Student Motivational Task Force
Chessley Jones
Contributing Reporter
Issue date: 3/22/07 Section: Campus News
- Page 1 of 1
The Career Development Center at TSU is sponsoring the Student Motivation Task Force March 26-28 to assist students in pursuing their goals and aspirations academically and in their occupations.
The task force is a motivational group comprised of alumni, faculty, staff and corporate executives who encourage TSU students to develop their careers with professionalism. The group members conduct in-class lectures at the invitation of faculty members.
"Members come in and tell the students about expectations that the employers are looking for so that they can be prepared," said Inman Otey, director of the Career Development Center.
In addition to providing practical talk about the work place, task force members offer assistance with resumes and mock interviews. They offer vital information on how to build a resume and how it will appeal to the company employer. The mock interviews are conducted between the members and students to simulate a real interview atmosphere. Students are also encouraged to network and follow through in making connections with the task force members as mentors.
"The employer wants to know that the student is competent academically in whatever field of study they are in," Otey said.
There will be one or two people sometimes three to speak in a classroom to motivate and encourage students from their own experiences. Mainly they will speak about career oriented goals that the students have, and prepare students through participation and activities for the job industry."
In the past, the SMTF Program has been very successful according to, Candice Smith, a junior nursing major St. Louis. Smith said, "The SMTF was really helpful and gave me an insight on what to expect from the real world. Every student should experience the class".
Otey said students need to be informed that when they are seeking a job, the employers are looking for experience in leadership positions. He also stated that it is important for the student to be in organizations and hold officer positions. These are beneficial because the student can incorporate their association with various organizations as a way to display leadership on their resumes and relate it in the interview process.
He added that there are two important factors that employers look for when selecting an employee and they are leadership skills and interpersonal skills. With interpersonal skills, the recruiter is observing if the potential client has characteristics and qualities of being a team player.
Students can go to the Career Center to have their resume prepared and critiqued. Once that is done, students can register their resumes online via TigerTrack.
After the students' resumes are uploaded they then are placed in a database where Career Center advisors can monitor different jobs and internships that are suitable for the student.
"One of our main objectives is to expose students to successful alumni and corporate people so that they can envision themselves the same way," Otey said.
For further details on the SMTF Program, please contact Lora Springer, Career Center, Floyd-Payne Campus Center at 963-7527.
Jamie Randolph Contributed to this report.
The task force is a motivational group comprised of alumni, faculty, staff and corporate executives who encourage TSU students to develop their careers with professionalism. The group members conduct in-class lectures at the invitation of faculty members.
"Members come in and tell the students about expectations that the employers are looking for so that they can be prepared," said Inman Otey, director of the Career Development Center.
In addition to providing practical talk about the work place, task force members offer assistance with resumes and mock interviews. They offer vital information on how to build a resume and how it will appeal to the company employer. The mock interviews are conducted between the members and students to simulate a real interview atmosphere. Students are also encouraged to network and follow through in making connections with the task force members as mentors.
"The employer wants to know that the student is competent academically in whatever field of study they are in," Otey said.
There will be one or two people sometimes three to speak in a classroom to motivate and encourage students from their own experiences. Mainly they will speak about career oriented goals that the students have, and prepare students through participation and activities for the job industry."
In the past, the SMTF Program has been very successful according to, Candice Smith, a junior nursing major St. Louis. Smith said, "The SMTF was really helpful and gave me an insight on what to expect from the real world. Every student should experience the class".
Otey said students need to be informed that when they are seeking a job, the employers are looking for experience in leadership positions. He also stated that it is important for the student to be in organizations and hold officer positions. These are beneficial because the student can incorporate their association with various organizations as a way to display leadership on their resumes and relate it in the interview process.
He added that there are two important factors that employers look for when selecting an employee and they are leadership skills and interpersonal skills. With interpersonal skills, the recruiter is observing if the potential client has characteristics and qualities of being a team player.
Students can go to the Career Center to have their resume prepared and critiqued. Once that is done, students can register their resumes online via TigerTrack.
After the students' resumes are uploaded they then are placed in a database where Career Center advisors can monitor different jobs and internships that are suitable for the student.
"One of our main objectives is to expose students to successful alumni and corporate people so that they can envision themselves the same way," Otey said.
For further details on the SMTF Program, please contact Lora Springer, Career Center, Floyd-Payne Campus Center at 963-7527.
Jamie Randolph Contributed to this report.
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