Faculty and Staff

Career collaborations, career advising, internship and leadership programs, employer partnerships, classroom/leadership presentations, career initiatives:
Andrea St. James, Executive Director for Career Education

Career advising, classroom presentations, academic internships, career strategy and preparation, job and graduate school search techniques:
Sean Burke, Assistant Director, College of Arts and Sciences
Maria Cokotis, Assistant Director, College of Business
Laura Ross Guzik, Assistant Director, College of Engineering

For campus recruiting, career fairs, posting internship and job opportunities:
Tina Robertson, Assistant Director, Employer Outreach

Career programs and events, Handshake, academic internship paperwork, and general career questions:
careercenter@wne.edu

Handshake is our interactive career management system which coordinates, organizes, and facilitates career programs, opportunities, and education at Western New England University.

As a member of the faculty and staff you can have access to Handshake to view opportunities, career events, and career fairs.

Log in to http://wne.joinhandshake.com
Click on Students and complete the profile
Within 24 business hours, your profile will be approved.

Internships further a student’s knowledge and provide the opportunity to apply academic concepts in real-world settings. In addition, they strengthen the career readiness competencies employers and graduate programs require.

Internship Overview from the Academic Catalog
Registering an internship for Academic Credit in Self-Service
Student Guidelines for Academic Internships
A Faculty Guide to Ethical and Legal Standards in Student Employment from NACE

Sponsor an academic intern in your Department/Office. You can host an academic intern in your office! Contact the Career Center to discuss the process. 

Academic Internship Tips:

1. Student and Faculty Advisor must meet to determine if an academic internship is a requirement for graduation or will fit into a student’s academic audit and what semester the experience should occur.
2. During the registration period for that semester, the student must register for the Academic Internship Placeholder (link to registration form) to indicate that they will pursue an academic internship. This is different than planning the internship, this begins the process to register for the Academic Internship Course.
3. The student must make an appointment to meet with their Career Advisor to discuss the guidelines and the process to secure an academic internship.
4. Internships are not guaranteed. Students are expected to be actively engaged in exploring potential internship opportunities. Internship interviews and the selection process are competitive and it is the employer’s ultimate decision on who they select for the position.
5. If the student already has an internship, the internship site must be approved by the Delbridge Career Center and in many cases the Department Chair and/or Faculty Advisor to ensure the experience meets academic standards.
6. Students must have internships confirmed for the academic semester by the add/drop date of that semester. Internships for credit will not be added after the add/drop date unless an extenuating situation.
7. Academic Internships (for credit) can be paid or unpaid.
8. The Academic Internship Contract outlines the important details of the internship, hours, expectations, objects, and the academic component and grade weights determined by the Faculty Sponsor. All parties (student, site supervisor, and faculty sponsor) sign off on this document.
9. It is the student’s responsibility to maintain contact with their faculty sponsor and facilitate communication between the faculty sponsor and the site supervisor.
10. Academic Internship Evaluations will be sent by the Delbridge Career Center to the student intern and the site supervisor. The site supervisor evaluation will be forwarded to the faculty sponsor.
11. Academic grades for the academic internship will be entered into Self-Service by the faculty sponsor by the date assigned by Enrollment Services.

Internship Sites Highlights by College

• College of Arts and Sciences
• College of Business
• College of Engineering

Faculty and Staff are tremendous partners in the career development process. Visit the Career Exploration Page and the Job, Internship, and Graduate School Resources Page for different resources to aid students in their career endeavors. 

If you are aware of a new resource or a resource that is not listed, please email careercenter@wne.edu to let us know.

 How can Faculty and Staff assist students in the career development process

1. Encourage students to:

• keep their resume up to date
• update their profile in Handshake
• attend career events and workshops
• gain experience through internships, summer jobs, research, volunteer, and student organizations, and athletics

2. Share your expertise and knowledge on industry, careers, and research.
3. Challenge students to look beyond the comfortable and easy, and pursue challenging opportunities.
4. Review their career and graduate school-related documents and provide feedback.
5. Share your professional network, introduce students to alumni and or colleagues who may benefit from their search or strategy.
6. Identify the career competencies reinforced in your classroom with specific examples based on projects, research, and assignments.

Potential employers and internship sponsors look for evidence of students’ ability to apply the theory learned in the classroom in hands-on experiences. You are encouraged to share with the Career Advisor for your discipline, a brief synopsis of key course project assignments or consultancies you require students to complete for major-specific classes. This information is helpful as the Career Center coaches students with showcasing relevant coursework on their resumes.

 As you construct your course syllabus, consider including a career development presentation, activity, or assignment in your class reach out to the Career Advisor for your discipline to schedule a mutually convenient date or timeframe.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers defines eight competencies that prepare college students for success in the workplace and for life-long career management. They include:

• Career and Self Development
• Communication
• Critical Thinking
• Equity and Inclusion
• Leadership
• Professionalism
• Teamwork
• Technology

More information on the eight competencies, their definitions, sample behaviors, and suggested actions can be found here.

Classroom or organization presentations can vary and can be tailored to your specific needs or classroom demographic. Topics can include: 

• Resume/CV Writing
• Interviewing
• Internships
• Job Searching
• LinkedIn
• Networking
• Resumes
• Cover Letters
• CV & Resume Writing
• Graduate School and Personal Statement
• Job Package Negotiation
• Decoding Job Postings & Transferable Skills
• Other (customized presentations)

Partner with the Career Advisor for your discipline to feature relevant student course projects on career readiness. Sample assignments include:

• Create a resume, CV, cover letter, or LinkedIn profile and have them reviewed by the Career Center
• Attend a workshop, employer events, or career fair and report on the experience
• Conduct a practice interview using Interview Stream
• Develop an elevator pitch
• Use O*Net/OOH to research a career field of interest and summarize findings and identify potential employers/positions.
• Conduct an industry and career analysis

For more details and/or questions, contact your College's Career Advisor for the next steps.