While they were at one of the biggest online and television shopping
hubs, The University of Tampa graduate students were not at HSN to buy
hair removal cream or specialty hangers.
The students were on a
behind-the-scenes tour of the St. Petersburg-based business, an event
organized by UT’s Office of Career Services and UT-GOLD, the Graduate
Organization of Leadership and Development.
“It’s a great way
for the students to get to see the culture of an organization and
picture themselves there,” said Mark Colvenbach, manager of employer
development for Career Services.
Career Services has partnered with student groups, like
UT-GOLD and
Delta Sigma Pi, to offer these behind-the-scenes tours of places like Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo and the St. Pete Times Forum.
“In an indirect way, we’re trying to get students to think outside traditional career paths,” Colvenbach said.
David Mancuso
’10, who is earning an MBA and a master’s in accounting, said the
business tours give students a better understanding about what to expect
after graduation. Mancuso worked as a financial analyst for Citigroup
and quickly learned that life in the workforce “wasn’t anything like the
classroom.”
“These tours give you insight into the real world,” Mancuso said.
Noelle Williams graduated from UT in 2008 with her MBA. She joined the
HSN
tour because she is interested in working with HSN after she completes
her current internship in another industry. Williams said all of the
jobs and internships she has received have come with leads from UT’s
Career Services.
“The first job I got was from a UT job fair,”
Williams said. “I’m still connected with everyone at UT because I know
it’s such a great resource.”
Colvenbach said they are hoping to offer more opportunities like the HSN tour in the fall. For information on the
Office of Career Services, call (813) 253-6236 or e-mail
hireut@ut.edu.
Jamie Pilarczyk, Web WriterSign up for
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