CDO Festival Offers ‘Party With a Purpose’

The atmosphere at the first annual Career Development Office’s Fall Festival on Sunday, October 6, may be fun and entertaining, but the intent behind the carnival setting will be educational.

In other words, “party with a purpose,” says Janice Schell, a career counselor in the CDO.

Toward that end, from 2 to 4 p.m. in Davis Ballroom, the festival will feature a balloon artist, a caricaturist, music provided by Smith’s own Smithereens and the Notables, ice cream, popcorn and cotton candy. There will also be raffle prizes, and the first 300 students through the door will receive fun gifts.

On the educational side, CDO personnel will staff booths to provide information on and assistance with résumé- and cover letter-writing, job search strategies, Praxis and other internships and offer tips on networking, interviewing and applying to graduate and professional schools.

All the while, demonstrations of the CDO Web site and the helpful e-Access database will take place at a laptop computer station.

The objective of the CDO Fall Festival is to introduce students—from first-years to seniors—to the staff and services of the CDO, and to encourage students to use the CDO’s assistance in thinking about, researching and pursuing career opportunities.
But that doesn’t mean students can’t have some fun in the process.

“By meeting and talking with students in this atmosphere, we hope to fuel their interest in using our services, calm the uncertainty they may feel about planning for the future, and better prepare them to seize the many opportunities open to Smith students and alums,” says Schell. “Our motto for the day is ‘Don’t know? Go to the CDO.’”