MELISSA HARTZ
News Editor

The red numbers on the clock beside the bed blink 4:09 a.m.
After a night hanging out with my closest pals, I lay on my side on my best friend Eric’s bed, propping my head up on my elbow. He sits on the floor beside the creaky twin extra-long bed, head resting against my leg, eyes half-lidded. The Killers play softly from his laptop, the music accompanying his sleeping roommate’s rhythmic breathing.
“I love The Killers,” he says to no one in particular.
Eric is what I affectionately refer to as my “first friend.” Nearly three years ago, we met at college orientation, and have been pretty much inseparable ever since. We’ve met great friends through one another, consoled each other through rocky breakups, and cried on each other’s shoulders through tough times. It’s weird to think that we have less than a year and a half left before graduation and the real world force us apart. I shift my position slightly, and the iron bed frame squeaks loudly in protest.
“I think I’m going to join the Army,” Eric says, looking up at the ceiling.
I sigh. It’s not news to me; he’s been mentioning the Army off and on for the past three years. That hasn’t made it any easier to swallow, though. I twirl a lock of his straw-colored hair around my finger.
“But what am I gonna do without my first friend?” I ask. He tilts his head back and looks up at me. A smile dances on the corners of his lips.
“I’ll be okay, I’ll send you letters!” he says. “Besides, it might help pay off my tuition. I’ve got loans, you know? And if I can’t find a teaching job when I get out of school, my dad has to pay.”
I nod understandingly, but still my stomach churns at the thought of my best friend in uniform, flying off to the other side of the world for god knows how long.
Luke Yepsen grew up in the house around the corner from mine. Only a couple years older than me, with red hair and icy blue eyes, I remember swimming in our neighbor’s pool with him and his brother, or painting the cinderblock in their basement. After a few years, Luke and his family moved to Singapore before finally settling in Texas. I didn’t hear from them for a long time.
Through Christmas cards, we learned that Luke had joined the Marines. His mother informed us that he had recently returned from boot camp, where he shed nearly 20 pounds. In a note that followed just a few months afterward, we were informed that Luke was being shipped to Iraq.
“Luke died today,” my mom told me a few months later. “Their Jeep hit a roadside bomb.” Though I hadn’t spoken to Luke in years, I remember the news hit me like a truck. I sat in front of my computer that night, looking through Luke’s MySpace page, the “countdown ‘til I come home” bringing a fresh wave of stinging tears. He had a fiancée. They were supposed to start their life together when he came home. He was 20 years old when he died. Kids my age aren’t supposed to die.
For a long time I had trouble sleeping, plagued by dreams of young soldiers’ mangled faces and crying wives. In my dreams the Marines get younger and younger until they’re little boys in digital-camouflage uniforms, helmets dipping over their eyes. For weeks all I can think of is Luke’s poor fiancée and how it feels for your future to end before it even began. I think about her hugging him at the airport next to piles of olive green canvas bags, feeling his chest against her cheek, breathing in his scent for the last time. I had never met her, and yet, how badly I wanted to draw her into my arms and cry with her and tell her how sorry I was.
I look down at Eric and think about having to hug him goodbye at the airport, wondering if the last I’ll see of him is his back as he boards a plane to the Middle East. When he looks up at me I notice that he has the same watery-blue eyes as Luke, and it sends a chill up my spine. He must see the worry on my face, because a smile creeps across his face again. He puts his hand on mine.
“I feel like it’s something I have to do,” he tells me. “I don’t want to die an old man having never done anything important, you know?” He looks up at me again, his brow furrowing slightly.
“I’ll be okay.”
A weak smile spreads across my lips. I remember reading in a newspaper article that Luke’s mother said that Luke died doing what he felt was right. Maybe this is what Eric feels is right. Maybe it’s a calling - and you don’t step between a man and his calling.
We chat for a little while longer before I pull on my coat and gather my things. Eric walks me to the door, our footsteps cutting through the silence and dark like knives. He smiles and pulls me into a hug.
“You’re a good friend, Melissa,” he tells me. I hug him tightly, breathing in the smell of man and musk and cologne.
“You’re not too bad yourself there, pal,” I reply with a smile.
We part ways, and I head up the many stairs to my room. As I tilt my head down and trudge up the stairs, my mind races. I think about Luke, and Eric.
I suppose all I can do is trust. That’s what first friends do, after all.

