Inspire, Summer 2011

I was a fifth-year senior before I ever stepped into the career services office. I had added education as a second major to my mathematics major, and I wanted to be sure I was pursuing the right career. The results of my interest test were indeed interesting. Although “teacher” was high on the list, the number-one occupation recommended for me was “forest ranger.” Where did that come from? Today, if students wait to visit our career services office until they are about to graduate, they will have missed some incredible opportunities. The great news for alumni is that everything career services provides for students is available for us, too — free of charge! But we can’t overlook an obvious resource: alumni helping one another. Job searches and career advancement are all about networking, and that is exactly what our alumni chapters are about. As our alumni chapter program grows and develops, we’re hearing more and more stories about Cedarville alumni reaching out to students, recent grads, and fellow alums. Whether providing internships, jobs, housing, churches, or prayer support, our alumni are more than willing to assist others who are looking. They represent the best of the Cedarville family. I especially want to brag on our Washington, D.C., alumni chapter. Last year, a recent graduate was looking for housing in D.C. One e-mail to the D.C. chapter generated more than 40 responses with housing possibilities. We’ve seen D.C. alumni go out of their way to help others. They have helped current students find internships, mentored our D.C. Semester students, and provided job leads for both students and alumni. Why wouldn’t we all be doing this on behalf of our Cedarville family? Chris Byus ’08 is doing this in Indiana. Because of his influence, his company has doubled the number of recruiters they send to Cedarville’s job fairs (page 22). Lynn (Robinson) Geist ’91 is doing this online and in Springfield, Ohio. A human resources professional with 19 years of experience, she shares her top tips for job seekers (page 14). And Cedarville parents have remarkable wisdom and experience to share that can give our grads a solid start in their careers. In more than 30 years of pastoral ministry, Pastor Tom Wright, Jr., parent of four alumni, has mentored several Cedarville grads who have gone on to become senior pastors, church planters, and missionaries (page 19). It’s easy to begin assisting students and grads with career networking, and here are two great ways to start. First, get involved in your local alumni chapter. We now have 23 chapters around the country, and we will be adding more in the coming year. Second, consider joining CareerNet, a networking program through career services. You can notify career services directly about jobs and internships in your area, encourage your company to recruit at Cedarville, or serve as a contact in your region. Contact Jeff Reep ’79, director of career services, at reepj@cedarville.edu or call 1-888-562-4811 to learn more. There’s unbelievable potential in a connected and mobilized Cedarville network. Simply get involved! Thanks for all you do to serve our students and one another! Jeff Beste ’87 Director of Alumni Relations “The great news for alumni is that everything career services provides for students is available for us, too — free of charge!” 28 SUMMER 2011 di rector ’s cha i r