TO: FROM:

Dr. Madhu Rao, Interim Dean of the College of Business Dr. John Hoag, Associate Dean of the College of Business Annette Badik, Career Center Director Erik Chiarelott, Department of Marketing Internship Coordinator Kirk Kern, Department of Marketing Internship Coordinator Lesa Shouse, Career Center Assistant Director/College of Business Administration December 21, 2011 Business Career Accelerator Business Plan Proposal

Liaison DATE: SUBJECT:

In an effort to more effectively serve students where they live, the College of Business Administrations Business Career Accelerator (BCA) office opened in February of 2011 as a collaborative pilot project by the Career Center and the College of Business Administration. During the tenure of the previous Career Center staff member, 64.4% more students were served at the BCA as compared to the same time period in 2010 when the staff member served students from the Career Center office. The Business Career Accelerator, although an obvious success, had several operational challenges. The opportunities for improvement were discussed with the College of Business Dean, selected faculty and staff, and Career Center administration. The attached proposal is respectfully submitted to address these challenges and establish an operation that optimally serves the students of the College of Business Administration. At the time the BCA opened there were two staff members serving the students, an Instructor from the College of Business and an Assistant Director of the Career Center/Liaison to the College. Despite the increased number of students served, the operational scope and business practices had not been defined, nor had the roles and responsibilities of the staff members. As a result, the ability to consistently serve students and provide excellent customer service was somewhat compromised. To enhance the operation of the BCA to better service students, this proposal outlines the mission, vision, operational scope, business practices, staff roles and responsibilities, reporting structure, and human and financial resources needed to effectively manage this operation. While there are several operational challenges, the one that poses the most difficulty is the lack of consistently available staff in the BCA. Due to other priorities and sporadic schedules, the office has not been able to serve students five days per week. Furthermore, when staff members are serving students, there is no one available for reception, answering questions, assisting students with WorkNet, resume critiques, etc. This proposal provides a structure that would allow the office to adequately serve students Monday through Friday. With appropriate resources, we believe that the BCA can provide minimal coverage and maximum benefit to students. A proposed budget is attached to outline needed resources. By having dedicated resources for the office, the BCA staff can be more intentional and progressive in their planning of marketing, programming, and service initiatives. We hope that with staffing and operational improvements, financial resources, and the continued support from the College of Business, we can further the success of the Business Career Accelerator. Our goal is to continue assisting students with their career exploration and development, search for and attainment of internships and jobs, and evolution to become engaged and productive alumni of the College of Business.

Career Accelerator Proposal p. 2

Business Career Accelerator Proposal

1. VISION & MISSION Business Career Accelerator Vision The Business Career Accelerator is the foremost provider of college career services by serving as a comprehensive career development office. As a service of the Career Center and the College of Business Administration, the Business Career Accelerator staff will strive to integrate career development into the academic and co-curricular experiences of students in the College in order for students to have the opportunity to experience an internship or cooperative education position and succeed in finding post graduation employment. College of Business Vision The College of Business at Bowling Green State University will be a leader in developing talent and ideas that drive economic and social vitality (Adopted March 2011) Business Career Accelerator Mission The mission of the Business Career Accelerator in the College of Business Administration at Bowling Green State University is to serve as a comprehensive career development office by assisting students to reach their fullest professional potential. As such the Business Career Accelerator provides: Students with a supportive environment where they can find assistance in all aspects of career development, including consultation, resources, and technology in order to achieve career goals. Faculty with assistance in implementation of career assignments and lessons in the classroom. Employers with assistance in recruiting strategies and making connections with students and faculty to build mutually beneficial relationships. College of Business Mission: The College of Business Administration provides an environment that supports our faculty, staff, and students to reach their fullest potential through learning, discovery, and service. Through an interactive educational experience that includes classroom and experiential learning, the CBA graduates will have extensive business knowledge and the ability to communicate clearly and to identify and solve problems critically, creatively, and ethically. Faculty and staff strongly encourage student engagement in all aspects of academic life. (Adopted March 2011) 2. OUTCOMES College of Business Administration Outcomes o Increase the number of students completing internships and co-ops and registering for COOP 50 o Increase the number of jobs secured by recent graduates o Increase the base level pay for recent graduates Aligns with actions and key measures in the College of Business 2011-2016 Strategic Plan (See Appendix A)