MELISSA HARTZ
News Editor

For FDU film students, the senior thesis is a culmination of skills, techniques and ideas accumulated over four years in the program. Whether it is directing his or her own movie or working in the crew for someone else’s, each senior must participate in a film.
For senior Anthony Maddaloni, directing a zombie thesis was the perfect fit for this final project.
“Even though my ideas changed slightly along the way, I knew for a while that I wanted to do a zombie film for my thesis,” said Maddaloni. “I started writing the scripts two years ago. I must have gone through at least a dozen drafts before settling on this one.”
Maddaloni’s film, “The Risen,” centers around the life of Lionel, a comic book author struggling to deal with the recent death of his brother and relationship issues with his ex-girlfriend, Ashlee. After the zombie apocalypse descends on mankind, Lionel and his group take refuge in a nearby church.
“Movies like ‘Shawn of the Dead’ really threw zombie films into popular culture,” said Maddaloni. “We took a lot of inspiration from other zombie films and almost every name or piece of dialogue is homage to the Bible.”
A dramatic film with elements of comedy, “The Risen” confronts real issues of faith, love and the struggles of daily life. The thesis film is the first of its genre at FDU, with a running time of approximately 45 minutes.
“The filming has gone really smoothly so far,” Maddaloni said. “We have about 15 to 20 constant crew members, and so far we have about 14 days of filming.”
On March 6, Maddaloni and his crew filmed an exterior scene at Parisippany Presbyterian Church in Parsippany, N.J. Nearly 40 people, FDU students and community members alike, showed up at 7 a.m. to go into makeup and act as extras in the zombie horde. Maddaloni said the most difficult part of the shoot was finding a church that would allow the scene to be shot on location.
“No Catholic church would even talk to me,” Maddaloni said, laughing. “A lot of other churches would allow us to film inside the church, but wouldn’t allow us on the actual sanctuary. We shopped around for months.”
Finally, the crew of “The Risen” found hope when they stumbled upon the Parsippany Presbyterian Church.
“The church was this big, beautiful place with an incredible chapel from the 1800s,” said Trevor Campbell, actor of the character Sam, and also the film’s soundman. Maddaloni added, “When the woman at the church mentioned [the film] ‘Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies,’ I knew this was the place.”
“The Risen,” along with other senior thesis films, will premiere at Senior Thesis night on May 4 at the Morristown Theater. For a mere $5, students can enjoy a night of films created by their peers.
“Last year we got about 150 people to come out for Senior Thesis Night,” said Campbell. “It’s a lot of fun, and people are able to see what we’ve spent so much time on.”

