Employer Recruitment Stays Hot as Extra Benefits Become More Common
As summer draws closer, employers continue to look for creative ways to recruit new employees. In addition, Sheboygan County’s unemployment rate is 3%, which has led to an extremely competitive hiring season. Employers are offering benefits such as sign-on bonuses and increased tuition assistance. Many companies are excited to work with our students. One organization is offering students willing to stay through summer and into fall up to $1,500 for their employment. Other companies are offering benefits such as tuition reimbursement programs or paying for a student’s textbooks in order to fill their employment needs. Four local employers went as far as to offer to pay for student’s housing over the summer! As more companies continue to search for local talent, Lakeland is also looking to keep students local by offering up to three credits of the Cooperative Education program free to students who choose to work for Sheboygan County–based employers. If your student is still looking for summer employment, have them reach out to the Cooperative Education team for help at career@lakeland.edu.
Parent Summer Information Session Provides Answers and Insights into Fall
On April 22, Lakeland hosted a virtual session for parents to get information and ask questions on end–of–semester procedures, summer programs and plans for fall. The meeting included three members of campus leadership: Joshua Kutney, vice president for academic affairs; David Simon, vice president for campus life and dean for students; and Jessica Lambrecht, associate vice president for Cooperative Education and career readiness. Topics discussed included housing updates, summer academic planning and COVID policies. Many parents participated in the event, and Lakeland appreciates the responses and questions that were asked. If you were unable to attend the meeting and would like to watch it, please use this link. Contact Christopher Ledvina at ledvinacc@lakeland.edu with any questions!
Having a Financially Fit Summer with Laura Lange
Summer provides a much-needed break for college students and, while they should certainly enjoy the time away, we do not want them to fall behind on their finances! Here are some tips and resources to help your student(s) stay financially fit this summer.
- Work part time or full time. The cost of not working over the summer months can be huge. For example, with a wage of $13 per hour at 32 hours per week, that could result in over $5,000! For assistance in finding jobs this summer, contact career@lakeland.edu.
- Encourage budgeting. A budget, or spending plan, is when you tell your money where you want it to go and then STICKING TO IT. Without one, they might return in the fall wondering where their money went. Keep it simple and realistic, asking yourself, “what do I want?” and then figuring out how to get there is what it’s all about. There is no right or wrong way to budget. For budgeting ideas and methods, check out this website: How to Choose the Right Budget System. The Financial aid & Educational Funding office is also happy to help students with their budgets. For support, please email financialaid@lakeland.edu.
- Apply for scholarships. Scholarships don’t stop once the semester ends. The financial aid page of my.lakeland.edu is updated frequently with new scholarship opportunities and free national scholarship search engines such as https://www.scholarships.com/ and https://www.fastweb.com/.
- Enjoy free entertainment. You don’t need to spend money to have fun. For free summer activity ideas, check here: Free Summer Activities
Contact Laura Lange, associate director of financial aid, at langelm@lakeland.edu for more advice.
Celebrate Our Students and Faculty at Lakeland’s Virtual Academic Honors Awards
Every year, Lakeland University presents the Academic Honor Awards to students who exhibit academic excellence across the programs available. This year, the awards were presented virtually, with short videos of faculty and staff members sharing information and congratulations to the award recipients. The students who receive these awards exemplify the character and dedication that has come to be expected from Muskies, pushing themselves to become the best versions of themselves. The faculty members who presented awards play a significant role in that transformation.
Another major award, the James R. Underkofler Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award, recently recognized Britanni Meinnert, instructor of hospitality management. Thanks to her leadership, students are stronger than ever in their professional skill development. Congratulations to all the nominees and award winners! To view the awards videos, visit https://lakeland.edu/special/honors-banquet.
Lakeland University Cooperative Education EXPy Awards
The recipients of the Cooperative Education EXPy Awards were announced for the summer and fall of 2020 and the spring of 2021. The EXPy Awards acknowledge Cooperative Education experiences that go above and beyond in experiential learning. These were awarded to on-campus faculty and students, off-campus employers, as well as supervisors of Co-Op students. Thank you to all the recipients for representing the Cooperative Education Program. Check out Lakeland University’s Cooperative Education & Career Readiness Facebook page to see who received recognition of this year’s EXPy Awards!
Five Things Your Student Should do this Summer
Summer is a great time for college students to gain clarity on their career plans. It is a time to reflect and make valuable connections within their industry. Let the Co-op and Career team help your student on their next steps towards success. Below are five things your student should do to get ahead of the competition this summer!
- Still not sure about your major or what you might be most skilled at? Complete FREE assessments and work with the Co-Op team to analyze results. With access to lots of resources, we can help students answer the question “what do I want to do when I grow up?”
- Job shadow, Job shadow, Job shadow. Employers always love an opportunity to connect with someone who is interested in their profession. With access to thousands of alumni across the country and contacts who are readily available, we can help students make a great connection that could spark their interests.
