Career Development Center

What is the Career Development Center?

The Career Development Center (CDC) at the University of Richmond exists to educate and support students and alumni as they explore career options, make decisions about graduate study, test out careers through internships and summer jobs, and think about what they want to do with their lives after graduation. Career development involves more than helping students get “placed” in good jobs after graduation. Career development is a continuous process of learning to make good life choices. It is important that students think about life after college throughout their college experience.

Individual Attention

The CDC staff is available for individual consultation on a walk-in basis and by appointment. In 2005–06, counselors consulted more than 4,100 walk-in appointments. At the CDC, professional counselors utilize state-of-the-art assessment and resource tools to advise students at each phase of their career development. It is not uncommon for students in their first or second year to begin a relationship with a counselor to discuss career options or internship decisions. These relationships continue through graduation as counselors advise students on job search strategies and/or graduate school options.

In addition to individual advising, the CDC takes its services “on the road” to speak to student groups in academic departments, campus organizations and residence halls. Workshops presented by professional career counselors, employers and alumni provide insights into career options, internship preparation and graduate school planning. In the past several years, students have taken advantage of CDC-sponsored programs such as An Evening of Etiquette, a catered dinner presenting etiquette training; The Real World, a networking weekend featuring alumni from around the country; and internship seminars to help students make the most of experiential learning opportunities. One of the most popular services is practice interviewing, in which counselors simulate interviews and provide one-on-one feedback.

State-of-the-Art Resources

The career resource library houses print and electronic media that allow access to career, job vacancy and contact information, and to graduate school planning resources. The library provides cutting-edge online resources, including Web-based databases of employer listings and online graduate school catalogs.

The Internet also is used extensively as a source of reference and referral. The CDC site allows students 24-hour access to career development resources from anywhere with Internet access, even if they are studying abroad. This site provides information on major selection, r8Esum8E and cover letter writing and interview skills. The on-campus interview program is managed over the Web, with links to employers’ home pages and other job and internship sites.

Choosing a Major

Selecting a major is important to each student’s career development, and students should identify majors that will satisfy their intellectual curiosity and thirst for knowledge. Most career choices are not dependent on the choice of a particular major. It is important, though, that a student connects classroom learning with research or practical experience, building the skills needed for specific professional or academic careers. CDC counselors assist students in identifying long-term goals and choosing a course of study (including majors, minors, concentrations and electives) that will best prepare them for future career paths.

Internships and Externships

Out-of-the-classroom work and service experiences are crucial components of a student’s career development. Richmond students are actively involved in their community through participation in internships, externships and part-time and summer jobs. These experiences allow students to test career options and build skills that will help prepare them for post-graduate pursuits. In addition to learning job-specific skills, students are able to demonstrate the communication, organization and analytic skills that are valued by every employer.

The CDC assists students interested in externship and internship by developing and obtaining experiences of interest, by providing listings of openings and by conducting an active on-campus recruiting program. Internships can be paid or volunteer and may earn students academic credit. Students have great flexibility in choosing a site where they can develop skills specific to their educational and career goals. The University Career Action Network (UCAN)—a collaboration of 18 select private liberal arts colleges and universities around the country—provides Richmond students with more than 6,000 internship listings. UCAN is accessed through the CDC Web site and is updated daily.

The CDC also is involved in two exciting experiential programs. The D.C. Initiative is a distinctive program of internships in Washington, D.C., involving alumni as internship sponsors and seminar speakers. Through the Richmond Externship Program, Richmond students participate in a broad-based externship program, where they can shadow alumni in their workplaces for 2–5 days.

Graduate School Planning

At least 40 percent of Richmond students enroll in graduate school within five years of graduation. Planning for graduate education should start very early in a student’s academic career. In addition to helping with course selection, the CDC can help students establish credential files (for applications), prepare for admissions tests, construct personal statements and match program options with career objectives.

A Sampling of Schools Accepting Recent Graduates

Each year, Richmond graduates pursue graduate school programs in such areas as law, theology, medicine, English literature, counseling, social work, sociology and business. Our graduates attend some of the nation’s top schools, including:

American University
Boston College
College of William and Mary
Columbia University
Cornell University
Duke University
Florida State University
George Washington Washington
Harvard University
Indiana University
Johns Hopkins University
London School of Economics
New England Conservatory
New York University
Northwestern University
Pennsylvania State University
University of North Carolina
University of Virginia
Vanderbilt University
Virginia Commonwealth University
University of California, Berkeley
Wake Forest University

On-Campus Interviewing

The on-campus interview program connects students with full-time and internship opportunities. Through this program, the CDC arranges numerous opportunities for students to interview for positions in business, government, education and nonprofit organizations. Many employers also arrange special visits to provide information about their organizations to all interested students.

Examples of Employers Interviewing on Campus 2005–06

CGI-AMS
Corporate Executive Board
A Bar A Ranch
Beers & Cutler
Cambridge Associates
CIGNA
Consolidated Graphics
Capital One
CarMax
Circuit City
Deloitte & Touche
Dominion
Educational Resources Group
Eli Lily & Co.
Enterprise Rent-a-Car
Ernst & Young
Ewing Bemiss & Co.
FactSet Research Systems, Inc.
General Services Administration
Genworth Financial
Clifton Gunderson, LLC
Goodman & Company
Goldman Sachs
Harris Williams
Jeffries & Company, Inc.
Jones Lang Lasalle
Keiter Stephens Hurst Gary & Shreaves
KPMG
Legg Mason
Lehman Brothers
Northrup Grumman
Peace Corp.
Philip Morris USA
PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP
RBC Capital Markets
sG Cowen
Southern Teachers Agency
Teach for America
Wachovia Corporation
Wachovia Securities
Various Virginia public school systems

Independent Job Search

Because their career paths are so diverse, the majority of Richmond students must search off campus for full-time employment. The CDC connects students with online vacancy listings, contact information, job search advice, interview training and alumni contacts who can help them locate jobs in a variety of career fields. The CDC also refers r8Esum8Es of qualified candidates to employers across the country.

Annual Special Programs and Events

The Richmond Career Fair (employers offering full-time employment opportunities)
Major Questions, Major Answers (academic department expo)
Career Speakers (alumni and employers discussing the world of work)
MetroLink (New York and D.C.: recruiting fairs for advertising, public relations, public policy, government and law)
Teacher Link (teacher job fair)
The Real World (alumni networking weekend)
Government & Nonprofit Career Expo at Georgetown University

Alumni Services

Services and resources of the CDC continue to be available after graduation. Alumni utilize the office for career counseling, job vacancy listings, graduate school credential services, employer contact information and job search assistance. In addition, many alumni volunteer their time and expertise to help current students and fellow alumni learn about careers through the Alumni Career Network. From first-year students to seasoned alums, the CDC is ready to help “every step of the way.”

Professional Staff

Leslie Stevenson, director
Liz Shupe, associate director
Joe Testani, assistant director
Katybeth Dreisbach, career counselor
Lin Koch, resource and operations manager
Mary Quinn, recruiting coordinator
Tamara Russell, recruiting assistant

Career Development Center Homepage

Leslie Williams Stevenson
CDC Director
(804) 289-8144
cdc@richmond.edu

Office of Admission
(800) 700-1662
(804) 289-8640