MELISSA HARTZ
News Editor

“Bar drinks? Bar drinks, ma’am?”
I sit up in my chair, moving my thick-rimmed sunglasses up onto my hairline, shielding my eyes from the Caribbean sun with my hand. The young man stands at the foot of my lounge chair, holding a tray in his hands. I tilt my eyes upward at him, a smile dancing on the corners of my lips.
“That would be lovely,” I hear myself say.
The young man takes my order and card before disappearing into the throngs of sun-kissed, bikini-clad bodies to retrieve my drink. I settle my sunglasses back onto the bridge of my nose and recline back into the lounge chair, running a hand through my dark hair and gazing out to the horizon. A contented sigh escapes my lips, drowned out by the sound of a small wave crashing against the ocean liner as it cuts through crystalline-blue water.
The bar server returns with my drink at a speed only achievable by cruise ship staff. Before I am able to thank him, he zips away into the crowd. “Bar drinks, madam? Bar drinks? Something from the bar, sir?”
A thin layer of condensation has formed on the outside of the tumbler, where the frigid glass meets the humid, tropical heat. The ice clinks soothingly in the glass as I pick it up, the scent of Caribbean rum and cola intermingling in my nostrils. I lean my head back against the chair, the waves crashing rhythmically in the distance. I don’t know where the ship is headed, but oddly enough, I don’t care, as long as it is far away from Suburbia, New Jersey. I close my eyes, the gentle rocking of the ship lulling me into a half-sleep state. Suddenly, I feel someone standing over me, blocking my sun.
“Oh my god! I’m so glad I found an RA. I left my keys on my bed. Can you let me into my room?”
Oh no. God, no.
Like a time warp, I am pulled from my tropical fantasy land and into my university’s lounge. With the Internet out in all of the residence halls, people pack like sardines into the lounge, each hooking up to the room’s wireless Internet to get some work done. Bad flourescent lighting washes out our faces, making us look like lost souls, misplaced and confused by our disconnection from the world. I sit on a stained maroon couch with a rip in the cushion, white bud headphones in my ears, my computer whirring quietly in my lap.
“Well?” asks the girl standing before me, placing her hands on her hips for emphasis. Her bun flops to the side as she tilts her head expectantly.
I look up at her in a daze, pulling one of the buds from my ears.
“Yeah…yeah, sure,” I say, fumbling for my keys.
I put my head down, hiking up the many flights of stairs to the girl’s room. It’s been a tough day - the Caribbean escape was a welcome reprieve, even if only a dream. The Internet shuts down on half the campus, my frustration is ever-growing with my job. The day’s events are topped off with a monumental fight with the young man I’ve been recently spending my time with, and the fact that I’ll probably never talk to him again makes me sad. Not sad enough to remedy it, mind you, but sad nonetheless.
The light on the door blinks green when I swipe my master card, and the automatic lock clicks open. The girl slips in without so much as a thank you. After two years, you’d think I’d be used to it.
“You’re welcome,” I say to no one in particular, hearing my own voice echo back to me in the hallway. I shuffle back down the stairs to the lounge, placing my computer back in my lap, the wooden frame of the old couch creaking in protest. I place the white ear buds in again, and turn my music on, hoping that will be the last time I’ll be disturbed this evening. I lean my head back and close my eyes, trying to whisk back to that faraway escape in the islands.
Tomorrow is a new day, but I could certainly use something from the bar tonight.

MELISSA HARTZ
News Editor

Although FDU has hosted many blood drives in the past, a bone marrow drive was something new and different.
This week, the Office of Campus Life and Phi Sigma Sigma hosted a bone marrow drive in the Bottle Hill Room. For senior Janae Sones, coordinator of the event, the drive hit close to home.
“I found out that my stepfather was diagnosed with leukemia while I was on travel break during my semester at Wroxton,” said Sones. “When he was first diagnosed, he went through five rounds of chemotherapy. Though he’s been in remission since last October, there’s a high chance of relapse during the first year. If he relapses, he’ll have to get a bone marrow transplant.”
Sones noted that her stepfather is only in his early 40s, and has no history of leukemia or blood disorders. While the mention of bone marrow donation conjures up images of large needles and extreme discomfort, Sones made sure to address the rumor that donating bone marrow has to be painful.
“It’s a complete misconception about modern marrow donation,” Sones said. “When doctors first began the process, they did use needles to extract marrow from the pelvic bone. When they drew it from the bone, it was incredibly painful and complicated, but modern medicine has made marrow donation a lot easier.”
Now, instead of extracting from the pelvic bone, they draw blood and use stem cells. For the donor, there are no needles except the ones used to draw blood.
“The process is really similar to donating blood like the blood drives FDU does every semester,” said Sones.
The process of donating bone marrow is remarkably simple for such a crucial, life-saving substance. In an initial screening, potential donors are given four cotton swabs to swipe each side of their mouths. The samples are then checked for various diseases, such as AIDS and hepatitis.
Sones noted that those with blood disorders, auto-immune deficiencies, or a history of leukemia are not allowed to donate, but for the most part, anyone can decide to be a donor.
Once a donor and recipient are matched, the donor takes two weeks of medication that increases production of stem cells. The only needles involved on the donating end are those used to draw blood. For the recipient, it is a painful, but often life-saving procedure.
Sones said that the most successful bone marrow matches come from siblings because the DNA structure is most similar.
Sones’ stepfather, however, did not find a match in either of his sisters, and turned to non-related donors for marrow.
“Even though related matches are usually best, about 70 percent of patients get specimens from people who aren’t related to them,” said Sones.
Unlike blood donation, a bone marrow donor has the opportunity to contact the recipient of their sample, forging a bond between the two people.
“It’s an incredibly rewarding procedure,” said Sones. “When you donate blood, you aren’t really sure what it’s going to be used for or who it’s going to, but when you donate bone marrow, you’re really saving a life - that person will die if they don’t receive the transplant. You’re getting an opportunity to save a life and you know exactly who it is.”