- Volunteer. Lots of organizations utilize volunteers to support their operational needs. Everything from youth programs to senior centers, healthcare organizations to nonprofit groups – organizations rely on community help. Do a little research on the opportunities in your hometown area and reach out to learn more.
- Many organizations in the Sheboygan community offer tuition assistance programs for part-time and full-time employees. If reducing your cost of tuition is important to your long-term goals, schedule a virtual or in-person meeting with the Co-Op team to learn more about the various options and how to get started.
- Secure your fall/spring co-op role! Employers are looking for talent and are excited to work with Lakeland University students to support their hiring needs. While we plan to host various virtual career events late summer to help students make connections, it is always better to plan ahead. Students can set up a notification system within their Handshake account to get new positions sent to them directly that match their career area of interest.
Sheboygan Ranks 10th Best Small City for Accountants
A recent article shared by the Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation states that Sheboygan has been ranked the 10th best small city for accountants. This comes as no surprise to Lakeland University, as our accounting students continue to find high quality experiences with local accounting firms. The internships and experiences available from local employers help them gain valuable knowledge and skills in the many industries that accounting plays a part in. Through the Cooperative Education Program, these work experiences also keep the student on track to graduate without losing momentum or accumulating more debt. Lakeland congratulates Sheboygan on a well-deserved ranking and offers a thank you to the local accountants who help make Sheboygan a great place to live and learn. To read the article, please follow the link here.
Cooperative Education Program Benefits Lakeland University Bachelor’s Degree
Lakeland University bachelor’s degree in marketing is thriving. According to Study.com, the 2021 Best Bachelor’s Degrees in Marketing, Lakeland University ranks #37 nationally. Our degree program focuses on sales management, digital marketing, retail management and graphic arts. One of the biggest highlights to the success of this degree program focused on the Cooperative Education Program. This program provides students with opportunities to earn course credit for their work experience. The Co-Op program’s purpose is to prepare students for post-graduation success and provide interactive learning experiences for students. If you want to learn about how other degree programs have been impacted by our Co-Op program, feel free to contact Career@Lakeland.edu.
Student Spotlight Ifrah (Eve) Abdullahi- Housekeeping Department at Destination Kohler
Lakeland junior Ifrah “Eve” Abdullahi is originally from Kuwait. She is majoring in business administration with an emphasis in Cooperative Education and a minor in mathematics. She is also part of Lakeland’s cheer and dance team, Black Student Union and Global Student Association.
“I chose my major because my dream is to own a spa business. I have been working for Destination Kohler since summer 2019. I chose Lakeland because of the Co-Op program that helped me work, study, earn scholarships and gain experiences. Lakeland is a small community that feels like home to me. I like the class structure and have found that Lakeland has the best approach and techniques with its students. After graduation, I would like to find a career with Kohler and grow from there.”
Program Spotlight
Monique Brickham - Assistant Professor of Graphic Design
Please introduce yourself and your area of expertise.
My name is Monique Brickham, assistant professor of graphic design. My areas of expertise include brand identity, page layout and web design. I’ve been teaching at Lakeland for five years and have never felt so at home in a job. In fact, teaching at Lakeland is more than a job; it has become a part of my personal identity.
Tell us about Lakeland’s graphic design program. What makes us unique from other schools?
Lakeland’s graphic design program is unique for several reasons. First, the classes are small enough that everyone gets to know each other really well, which leads to great collaboration and a friendly classroom environment. Second, the curriculum is steeped in practical, real-world projects. Students graduate with a robust portfolio, which helps with demonstrating their skills during the interview process. Third, I make sure students are able to connect with me outside of class. While not every teacher chooses to be this available outside of “work,” it’s important to me that I be there for them, whenever that may be.
How has Co-Op positively impacted the graphic design program?
The Co-Op program has created experiential learning opportunities that aren’t possible to replicate in the classroom. For example, one student was able to do a graphic design Co-Op at the Weill Center, diving deep into designing a series of promotional posters and program booklets. Another student did a graphic design Co-Op at a local senior center designing all of their advertising, event promotion and social media imagery. T
hese Co-Op placements are allowing students to experience what it is really like to work as a graphic designer in the field—the number of projects that need to be juggled at once, the quick deadlines and the variety of clients with their various needs. It’s dynamic and always changing, and that just doesn’t happen in class as it does in these Co-Op experiences.
If you could reach out to potential employers about
your students and our graphic design program, what would you say to them?
Our graphic design program has been seeing steady growth in enrollment over the last five years, and almost all incoming freshmen are pursuing Co-Op. I would ask potential employers to consider establishing an on-going, part-time graphic design Co-Op position that our students could work in for a year at a time. There is an opportunity to develop a mutually beneficial relationship through Co-Op, and I’m excited to share the immense creativity and innovation we’re nurturing with our community.
Upcoming Events
The safety of our students, faculty and staff is always our top priority. Your cooperation and collaboration will help to ensure an appropriate response across our institution to this rapidly changing matter.
Monday, May 31
Memorial Day Parade
Friday, June 18
The Blasters Golf Tournament