I don’t know about you but this semester is flying by! Here we are at Thanksgiving break with December right around the corner, finally with a small break from school to mentally prepare for finals in the coming weeks.
Although it has been fast, it hasn’t been easy, especially for those seniors that are completing their coursework in December. Amongst these soon-to-be grads are a special bunch that we like to call members of the Business program’s, Senior Seminar Capstone class. I can say this because I am one of them, and we are, in fact, special.
Now you might be thinking special might be another word for fun or unique or legendary, and while all of those hold to be true, we are special because we are unlike any other program here at UNH or for any other college out there. But how so?
The capstone course prepares students for life after graduation meanwhile taking a time travel back throughout their college career to dig up the most useful knowledge and moments to truly complete their degree. Oh, so like that movie Hot Tub Time Machine? Well, sort of. Let me tell you what Senior Seminar is really about and what you can expect when your time comes.
Let me start off by saying that many of us have spent college exploring and discovering ourselves (read my story) and contemplating the different careers that we could pursue afterwards. Just like a five-year old kid we all dream of being things like astronauts and the president, but in college you really have to focus on a career that is suited for you.
Discovery
In Senior Seminar you begin by making a timeline of your life up until this point. Listing jobs, interests, things you liked about certain jobs and things you didn’t as well as thoughts about different atmospheres and personal milestones. While this task is difficult at first, it helps you to begin analyzing your previous experiences, setting the tone for what is to come. During this time, Academic Counselor Marisa Forti comes to class for one night doing various activities to help you discover and understand your unique personalities that will help you begin to think about what type of environment you would work best in.
Work Experience
A requirement of the Senior Seminar is that each student must get an internship where they will work 12 hours each week to total 144 hours by the end of the semester. For some students in full-time jobs already, there is an option to opt-out, but an internship is highly recommended.
During this time, most students get their first shot at the ‘real world’ in a professional atmosphere. Students are required to work on independent projects, have 1 on 1 meetings with internship mentors and to build professional experience while gaining insight before the permanent job hunt begins (read about my internship at SilverTech).
Professional Development
During Senior Seminar you will learn important concepts like crafting the perfect resume, how to dress for an interview, and how to network. Special guests are brought in, which are typically alumni from the program to perform ‘mock interviews’ and to share their success stories and provide insight to the job search.
Professor Bill Troy and Professor Kate Luzcko cover the A to Z’s on how to land your dream job.
Reflection
Each week you are required to write a 2-3 page reflection paper to communicate your thoughts, feelings and ideas as you move through the semester.
Each week is an opportunity to develop a better understanding of yourself, your strengths and weaknesses as well as your achievements and goals.
Coursework
Apart from draft resumes, assigned readings and getting business cards for yourself, there are three exams that cover topics from classes previously taken in the business concentration. These exams cover subjects such as Accounting and Finance, Economics and Marketing as well as Organizational Behavior and Management. These assessments are designed to see which information you’ve collected throughout your college years, and which areas you may need to revisit.
You will also be assigned Case Studies where you will perform in-depth research on companies and industries to analyze and assess certain scenarios by applying business knowledge and models.
If you ask any alumni that has graduated from this program they will all likely tell you one thing, and that is Senior Seminar will truly change you.
You will begin to pull everything together to fully understand yourself and your position in the job market. By doing personality exercises, reflection papers, knowledge assessments, hours at your internship, and many more, you will realize how well rounded your education has been and you will gain a sense of confidence for the job search. At the beginning of the semester you really aren’t sure of what is to come but by the end, you realize how far you’ve actually come in just one semester.
With that being said I want to congratulate the December class of 2014 for all of their hard work and determination and wish you all the best of luck with your careers!