MELISSA HARTZ
News Editor

Hungry for a change of scenery, my friend Allie and I have set up camp at an artsy coffee shop down the street from school. Our lacquered black table is strewn with sample resumes, cover letters, and contact sheets. Thin wisps of steam billow and fade from the lids of our white paper cups as we type. The soft music playing in the coffee shop is accented by the rhythmic clicking of laptop keys. Allie gazes at me over the top of her screen.
“Are you going to bold your work experience?” she asks me. I shake my head in the negative. We flip our computers around and compare the aesthetics of our resumes.
Earlier in the day, Allie and I stopped into the university’s career development center together (I suppose we’re somewhat of a package deal) to get some opinions on our resumes and cover letters. With papers full of pen marks and scribbles around us in half-circles, we type furiously, pausing only to sip some coffee. I sift through sites of magazines, radio stations, and newspaper postings, all seeking college interns. It’s exciting and also daunting - this is a big jump from working on the university newspaper. To be honest, it’s a little surreal. Just where does the time go, anyway? Allie rests her chin in her hand, looking at me over her computer.
“I feel like I’m a little kid doing grown-up work,” she sighs. I nod in agreement, bringing my cup to my lips. This place makes the best cup of coffee I’ve ever had - smooth and mild with an absolutely luxurious mouth-feel. A modest price tag makes my meager college budget happy, too. I take a long sip, and the warm beverage makes my cheeks flush.
I put my glasses down for a moment and can’t help but think about how quickly time passes. Four years ago I was a junior in high school. I was wrapped up in my own teenage life, and college was still a distant thought. Now here I am, four years later, looking for real-life jobs and Brooklyn apartments I’ll probably never be able to afford. It never stops me from looking though - I suppose as old as I feel, I am still young enough to dream.
Swirling the last of my now-lukewarm coffee in the paper cup, I lean back in my chair. I suppose everyone feels this way as the end of their college career draws near, sort of the worry and second-guessing, wondering if everything you’ve done over the past few years is worth it. It’s something like a mid-life crisis…maybe more of a quarter-life crisis. Not where you’re displeased about the past, but you find yourself worrying over the future. I suppose the best thing you can do is try and make a good impression. I finish up my revisions and close out of the program. The world is my oyster. I can do anything I set my mind to.
At least I’m still young enough to dream.

