The St. John’s Career Center has been ranked in the top 35 nationwide by the Kaplan Guide.
The ranking, determined by a nationwide survey of high school guidance counselors, chose colleges that offered “excellent career services, including their career centers, internship opportunities, and co-op programs.”
According to St. John’s official Web Site, stjohns.edu, St. John’s Career Center was created “to provide lifelong support and resources to St. John’s University students and alumni as they strive to identify and achieve their career goals.” It specializes in helping underclassmen to choose a major by giving them information on what career paths are available to different majors, and in helping graduates and alumni to find jobs.
“We help students connect with their studies and select a major early on in their college career whenever possible,” said Career Center director Patricia McManus in a University press release.
Sophomore Andrew Conti said that the Career Center proved helpful in his decision to change his major. “Once I finished my first semester, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to stay in my major or switch to a different field,” he said. “The career center helped me make a decision.” Conti, originally a theology major, is now a computer science major.
One way in which the Career Center initially connects with new students is through the major fair, which is held annually, and allows students to meet with faculty from each department. The center coordinates closely with the Freshman Center in directing students and planning events.
Students can also find information and advice through the Career Center’s Web Site, which is located in the student services section of stjohns.edu. There, the center offers students tips on career planning, job search tools, employment programs and MBA (masters in business administration) programs.
Resources such as the Freshman Center and Career Center can be especially important to today’s college students, about three quarters of which will change their majors at some point throughout college.
“The Career Center encourages students to identify their values, interests and skills, and to begin to explore career options,” McManus said. She added that all of these factors form the basis for choosing the right college within St. John’s and, eventually, the right career choice in life.
Now, when students enter the Career Center looking for this type of guidance, they can do so knowing that they are getting some of the best available to any students in the country.