Career Accelerator Proposal p. 3

3. REPORTING STRUCTURE Below is a suggested structure to assist with the flow of communication and information for the Business Career Accelerator. Dean of College of Business Director Career Center

Marketing Department Chair

Faculty Internship Coordinator(s)

Associate Dean

Assistant Director Career Center

Career Center Liaison

Graduate Assistant or Student Staff

Direct Report Collaboration Provides Support Indirect Report

4. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

a. Career Center Liaison Student Relations o Career consultation appointments for College of Business Administration students Career exploration and planning Career assessments Co-op and internship/job search and preparation Graduate and professional school search and preparation Interview strategies Resume development WorkNet and other online job search assistance o Programming Job and Internship Fair logistics and management Job and Internship Fair prep sessions In-office programming In-class programming Student organization programming and collaboration Faculty Relations

Career Accelerator Proposal p. 4 o Collaborate with faculty to integrate career development into curriculum o Facilitate interaction between faculty and employers Employer Relations o Assist employers with recruiting College of Business Administration students o Facilitate relationship among employers, faculty, and staff to promote a broader relationship with the College Communication and Marketing o Use bulletin boards, monitors, and white boards for information sharing of programs, events, services, and career related information o Use email, list serves, and faculty conversations to disseminate information on events, employers, and important job postings o Manage Career Centers social media to engage students College Committee Involvement o Social Media Committee o Business Career Day o Others as needed b. Internship Coordinators Student Relations o Promote internship opportunities to students o Programming Speed Interviews Resume Workshops Business Career Day Senior Transition Program o Internship advising Faculty/Staff Relations o Promote Business Career Accelerator services, programs, and information to faculty o Assist with implementation of career related course assignments as related to the 4-year plan (See Appendix B) Employer Relations o Discuss internship opportunities for students with employers o Promote Career Center recruiting assistance, practice, and guidelines to employers o Network with, maintain, and enhance relationships with employers Communication and Marketing o Develop key marketing campaigns for the office regarding programming and information dissemination o Implement marketing strategies to increase student usage of the Career Accelerator and participation in programming c. Proposed: Graduate Assistant(s) Provide reception for office Assist with programming Assist with job search consultation Assist with data collection and assessment d. Proposed: Student Staff Provide reception services for office Provide resume critiques and WorkNet assistance (drop-in services) Assist with programming preparations Serve on programming committees and advisory councils (Note: Currently, there are four undergraduate students interested in working in the Career Accelerator and each have completed an internship) 5. RESOURCES

Career Accelerator Proposal p. 5 a. Staff Career Center Liaison: full-time staff member (32 hours a week, Tuesday - Friday) Internship Coordinators: two part-time faculty members (40 collective hours a week/not in office) Proposed: Graduate Assistants (40 hours a week) Proposed: Student Staff (35 hours a week)

b. Space Room 264 of the Business Administration c. Supplies General office supplies (paper, file folders, pens, etc.) provided by Office of Student Development Deans Office provides o Computers o Printer o Phone o Programming supplies/food - as approved Career Center provides o B!G Job Search Guides o B!G Decisions Guides (See Appendix C for estimated budget) 6. MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION College of Business Administration website In-class presentations Email correspondence Kiosks, monitors, and bulletin boards Career Center Job and Internship Fairs (EXPO & Business Fair)

7. OPERATIONS a. Days/Hours of Operation Monday-Friday: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Note: Career Center Liaison must be in Career Center on Mondays for staff meetings and projects; coverage needed by Graduate Assistant or other staff b. Services Offered Drop-ins (Liaison and student staff) o 15-minute first come, first serve appointments for quick job search questions/resume or cover letter critiques Programming (Liaison and Faculty Coordinators) o Business Career Day (Fall & Spring Semester) o Speed Interviews (Fall & Spring Semester) o Senior Transition Program (Spring Semester) o Workshops and Presentations (Fall & Spring Semesters) Employer Relations (Liaison and Faculty Coordinators) o Connect employers with employer relations staff in Career Center to assist in recruiting needs and broaden scope of recruiting practices o Identify needs from the CBA and make intentional connections with employers from those areas