MELISSA HARTZ
News Editor

After nearly a year and a half of planning, Fairleigh Dickinson University has announced that the Becton College School of Pharmacy will accept its first class in Fall 2012. Upon the program’s introduction, FDU will be one of only two New Jersey institutions to offer a four-year doctoral program in pharmacy.
Dean of Becton College Geoffrey Weinman noted that the high demand for a pharmaceutical program in New Jersey would attract exceptional undergraduate and graduate students to Fairleigh Dickinson. The first admitted class would contain about 85 students.
“Since Rutgers can only take about 200 students into its school of pharmacy, demand is high. Plus, the introduction of this program at FDU will help to keep New Jersey students in New Jersey,” said Weinman.
Though approved by the state in June 2009, the Becton College School of Pharmacy must go through a formal accreditation process before it can accept its first class. “The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education will make preliminary visits, plans, and follow-up visits over the next two years,” said Weinman.
Formal acceptance requirements are still being finalized, but students will come into the program with a four-year undergraduate degree and a concentration in the sciences. Because of high demand and limited openings, the program will undoubtedly be highly competitive.
Weinman noted that FDU’s program will stand out from the rest. “Graduates of the program will leave the school with two degrees, a doctorate in pharmacy and a master’s degree,” he said. “Students will be able to choose from one of five master’s degrees: business administration, public administration, pharmaceutical chemistry, regulatory affairs, or clinical trials management.”
The program’s rigorous curriculum consists heavily of “experiential education,” allowing students to work on site at hospitals, retail pharmacies, pharmaceutical corporations, and government sites. Time spent working at these sites will allow students to gain valuable on-the-job experience, as well as begin to establish themselves in the world of pharmacy as they obtain their degrees.
Weinman noted that the university is in the process of creating agreements with well-known sites such as St. Barnabas, Duane Reade, and other companies.
Weinman stated that an upcoming meeting with Wakefern, which is ShopRite’s group, and other major chains will help to establish more relationships with sites.
These opportunities to work with outside sources will continue to grow, as one of the main responsibilities of the founding dean will be to foster relationships with healthcare companies, Weinman said.
The introduction of the pharmacy program will also change the physical dynamic of the FDU campus. Due to Florham Park and Madison building regulations, the University is leaning toward leasing off-campus real estate in which to house the pharmacy program. The new building would be near the campus, most likely on Madison or Park Avenue.
“If we do lease off-campus space, we would make certain students and faculty have easy access to the main campus,” said Weinman. “These plans aren’t finalized yet, but that’s really the direction we’re going in.”
The university is currently seeking a founding dean for the program, but additional hires will be made in 2011 and 2012 before the program officially begins.

MELISSA HARTZ
News Editor

It’s 5:30 at night, and I am about to begin my very first kickboxing class. Though my workouts usually occur in the campus gym, I was lucky enough to be offered a guest pass to an outside gym by my friend Nicole - this will be a nice change from the elliptical and weight room. I can’t help but feel a little warrior-like as I strap the red gloves to my hands, eyeing up the nearly eight-foot heavy bag chained up in front of me. Our instructor, black-haired and built, removes his green plaid flannel shirt and lays it in the center of the punching bags. I’m in pretty good shape - this should be easy, right?
Wrong.
Very, very wrong.
Halfway through the hour-long class, I’m having visions of myself puking all over the parking lot by the time 6:30 hits. Tendrils of hair come loose from my ponytail and stick to my face, and I can only imagine how badly my makeup is running.
The sounds of rattling chains and loud music are all around me. My lungs feel cold and tight, sucking in as much air as possible with each breath. This is, without a doubt, the most challenging physical test I’ve ever taken on. Yet, as intense as the class is, I find myself thoroughly enjoying the whole experience.
My closed fists make satisfying “whumps” against the bag on contact, and the material gives slightly under my blows. For a little while, there is nothing in the room except for me and the bag chained to the ceiling. With each hit, I can feel my stress traveling through my knuckles, dissipating into the fabric like leaves into the wind. Everything that was weighing on me, sitting in the back of my mind and eating away at who I am, is slowly lifting.
Toward the end of the class, we close our legs around the bottom of the bag and hold a dumbbell over our heads, engaging the core muscles to bring us into a sitting position. Once up to the top, we would take the dumbbell and hit the bag as high as possible. With sweat practically pouring off me, I crunch up and smash the weight against the heavy black canvas. I imagine that every stressor in my life is balled up inside that boxing bag, and each crash of weight against canvas is a small victory for me and my self-confidence.
The instructor calls the end of the class, and I lay on my back on the mat, feeling my abdomen rise up and down quickly with every breath I take. I’m not one for spiritual experiences, but I imagine that that might be what one feels like.
Perhaps these challenges we present ourselves with help us find a little more than just physical strength. Perhaps we need to push ourselves to our limits in order to see who we truly are.
I am stronger than anything this life throws my way.
The red padded gloves hang over my bed like a trophy as I sleep, full of hot tea, ibuprofen, and satisfaction.

