New seminar prepares seniors for professional success

By Ted Nesi '07

Just a few months before they graduate, a group of Wheaton seniors are getting the chance to test drive their professional skills this February as part of a new mini-course called "Beyond the Bubble: Meet, Eat and Dress for Success."

Over four Friday afternoon sessions, the students will first learn the ins and outs of professional attire, and then the secrets of successful networking and business dinner etiquette. On the third week students will do a mock job interview with a human resources professional from a local business, and on the final week they will receive critiques of their interviews and discuss what they have learned.

The non-credit professional development seminar is part of the Wheaton Initiative for Leadership Learning (WILL), a partnership between various campus offices: the Filene Center for Work and Learning, the Athletics Department, the Office of Student Life, and the Office of Alumnae/i Relations & Annual Giving.

Associate Dean of Student Life Claudia Bell explained that the idea for the program came from a growing awareness around campus that in order to produce leaders, a college education must include the essential basics of the professional world.

In order to make the dinner and interviews as real as possible, both sessions will include representatives from the business community as well as some Wheaton alumnae/i. Companies taking part include Bank of America, Putnam Investments, and Manning Associates -- and depending on the company, Bell said, students may be under consideration for an actual position.

"As society grows more and more complicated -- and it's really becoming very complex -- leadership becomes even more important," she said, adding that as a country more attention must be paid to developing young leaders.

"I see this [course] as icing on the cake," Bell explained. "You don't want to do four years of hard work, only to have it all fall apart in an interview session." The four sessions follow in sequence so that each one builds on the previous week's theme.

The response from students has been very positive. The initial interest was high enough to warrant expanding the class from 20 to 28, and there is already a growing waiting list of seniors who want to take the course the next time it runs.

One of the students who decided to take part was Melissa Grove '07, a psychology major who hopes to work in higher education advising after she graduates.

"Beyond the Bubble is great because it provides a venue for seniors to learn about and practice for real-world scenarios," Grove said. "I've told many of my friends at other schools about the course, and they all said they wish they had this opportunity, too."

The free program runs from February 9 to March 2. A second seminar is being planned for later this spring.