs people to the right places. 

“It’s really nice to see students coming in and checking out the space,” Parker said. 

The center has coaches that help with career exploration in many different professions and help students decide what major they want to pursue. 

The employer relations team also partners with companies for all majors that are looking for interns. According to Parker, the Career Development Center offers students access to hundreds of possible internships. 

“We want students to feel supported here,” Parker said. “Most students coming in right now are interested in the space, and most are looking for jobs on campus.” 

One main goal of the center is to get campus dining and on-campus shops the help they need to stay open. They hope to reopen places like Cascades that are closed this semester due to staff shortages.

The new space houses several rooms that can be reserved by students for Zoom interview appointments. (Kara Haselton)

Les Miller serves as the interim associate director of student employment and internships. 

“I work closely with the general counsel, the Registrar’s Office, faculty and staff to ensure all of the necessary documentation and record keeping is accurate for students’ internship experiences,” Miller said. 

There are a variety of internships, including traditional internships, practicals, clinicals, field experiences and student teaching. According to Miller, the Career Development Center has approximately 8,500 student experiences recorded annually. 

The Career Development Center also serves as a place for students to relax and study.