Graduation 101: Words from the wise Erin Gallup

State Hornet

Published May 17, 2000

Advice from grandparents may be irritating. And parents’ words of wisdom can be so belittling.

Advice from professors, however, is useful — especially if you are graduating soon.

Eva Gabbe, program manager of recruitment programs at the Career Center suggests going into the Career Center before your last semester.

“We have a fabulous career library to do career research. We have over 200 company binders given to us by the companies, and almost 200 videotapes given to us by companies,” Gabbe said.

The Career Center is located in Lassen Hall, Room 2000. It provides students with counselors, internship coordinators, diagnostic testing, career assessment, lectures on various topics, mock interviews, and workshops.

“We have a brand new program called Interview Trak for graduating seniors to sign up on the Web for campus interviews,” Gabbe said. “It’s worked out nicely this past semester.”

Gabbe has over 100 postcards covering the walls of her office from past and present Sacramento State students, thanking her for helping them get the job they’ve always wanted.

“I just love postcards and they just seem to remember,” she said. “We care about students in this center.”

Gabbe recently helped one Sac State student get his dream job in San Francisco. “He walked out of here with $48,000 a year, a company car, and the job of his dreams,”Gabbe said.

Steven Daley, associate professor in the Special Education Department said students have been seeking advice from him as well.

He tells them, “Remember to go out there and do good things in the world after graduating. Sometimes graduates get completely wrapped up with work and don’t connect with their community.”

Professors in other departments agree with Daley. Peter Lund, chair of the Economics Department, says to “go out and make the big bucks,” but consider relationships a top priority in life.

“I think one of my main failings in life was that I was not careful enough about relationships. I was too cold. You have to be real careful not just in your personal life, but in your job. Develop people skills,” he said.

Lund said to spend your free time with people instead of objects like motor bikes or motor boats because, “the more important things in life are the relationships you have with people.”

Lund, Daley and Gabbe suggest taking an internship before graduating. Internships give students hands-on exposure, and a chance to meet people in their field of interest.

“Internships and service learning are really important because they get the student connected with the community and help them stay connected with the community,” Daley said.

Lund and Daley said the present job market is good for the departments of special education and economics. According to Daley, special education is a national critical shortage area in the job market.

“The [economics] job market is extremely good but students are more likely to get the job they want if they get an internship before they leave the university,” Lund said.

Charles Nelson, liberal studies advisor and English professor agrees that internships are important in the money driven world.

“I really sympathize with young people graduating today because of the hardships that they face in the kind of driven economy we face. It’s just tougher to make your way in the world than it was 30 years ago,” Nelson said. “If you’re part of a couple in a relationship today, both people have to work.”

All professors suggest staying involved in education to keep up with the times and keep cognitively healthy. However, they also suggest leaving time for socializing.

“Carpe diem,” said Daley. “Seize the day and live life to the fullest with no homeworkrequired.”