Career Accelerator Proposal p. 6 o Connect employers to faculty and staff to deepen relationship with the College o Expand contacts through employer development Faculty Relations (Liaison and Faculty Coordinators) o Assist with career related course assignments, presentations, and workshops o Provide information, feedback, and assistance to faculty on career related topics o Connect employers and faculty to build mutually beneficial relationships to assist students with referrals and making connection to promote job postings and increase students obtaining positions

c. Nature of services In-Person o Drop-ins (15 minutes) o Appointments (30-60 minutes) at Business Career Accelerator and Career Center o Presentations (60-120 minute programs) o Small Group Sessions Virtual o Skype o WorkNet o Social media (such as LinkedIn) o MyVPN services provide ability to meet via computer and telephone to review documents together d. Coverage/Reception Career Center Liaison (32 hours a week - 8:00 a.m.-5:00p.m. Tuesday-Friday) Graduate Assistant (Proposed 40 hours a week) Student Staffing ( Proposed 35 hours a week) o Paid student employee o Recruit students interested in human resources and recruitment o Recruit college student personnel practicum students o Recruit business students who have already successfully completed internships e. Staff Meetings Staff Meetings (Bi-Weekly) o Career Center Liaison o Faculty Internship Coordinators o Graduate Assistant/Student Staff Career Accelerator Council (Once a Semester) o Student Representative(s) o Career Center Representative(s) o Faculty Representative(s) o College of Business Administrator (Associate Dean) f. Reports Monthly Reports o Business Career Accelerator Reports completed by Liaison with assistance from Faculty Internship Coordinators Number of students served Programs Completed

Career Accelerator Proposal p. 7 o Number of programs and descriptions o Number of students attended Submitted to Associate Dean and Dean of College of Business o Career Center Monthly Report completed by Liaison Career Center format Submitted to Career Center Director Annual Report o Combined monthly reports o Assessment of outcomes o Number of internships completed by semester Registered Coop 050s Number students participating according to Senior Survey

Career Accelerator Proposal p. 8 APPENDIX A College of Business Strategic Plan 2011-2016 Excerpts pertaining to proposal outcomes: Action 4: 4. Continued implementation of Passport Program and career accelerator programming. Develop measures of effectiveness (p.2) Action 14: 14.Implement a college-level strategy with regard to internship programming for appropriate specializations leading to improvement of placement of graduates (in coordination with strategy above) (p. 3) Notes on Planned Actions: A key success factor for the business college is the placement rate and starting salaries of our graduates. One leading indicator of this is the number of students completing internships. Currently various faculty within the CBA are conducting this process. Additionally, one individual at the University works on all internships for BGSU. This staffing level is inadequate to support the students of the CBA (p. 5) Scoreboard of Key Measures: College/Division Defined Measures include 5 year history of Number of student internships/co-op Job placement % at graduation Median starting salary (p. 7 & 8)

Career Accelerator Proposal p. 9 APPENDIX B Proposed Career Development Touch Points for Curriculum
Develop first resume* (focusing on mechanics, format) BA 1500 Complete WorkNet profile* BA 1500 Load resume in WorkNet* BA 1500 FOCUS assignment* BA1500/USD Attend EXPO Career Fairs* BA 1500 Reflect and record in e-portfolio and/or Passport* BA 1500 Attend EXPO Career Fairs* BA 1100 Reflect and record in e-portfolio and/or Passport* BA 1100 Expand initial resume** BA2030 Load resume in WorkNet** BA2030 Load resume in LinkedIn* BA2030 Write a cover letter BA2030 Develop reference list BA2030 Learn behavioral interviewing BA2030 Discuss professional wardrobe* BA2030 Attend internship success workshop BA 2200? Job shadowing, specialization reflection; career options, and/or information interview BA 2200? Re-evaluate FOCUS** BA 2200?/USD Update WorkNet profile** BA 2200? Apply for internships at companies of interest* (other than WorkNet, EXPO) BA2200? Attend EXPO Career fairs** and EXPO prep session BA 2200 Register internships BA 2200? Reflect and record in e-portfolio and/or Passport** BA 2200? Following internship, complete assessment of learning form/skills developed -OR-reflect in E-Portfolio BA 2200? Career marketing plan: MKT 3010 In-depth look at self* and MKT 3010 employment opportunities MKT 3010 Assess skills MKT 3010 Update resume*** MKT 3010 Reemphasize professional attire** MKT 3010 Speed interviews* MKT 3010 Attend EXPO Career Fairs*** BA 3300 Update WorkNet and Linked In profiles*** BA 3300? Reflect and record in e-portfolio and/or Passport*** BA 3300? Myers-Briggs self assessment MGMT 3600 Update resume**** BA 4000 Update WorkNet and Linked In profiles**** (use LikedIn instead of eportfolio for employers?) BA 4000 Attend EXPO career fairs**** BA 4000 Apply for career positions at companies of interest** (other than WorkNet, EXPO)** BA 4000 Reflect and record in e-portfolio and/or Passport**** BA 4000 Provide College status of employment at graduation Senior Survey Activities repeated, reinforced, or expanded as students progress through college(*,**,***,****)

