Get involved: take advantage of all the campus opportunities at CSB+SJU

Most hiring managers recruiting for entry-level positions look for candidates who stand out. Sure, they’ll look at your GPA, but they really look for students involved in student clubs, community engagement, athletics or the arts. How do I know this? I’ve worked in the employment “staffing” industry for the last 40 years.

Students who participate in on-campus activities hone their communication, critical thinking and listening skills. If you get involved in organizations outside your academic coursework, it often demonstrates a desire for collaboration, intellectual curiosity and leadership development.

Student leadership can manifest itself in many ways, including the pursuit of department or company internships, academic research, work study programs or any additional employment while going to college. All these activities—from washing dishes at the Refectory to applying for an internship through Springboard for the Arts—show engagement on your part. Believe it or not, participation in it doesn’t matter if you are an accounting, chemistry, nursing or economics major.

When you graduate, recruiters will do a quick scan of your GPA, but then they will look at what else you’ve been involved in the last four years. That is where your leadership and engagement will set you apart from other candidates. It’s never too late to get up and get involved. Turn off the PS5 and pause “House of the Dragon.” There will be plenty of time to catch up on those things later.

So check out the great CSB+SJU clubs you can get involved with through The Center for Student Leadership and Engagement, or talk with your professors, coaches and academic advisers about how you can gain leadership experience while becoming an engaged member of the campus community.