Chat Time
Alumni Share Career Advice with Students Thanks to New Technology

Believing that alumni provide the best source for career advice, the Office of Alumni Relations and the Career Center have joined together to sponsor a series of alumni-student online chats.

Thanks to the Internet, students will be able to connect immediately with alumni in diverse careers throughout the world using any standard Web brower.

Stephanie Ford, director of career services, initiated the concept last spring. Building on the success of Alumni Careers Day during Homecoming 2003, Ford knew there would be numerous alumni willing to participate.

“Many alumni want to help in this capacity, but it’s not always convenient for them to come back to campus for Alumni Careers Day or the other programs we offer.”

The first online chat titled “Is a Big City Right for You?” took place on Nov. 17 and featured Charles Giffin í00, associate for J.P. Morgan Securities in Manhattan, N.Y., and Jessica Clayton ’95, senior research analyst for the Ariel Research Corporation based in McClean, Va.

“The use of online conversation, such as instant messaging, chat rooms, bloggs and even text messaging from cell phones have increased dramatically over the past few years,” said Wittenberg Webmaster Bob Rafferty ’02.

“Students are embracing this form of communication, and I am glad we can provide it for them.”

“I think that alumni and students both really enjoy being engaged with one another,” added Michael Wesbecher ’04, assistant director of alumni relations.

“This approach not only further assists students in reaching their career goals, but it also gives alumni an opportunity to help students whose shoes they once wore.”

Ford’s hope is that the two offices can provide a broad enough range of chat topics that every student will have an interest in participating.

Chat topics scheduled for this semester include law school, breaking in the entertainment industry, job options for sporty types, working abroad, careers in fashion, building a resume, local employment and working for the government.

“During the last couple of years, the Career Center and the alumni office have tried to bring students and alumni together,” said Pat Benne ’68, director of alumni relations.

“The Alumni Board has also been very active in these efforts and considers building relationships with students and alumni a top priority.”

To learn how to participate or for a schedule of chat dates, log on to the Career Center Web site via the Quick Links option on Wittenberg’s home page, contact the Career Center at (800) 677-7558, ext. 7521, or e-mail alumni@wittenberg.edu.

All alumni are welcome.