Career Corner: What students are thankful for

It's that time of the year again when the autumn leaves are piling up and the chilly air is sinking in. Thanksgiving is nearly upon us.

As the holiday approaches, the STARR Career Development Center thought it would be nice to share what Baruch students are grateful for in regards to their academic and professional development.

"I'm thankful for the wealth of various workshops hosted by the STARR Career Development Center. I found small talk to be intimidating at first but after learning how to create a strong personal pitch, I started to get better, said Paul Rosario, finance major.

STARR helped Rosario to improve on everything from his resume to networking skills. According to Rosario, the STARR center is opened to students of all majors, one just needs to be proactive and take advantage of the services offered.

"I'm originally from Wambach, Germany and was very fortunate to have been granted a full scholarship to study here. Some may categorize being a commuter school as a weakness, but I find Baruch new and exciting," said Sonja Dreher, a corporate communications major.

Dreher grew up in a small village and is, as a result, grateful to be in New York City.

"Baruch is located so close to many of the companies that other students around the world dream of working for. We as students should definitely be thankful of the advantageous position we're in," said Dreher.

"I am thankful for being exposed to STARR when I was only a senior in high school. One of the Peers for Careers, a student who works for the STARR center, spoke to me during a Baruch Open House and gave lots of great advice," said Kamelia Kilawan, public affairs major.

Kilawan is now a part of the Peer for Careers program herself.

"I appreciate all the opportunities to speak with professionals when they come on campus. There's always something happening on campus in general, one just needs to take the initiative to search for them," said Gabe Xia, international business major.

"I'm an international transfer student who has attended various colleges, across the U.S. and around the world, so believe me when I say Baruch is a great college. I love the diversity of the student body and appreciate all the help I've received so far from classmates and faculty," said Rafiqjon Akilov, accounting major.

Akilov went on to say, that the STARR center makes Baruch unique. Many colleges don't offer career services.

STARR Search, the website where Baruch students can use to find job postings from employers is an especially good resource.

"When I first went to a college (it was outside of NYC), I felt like it was high school all over again: just classes and student clubs where you really only join so that you can put it on your resume. I'm thankful I transferred to Baruch last semester," said Flora Lau, a corporate communications major.

Lau was fortunate to join a few undergraduate organizations. She finds the students to be passionate about creating a successful environment.

"I'm very thankful for the club hours! Since our campus is only a few city blocks, I thought it was really nice to have a certain time set aside for students to hang out," said Daisy Ho, a marketing major.

For Ho, club hours help her to rewind whether she is studying, relaxing or attending an event she always manages to find something productive to do.

"I'm thankful that I was selected to participate in the Financial Leadership Program (FLP), one of the special programs offered by Baruch's STARR Career Development Center. Although I am not a Finance major, I was given the opportunity to learn more about the field of finance," said Hea Jung Yang, management major.

Yang was able to network with different finance professionals. Homework assignments and workshops enabled Yang to improve soft and technical skills.

Baruch College is truly what you make of it. One should put effort into creating a positive experience for themselves and one should always appreciate what they have.

From everyone at the STARR Career Development Center, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.