Newman University has hired a new director of Career Services – Melody Head.
Head was a high school business teacher for 32 years before she retired and began working at the Kansas Workforce Center in Dodge City. During her time as an educator and workforce center employee, Head said she learned the importance of understanding that career planning is a process.
Head said a crucial part of reaching her goals at Newman will be connecting with different areas of the community.
“I will be focusing on connecting with students, faculty, alumni and mentoring programs, and the community and its ability to provide cooperative education, internships, and employment.”
One program in place in Newman’s career services is the College Central Network. This online program has been implemented throughout the past four months. The network is a career services management system that allows students to find job opportunities, prepare for interviews, upload resumes available to possible employers, and much more.
The CCN program is available online and via mobile phone. It can be accessed through the Newman website, www.newmanu.edu. Students must click on the “Life at Newman” tab, then “Student Services,” and finally “Career Services.”
Head said the program’s effectiveness depends on its four components – students, faculty, alumni and community.
Students are pre-registered for the program, but must take the initiative to create an account. Faculty and alumni will both work to improve cooperative education opportunities, internships and mentoring. The program also relies on the community and its ability to promote job opportunities and encourage employer involvement.
Head said the CCN program provides students a 24-hour resource for their careers.
“The College Central Network will allow me the opportunity to reach out to students on their journey of career preparation,” Head said. “Now we have two ways to communicate – electronically or in person.”
The CCN is a useful tool for career development, Head said, but the Career Service Center on the third floor of Sacred Heart Hall is also available for students to develop their workplace skill sets. The service center is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday.
Head said both of these tools could be implemented to greatly improve a student’s ability to succeed in the workplace or prepare for job opportunities.
“My goal is to provide career service opportunities needed for all Newman students to be able to have successful interviews and to land the job they choose upon graduation,” she said.