MELISSA HARTZ
Design Editor

While students were at home enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday, changes were being implemented in the FDU cafeteria. Students are now able to utilize the trail mix bar and sushi station that were installed over the break. “Chef Jeff” Gourley, director of Gourmet Dining at FDU’s College at Florham, noted that the time had come to change up students’ cafeteria options.
“At this point in the semester, students have been eating in the cafeteria for almost four months,” said Gourley. “The quality is still there, but we needed to introduce a little variety.”
At the trail mix station, students can mix assorted nuts and dried fruits together to make a healthy snack or dessert. Gourley chose to place the trail mix bar right alongside the cakes, pies and pastries to provide students with a healthy alternative.
“While our pizza, fries, and burgers are still popular, there has definitely been a demand for healthier foods. We’ve noticed that we’ve cut back on our cakes and desserts, so it’s definitely nice to have a healthier option there,” said Gourley. Students have also noticed – and appreciated – the addition of healthier dessert options in the cafeteria.
“I think the trail mix bar is a great addition to the caf,” said junior Allie Leone. “It’s delicious and you don’t feel as bad eating it like you would a piece of cake or a bowl of ice cream.”
The sushi station has also seen tremendous success since it was introduced on Sunday, Nov. 29. From 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Thursday, students can get sushi rolls with their lunch. At the moment, there is someone serving the sushi, but Gourley noted that once the novelty wears off a bit, it will become a self-serve station.
“Right now we’re going through ridiculous amounts of sushi, but that’s also because it’s brand new,” said Gourley. “Eventually, it will balance out; people will go back to the rotisserie and other staples because they’ve been eating sushi for a week.”
He noted that the idea of the sushi station becoming self-serve was an important part of the cafeteria’s purpose.
“After college, people go out into the corporate world, and we try to reflect a corporate eatery. Instead of someone handing you food, students really get the experience and freedom to create their own entrée. That’s really the concept of the caf – we call it a cafeteria, but it’s really a dining room.”
Gourley also said that he was not worried about the stations’ effect on sales at the Grill and other campus eateries.
“We know that people sometimes take extra nuts or fruit back to their rooms,” said Gourley. “But it’s not exactly convenient to carry a Styrofoam bowl of almonds around, so people will still buy the containers available at the other eateries on campus.”
The new stations were the result of ideas pitched to ASC-US, an organization which allows FDU students to suggest new foods and stations that they would like to see in the cafeteria.
“ASC-US is always looking for new suggestions,” said Gourley. “The communication is definitely up to the students, though; they have to come to us with any suggestions or dietary needs that they would like met.”
Gourmet Dining plans on working on new signs for the remainder of the semester. The new signs would include things like calorie counts, descriptions and inclusion of any possible dietary concerns such as nuts, lactose or gluten. These new signs will be available in the cafeteria in January, when students return from Winter Break.

