UIndy guides students in the right direction
By Meisha Baker
Business Manager
Choosing a career can be a hassle, especially when a student is first entering college. Discovering which academic programs the school specializes in can help the student determine what they want and do not want to pursue.
The University of Indianapolis offers an array of majors, minors and concentrations to prepare students for most professions that may peak their interests. For the 2006-07 graduation year, the most popular degrees at UIndy were: Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Arts and Science in Psychology, Masters of Business Administration, Masters of Occupational Therapy and Doctor of Physical Therapy.
The most popular degree is the Bachelor of Arts and Sciences with an overall enrollment of 1,145-day division undergraduate full-time students.
According to Mark Weigand, vice president of student affair and enrollment services, the most popular major for students upon arrival is undecided because many incoming freshmen are uncertain what path they want to choose in life. That should not alarm students because the statistics are constantly changing.
“There’s a lot of movement from when students are freshmen to the outcome,” Weigand said.
To lessen uncertainty, the university has a system that allows students to choose a major before they arrive at college so that the school can keep accurate results of which students are in particular majors.
“We actually call each student the week before registration to make sure that we have the right major. We try to help them the best that we can,” Weigand said.
During the transition from high school to college, many students may fear they will not make the right decision about choosing a major, let alone a degree.
“The more information you learn about a career and the curriculum that goes along with it, the better you can make a decision,” Weigand said. “The workshops that Career Services hosts are designed to make students think about the skills they have and what they need to do to refine those skills.”
Career Services gives students information about what employers look for when hiring employees.
“We point them in the direction of what kinds of jobs and internships are available to them,” said Paul Gabonay, director of career services. “Our job is to help [students] find environments where they can prepare and develop their own skills. Good communication skills are one of the most important skills that students need to have for success in the real world.”
Along with good communication skills, students need to demonstrate solid interviewing skills as potential candidates for a job, those skills will show employers that they are the most qualified person for the position. Career Services offers practice employment interviews to assist students in sharpening their interviewing skills and allow them to meet with outside consultants.
“Being at the university helped me to broaden my academic scope resources and be more current in the [physical therapy] field,” said former student and Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Dr. Mary Ann Shurig.
Clinical instructor and former student Cindy Lewis, RN, believes UIndy prepared her well for the position that she has now.
“When I am interviewing [potential candidates] now, and I see a UIndy grad, hands-down I call that one first. I know they’re well prepared. I know the program they’ve been through, the expectations. It is not an easy program,” Lewis said.
Although some majors and degrees are more popular than others, UIndy allows students to stay in control of their own destiny by assigning academic advisors and allowing students the opportunity to take advantage of what Career Services has to offer.
With smaller class sizes, students are allowed to learn more about careers and what is involved in the curriculum to make a decision about choosing what degree will best fit their future.
“My experience as a student, and looking back now as an administrator, is that the university has a wealth of resources for students both in terms of the people that are here and also the information that’s available,” Weigand said. “I think the students that do take advantage of those are the students that are going to leave here best prepared.”
