Putting the WE in Westminster
The Professional Development Center at Westminster College is here to help you identify and work towards your career goals and post-graduation aspirations. We offer assessments, resume review, mock interviews and more. Whether you are looking for assistance with finding your major, searching for opportunities to network with alumni, preparing for graduate school or landing that perfect internship, the Professional Development Center will help!
While some aspects of your future career plans are uncertain, we hope to help you make confident and informed decisions about your ability to showcase your experiences at Westminster College.
Plan for success. Take advantage of unexpected opportunities. Use our services as you experience different phases of the career preparation process.
Not all students know exactly what they want to major in and do after graduation! It’s ok not to know. Visit us early, and chat with us often – we’ll help you make sense of your interests and experiences and show you how they fit in to your path to success.
Here are some ways you begin to help sort things out:
Self-Assessments
Assessments: A self-assessment is a method used to help clarify relationships between your personal values, personality type, and professional interests. Assessments are a wonderful way to measure guiding principles that help define priorities in your life and career. We strongly encourage you to take assessments throughout your lifetime since values and interests may change over time in response to influential personal events. Listed below are several resources to use if interested in taking a self-assessment.
Self-Directed Search: A career interest inventory that measures personal preferences that align with specific occupational fields or areas of study. To take the assessment, call the Professional Development Center at 724-946-7338 to schedule an appointment to take the inventory.
: helps students and professionals plan more fulfilling lives by making well-informed decisions about their education and careers. Whether you’re choosing a major, planning ahead for your first career, or thinking about making a career change, MyPlan can help you explore options and bring clarity and insight into figuring out what’s right for you.
Shadow a Titan
Make an Appointment with a Counselor
Class of 1964 Golden Anniversary Celebration Class Project
This fund was established by members of the Class of 1964 as a gift to the College in honor of their Golden Anniversary Celebration in October of 2014.
Recognizing the value of experiential internship opportunities as a way for students to enhance their classroom study through the exploration of career options and acquisition of professional skills, and recognizing that in today’s working environment significant expense can be associated with high-quality internship experiences, the Class of 1964 has chosen to endow The Class of 1964 Intern Sponsorship Fund.
Income from this fund will be used annually to provide competitive funding for students who accept eligible, credit-worthy unpaid internships. The sponsorship is administered through the Westminster College Professional Development Center where an application process requiring a personal statement, resume and unofficial transcript is in place together with an established timeline for application submission.
Applications are reviewed by a committee of Professional Development Center counselors, Westminster College faculty and College administrators. Final selection is at the discretion of the Internship Coordinator.
Applications can be picked up in the Professional Development Center. Deadline for application is the 3rd Monday in April.
Recognizing the value of experiential internship opportunities as a way for students to enhance their classroom study through the exploration of career options and acquisition of professional skills, and recognizing that in today's working environment significant expense can be associated with high-quality internship experiences, Mr. and Mrs. N. Craig Fetters, II have endowed The N. Craig Fetters, II '64 and Linda Wood Fetters '65 Intern Sponsorship Fund.
The sponsorship is administered through the Westminster College Professional Development Center where an application process requiring a personal statement, resume, and unofficial transcript is provided, along with a completed application.
Applications are reviewed by a committee of Professional Development Center counselors, Westminster faculty and administrators. Final selection is at the discretion of the Internship Coordinator.
One sponsorship will be awarded each year and the deadline is the 3rd Monday in April.
Please stop in the Professional Development Center for more information.
Westminster College, in cooperation with the IM4Q grant coordinator, Dr. Gary Lilly, has endowed funds to support internships that benefit the mental health/intellectual disabilities population.
Income from this fund will be used annually to provide competitive funding for 1 student who accepts an eligible, credit worthy, unpaid internship in the mental health/intellectual disabilities area, with preference given to internships located in Western PA. The sponsorship is administered through the Westminster College Professional Development Center where an application process requiring a personal statement, resume, and unofficial transcript is in place together with an established timeline for application submission. The deadline is the 3rd Monday in April.
Please stop in the Professional Development Center for more information.
JoAnne Day Student of the Year Awards
PennACE would like to recognize the achievements and contributions made by undergraduate students enrolled at member institutions who have completed an internship or co-op assignment. The JoAnne Day Student of the Year Awards were created for this purpose in honor of a career development professional. There are four categories, each awarding $500.
Select the category that best represents the nature of your internship/co-op; not the employer's industry.
Undergraduate students in a baccalaureate degree program may select one of the following three categories:
Undergraduate students in an associate degree program who have completed an internship or co-op assignment in any category (Technical, Liberal Arts, or Business) are eligible for the Associates Degree Award.
If you are unsure of which category best fits your experience, contact the Committee Chairperson.