Career Accelerator Proposal p. 10 APPENDIX C

Business Career Accelerator Estimated Annual Budget

Item Personnel Career Center Liaison Salary Internship Coordinators Salary Graduate Assistant Stipend Graduate Assistant Tuition Student Worker Office Phone Office Printer Office supplies (pens, tape, staples, files, etc.) Marketing (flyers, foam boards, etc.) $ 279.00 $ 60.00 $ 0 $ 384.00 $ 300.00 $ 75.00 $ 500.00 $ 2,000.00 Student Development Student Development Student Development College of Business Dean Current (est.) $ 40,000.00 $ 40,000.00 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 Proposed (est.) $ 44,508.00 $ 40,000.00 $ 8,786.00 $ 5,084.00 $ 8,624.00* If current, money provided by:

Career Center Marketing Department

Programs Business Career Day Senior/Alumni Transition Program Small program pool (pay for food, program materials, etc) Speed Interview Day $ 1,137.00 $ 0 $ 0 $ unknown $ 1,200.00 $ 2,000.00 $ 2,000.00 $ 2,000.00 College of Business Dean

Marketing Department

Totals

$ 81,860.00

$ 117,077.00

New $ Requested: $35,217

*This amount is for 35 hours a week for 32 weeks, as the Business Career Accelerator is only open during Spring and Fall semesters.

Career Accelerator Proposal p. 11 APPENDIX D

Business Career Accelerator SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses Available to students Limited staffing Increased student Open 4 days a week appointments with Career Center Drop-in services with only staff member by 68% in pilot one staff member when more semester of Spring 2011 than one student arrives Open for drop-in Interruptions to students meetings/appointments makes appointments from drop-ins the Business Career Accelerator Missing students when out accessible to students and of office for meetings, class available for quick questions and presentations, sick time, etc. drop-in meetings Internship Coordinators Students may be more likely unable to provide consistent to come by in between classes office coverage due to close proximity No receptionist Available to faculty Lack of promotion and awareness By being in close proximity to of the BCA programs and services faculty, we can build Lack of marketing relationships and create lines of throughout college communication to students Lack of faculty involvement regarding job/internship postings Limited student awareness and information of BCA programming Building faculty relationships to Unaware of established budget or help integrate career topics into financial resources coursework and provide assistance with lesson development and/or guest presentations History of strong relationships with the College of Business faculty and the Career Center Available to assist employers interested in College of Business students through Liaisons connection with the Career Center Opportunities Threats Programming for students held in the BCA (including small group Limited human resources critique sessions, roundtable events, Limited financial resources and etc.) funding Faculty programming as Faculty/staff unaware of the professional development, such as programs and services of the social media topics Business Career Accelerator causing Sponsorship opportunity for a lack of engagement by person/ company to fund and name faculty/staff Business Career Accelerator and Drop in College of Business through other programming student enrollment Information and marketing on Underutilization of office CBA/BCA whiteboards, kiosks, Changes in upper administration

Career Accelerator Proposal p. 12 screen savers, monitors, and bulletin boards (alert students to hiring trends, employer needs/wants, and general career information) Opportunity to present specialized programming suggested and supported by College of Business Utilize student resources by involving them in programming Offer internship opportunity for College Student Personnel, MBA, HR, etc. Facilitate a schedule of all career related programming throughout the college