UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.– Nearly 100 Penn State student-athletes recently gathered in Pegula Ice Arena for the Second Annual Networking Lions reception, where they had the opportunity to learn about and engage with more than 40 companies from a myriad of fields.
The event, organized by Penn State's Student-Athlete Welfare and Development (SWD) unit, was strategically scheduled for the week of Penn State Career Services Fall Career Days. It afforded junior and senior student-athletes the chance to speak with employers in a more personal setting. The event also was held in the evening to provide a networking opportunity for those Nittany Lions whose class and practice schedule may have precluded them from making it to the traditional career fair held in the BJC.
"Last year's and this year's event have been great learning experiences for me. My teammates and I are very appreciative of events like this specifically held for student-athletes," said Kelsey Crow, a senior on the women's hockey team. "Class, practice, strength and conditioning are demands that come with being a student-athlete, but when given the opportunity to learn about competencies and skills needed to be successful after our playing days are over from experts in their field, is invaluable."
The companies in attendance represented numerous industries spanning from engineering to finance to management to non-profit organizations and everything in between. Local, national and international organizations were in attendance.
"This is a great event for student-athletes and employers," said Chris Isenberg, a spring 2018 graduate from the men's lacrosse squad. "I thought the event was pretty good last year, but, they improved it. I actually met the company I am now employed by at the inaugural Networking Lions event last year and was excited and honored to come back now as a recruiter.
"It was a great visit back to Happy Valley," Isenberg added. "I spoke to the team before practice and stressed the importance of taking advantage of the many resources provided through Student-Athlete Welfare and Development, the Morgan Academic Center, and our tremendous alumni network. It goes so fast, and you believe you have plenty of time, when in fact, time is the last thing you have plenty of."
Upon arrival, student-athletes participated in a brief prep session with Career Services personnel, alumni, and SWD staff prior to speaking with employers. They were provided tips and advice on how to make a good first impression, potential ice breaker questions and how to utilize their elevator pitch. The companies in attendance also received a pre-event pep talk and thank you from Career Services Senior Director Bob Orndorff and Keith Embray, Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Welfare and Development.
In addition to event-day prep, SWD staff hosted workshops leading up to the reception to further prepare and assist student-athletes. These sessions included creating a "Elevator Pitch," resume construction and critiques, as well as one-on-one career and major exploration. All the workshops were designed to equip student-athletes with the necessary tools to make an ideal first impression on potential employers, and to understand the power of networking.
"This event is about keeping with the vision of Penn State Athletics, which is to prepare our student-athletes for a lifetime of impact," Embray said. "This reception was a tremendous example of campus partners like the Pegula Ice Arena staff, Career Services, and our alumni (nine of the recruiters, four of whom were student-athletes) coming together to assist current student-athletes in preparing for life after Penn State.
"Seeing our student-athletes excited and prepared to network makes it all worth it for someone in my position. The feedback we have received from students, employers and alumni has been nothing but positive, which is a testament to the tremendous coordination and work put into this event by Liz Johnson (Director, Student-Athlete Welfare and Development). We definitely look forward to doing it again this spring."
For more information about the Penn State Student-Athlete Welfare and Development office, please email swd@athletics.psu.edu. For the latest news and upcoming events, please follow SWD on Twitter at @PennStateSWD.