All nomination packets will be reviewed and evaluated by the selection committee. The cr=urrent year award recipients will be announced in December and officially recognized at the Spring PennACE Conference.
Application and packets can be found at http://www.pennace.info/joanne-day-award.
"Experiencing State Government"
Students are assigned positions in state government executive offices under the governor's jurisdiction and attend seminars with leading elected officials or appointed public officials and media figures. In order to receive the monetary awards, applicants MUST be available to secure an internship during the summer for a minimum of 8 weeks and a maximum of 10 weeks.
Annually the number of students selected varies from 4-8 depending on resources ($1,500 for the James Finnegan Award and additional $1,000 awards.)
Applications can be found at www.finneganfoundation.org.
Applications much be received by February, 2019 on the webpage or by mail to:
The James Finnegan Fellowship Foundation
3332 Ridgeway Street, Reading, PA 19605.
WASHINGTON, DC
This special internship award was established to honor the memory of Paul Frederick Hartwig, Ph.D. (1941-1997), former Union College professor of political science and public opinion analyst at Hart Research. Fred Hartwig believed that it was very important for young Americans to be introduced to the nation's capital, the seat of the federal government and democracy. He believed that seeing and being a part of what goes on in Washington would enhance young people's appreciation for government, engage them in America's ongoing public conversations and debates, and result in their becoming more informed and involved citizens and leaders.
The Internship Award will be based on entries in an essay contest open to any full-time undergraduate student, regardless of academic major, attending a selected liberal arts college or university in the United States.
The Hartwig Intern will receive a cash prize of $1,500. The award will be given irrespective of whether the internship is a paid or unpaid position.
The winner is responsible for finding and securing his or her own internship for the summer of 2018 at an institution in the greater Washington, DC, metropolitan area. Although the internship may be undertaken in any of a number fields of endeavor, it must be of an appropriately serious nature to provide the kind of experience that students would be unlikely to find outside of the Washington area.
Students are strongly encouraged to seek guidance on their internship search from a professor or career services faculty member at their school. Examples of possible placements include working in the office of a member of Congress; doing research or other work for a public policy institute; assisting the efforts of a nonprofit public interest group; or working for a political or public relations consulting group. The duration of the internship and the specific assignments it comprises will be determined by the individual and the organization for which he or she will work. On completion of the internship, the student will be expected to prepare a brief written report for the internship award selection committee about what he or she learned from the experience.
To enter, students should write an essay of 500 to 1,000 words (maximum) describing why an internship in Washington, DC, would contribute to their academic development and how it will have an impact on them personally or with regard to the careers they are considering.
Essays must be typewritten and the applicant’s full name, college, and academic major should appear at the top of each page. The essay must be accompanied by a completed application form (see next page). Application packages must be postmarked or emailed (as a Microsoft Word attachment) on or before March 26, 2018, and should be sent to:
David Drembus
Hart Research Associates
1724 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20009
Attn: Hartwig Award
- or -
One winner and two runners up will be selected by the internship committee. In the event that the winner is unable to undertake his or her internship, the first or second runner up will be eligible to receive the award (provided that he or she has secured an internship). The winning applicant and the runners up will be notified on or before April 20, 2018.
Questions regarding the essay competition may be directed to David Drembus (ddrembus@hartresearch.com). Please note that we do not provide assistance in the search for an internship position.
*Application forms can be picked up in the Professional Development Center.
The first step in searching for a job is to know what you’re looking for. That means setting goals and gaining focus. You can do that by:
Once you start searching you want to:
Establish and utilize a network of professionals, friends, family, faculty and alumni (LinkedIn, Professional Networking Symposium)
Document your experiences - As you prepare for your internship and job search we want to make sure your toolkit is packed and ready to go. You’ll be surprised at what skills you’ve acquired through experiences that you can weave into your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile to make yourself stand out to employers.
The first step is to take a look at the skill areas that employers look for when searching for interns and new hires. It’s time to think about experiences you’ve had in your organizations and involvement, classes, volunteering, and employment. In addition, consider how to demonstrate that you possess the competencies that employers desire.
Handshake is the ultimate career network for students. It will become your one-stop-shop for launching your career.
Handshake offers many exciting new features, including:
Your profile is preloaded and ready to go. Click on the icon, fill out your profile and start searching for jobs and internships.
Once you have joined, please take a few minutes to view some short training videos.
LinkedIn is your chance to make a strong first impression with networking contacts online. Your LinkedIn profile provides a snapshot of your qualifications to potential employers and networking contacts. Your profile is also often one of the first things that appears in a Google search for your name.
"Classroom to Career" in an all inclusive career guide to assist you from the first day you step on campus throughout your alumni days.
Feel free to access or download the guide anytime you wish to learn: