The holiday season is a special time of year for many―but what is perhaps most rewarding is the joy one receives from giving back.
Vaughn students make a difference
The season of giving goes beyond simply making donations. It is the rewarding feeling one gets knowing their time and compassion is making a difference and touching the lives of others. Over the years, Vaughn College students have shown their dedication to giving back to their community, and this year is no different. In the spirit of the season, on-campus clubs at Vaughn are organizing charitable events for the purpose of spreading kindness in their community.
Children’s Holiday Party
The Alpha Phi Delta fraternity chapter at Vaughn has pulled out all the stops, as they will be hosting a holiday party this month to put smiles on the faces of kids in a local children’s hospital. Debra Cassidy ’20, a sophomore at Vaughn and president of the Student Government Association, says the fraternity is planning an exciting event to bring joy to children who may be spending the holidays in the hospital, apart from their families. “I’m proud to be a Vaughn student,” Cassidy said. “Vaughn is a community-based college and we all feel a common connection to give back to our community, especially during the holidays.”
Coat Drive
As the weather turns cold, there are many who do not have coats to stay warm. The Circle K International (CKI) chapter at Vaughn recognizes this need and has kicked off their seasonal coat drive, which will run through the end of January 2018. Student members of Circle K are collecting outer wear for the colder winter weather, as well as coats, scarves, hats and gloves. They have placed drop boxes at convenient locations throughout the campus to make the drop-off process easy for those who can donate. All donations will be distributed locally where the need is greatest.
“It’s wonderful seeing fellow students and faculty giving back to our community,” said Jacqueline Oricchio ’20, a sophomore and president of the Circle K International chapter at Vaughn. “Even the smallest donation can mean so much for those who go without.”
CKI is a collegiate service organization led by Kiwanis International that raises funds for various charitable causes. Their philosophy is to promote service, leadership and fellowship by helping the community through a host of service projects.
Ongoing Good Will Happenings
Vaughn is dedicated to helping the community throughout the year. The College holds blood drives at least once every semester to help the local blood banks. “It’s a great feeling knowing the Vaughn community could possibly be saving someone’s life someday,” Cassidy said. “If there’s a need, then Vaughn is there to help.”
To keep up-to-date on all Vaughn College initiatives and to hear the latest innovations in engineering, technology, management, aviation and more―check out the Vaughn College monthly newsletter. (Sign up below.)
Building a strong skilled-based résumé while you’re in college is the first step to positioning yourself for the workforce and landing a job after graduation. It’s the one asset that can set you apart to edge out the competition.
Sean Manning, internship coordinator of career services at Vaughn College, weighed in on how to structure a powerful résumé and offered tips on what to include and what to leave out.
Manning says it’s best to divide your résumé into sections, so you can highlight your successes and accomplishments. Follow this simple structure to build a strong résumé:
#1 Professional Summary/Profile
This section focuses on why you are qualified for the job. Outline what qualities you possess and what experiences you have gained while in college that make you the best candidate for the job.
#2 Education
List the college you’re attending, your expected graduation date and all relevant coursework that applies to your field.
#3 Honors, Awards and Achievements
Here you can boast about yourself and list any scholarships you’ve received, in addition to any academic awards and accolades.
#4 Academic Experience
Pay close attention to this section as it can be the selling point to get your résumé to the top of the pile. In this section, you want to list any notable group projects and/or research projects you worked on. Be sure to highlight any leadership roles you held during the project and any software you used (e.g., Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint or specialized technical software). Most importantly, describe the process of how you reached your end goal. If you are a student in the technology field, for example, be sure to describe the methodology you followed and any special equipment you utilized.
Here is how information for academic experience should be listed:
- Name of the project
- The date it was completed
- The goal of the project
- The process used―and what you learned
#5 Work Experience
Since students aren’t expected to have much employment experience, it’s important to list any volunteer work in this section along with any paid and non-paying jobs. Be sure to list the skills you gained.
#6 Skills
This section should highlight various skills you’ve achieved. These include industry and technical skills, such as design, programming, electronics, and software skills (e.g., Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint). Remember that for software skills, it’s important to list your level of experience and to specify the functions you are proficient in.
If you are a bilingual student, use this section to list the languages you speak and if you are proficient in written, conversation or both.
#7 Non-Technical Skills
List any non-technical skills you have learned, such as public speaking, solution selling, customer service or calendar management, among others.
Below is a helpful “do’s and don’ts” chart that can be used to build a standout résumé. Save or print this chart so that it’s readily available whenever you need it!
Download Resume Do’s and Don’ts Chart
Vaughn College Career Services
The career services department at Vaughn is dedicated to ensuring every student has the tools and knowledge they need to succeed, feel free to call us or drop-in at any time!
So, the semester is winding down, which can only mean one thing: Final exams. If you’re a student, you probably feel the pressure even way before the exams begin. Stress and anxiety levels can increase during this time—and it’s hard to focus and study when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
Before the panic sets in and you resign yourself to pulling all-nighters, take a step back, take a deep breath, and look at the tips we’ve put together to help keep yourself organized and calm so you can have a successful, stress-free end to the semester.
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