MELISSA HARTZ
Design Editor

For students without cars, this scenic campus can sometimes feel like a prison. Though the train system near campus is convenient, the lack of a car can make simple things, such as grocery shopping, exceedingly time consuming and difficult. However, on Nov. 1, FDU’s Hertz Car-Share Program became available to students. This program allows students over 18 with clean driving records to rent out a car by the hour to take wherever they please.
“This program is an excellent benefit for freshmen and upperclassmen who do not have cars on campus,” said Dean of Students Brian Mauro. “As long as the student has a valid driver’s license, they’re welcome to use the cars.”
“These car-share programs are increasingly popular across the United States. FDU is not the first University to implement it, but we’re certainly not the last,” said Mauro.
At the moment, FDU has two Toyota Prius Hybrids available for student use. Each car comes complete with GPS, card swipe and keyless ignition.
“The keyless ignition takes a little getting used to,” said Eric Range, assistant director of residence life. “You don’t use a lever to park like you would in another car, but other than that it drives just fine.”
Range, the person responsible for organizing and implementing the Hertz Car-Share Program, explained how it worked.
“Students need to register online first and reserve the car for however long they want it. From there, the student will get a membership card that they use to unlock the car. It’s important for students to register and have their card with them, because the key only works when you’ve unlocked the vehicle with your card.”
After registration, students can choose from three different payment options: Connect, Connect50 and Connect150.
The Connect option is the simplest, allowing students to pay an $8 hourly rate as they use the vehicle. However, if they will be using the car more frequently, the Connect50 and 150 options allow students to buy hours in bulk.
The other two options are paid month-to-month, and bring the cost down to about $6.50 per hour. Gas, insurance and use of the car are included in the hourly rate.
Range stressed the importance of each user taking responsibility for their time with the vehicle. “It’s a community car, so people can’t leave McDonald’s trash all over the car. If the car has less than a quarter tank of gas in it, we ask that students fill it up before returning the car to campus. There’s a gas card right in the car, so it doesn’t cost the driver anything and it can be used at any gas station.”
The car also has an automated program where students can report vehicle problems directly to Hertz.
“The great thing about this program is that only the people that use the program will pay for it,” said Range. “Because we had minimal startup and expansion fees, students that don’t utilize the cars won’t be footing the bill.”

MELISSA HARTZ
Design Editor

With the current recession looming overhead, soon-to-be college graduates are under even more pressure to make a great impression at a job interview.
Luckily, the Career Development Center at FDU has a multitude of resources available to prepare students for interviews in the competitive job market.
While many aspects are important for getting a job, Director of Career Development Valerie Adams believes, “A resume is what gets someone the interview in the first place. It’s your own personal advertisement, and should pique the interest of the employer.”
“In this economy, employers can be as choosy as they please,” she said. “Companies don’t just care about someone’s grade point average, they want to see someone who’s involved. They want the whole package.”
The Career Development Center also helps students improve their interview skills. The newest, and perhaps most innovative, resource is a computer program called “Perfect Interview.” The software utilizes a webcam, allowing students to record responses to video clips of potential interview questions.
In addition to recording answers, students can also view examples of correct answers and receive coaching on how to approach a question. “Perfect Interview” is also unique in that it makes students familiar with why interviewers ask certain questions, not just how to answer them.
The software is free for FDU students, and no appointment is necessary in order to use it.
In addition to the software, students can set up one-on-one meetings and mock interviews with career counselors. In April 2010, seniors will have the opportunity to hold mock interviews with human resources representatives from many respected companies.
Adams compared preparing for an interview to preparing for any college exam, explaining that “studying” is absolutely crucial to success. She said that students should thoroughly research the company’s background and mission statement. “Also, don’t rely on Mapquest or your GPS,” said Adams. “Before the interview, take a trip to the site so that there aren’t any surprises on the day of. It’s best to arrive 10 to 15 minutes before, so figure out traffic patterns and such beforehand.”
Each student is also encouraged to invest in some professional clothing, as a first impression can make or break an interview. Men and women should wear business suits to all their interviews, unless the employer specifically states that the attire is business casual.
Adams also stressed the importance of etiquette, not only in person, but also online and on the telephone. “Students should make sure that their email addresses and voicemail messages are appropriate for a potential employer to see or listen to,” said Adams. “Also, students should be sure to send the interviewer a thank you card.” Not only does the thank you card show good manners, but it also brings a person’s name to the table one last time before a final decision is made.
“We really encourage students to take advantage of the services offered at Career Development,” said Adams. “Those who prepare with us are consistently more successful than those who don’t.”