Charlotte, N.C./Jan. 12, 2024 – As a New Year begins, many make resolutions to improve themselves both professionally and personally. With spring graduation and summer break right around the corner, Christian Varnado, assistant director for the Smith Institute for Research, Career Development and Post-Graduate Readiness, says there’s no better time to begin preparing for a successful career.
“The earlier you can get in front of us to chart your career or post-graduate pathway, the better for your outcome as you matriculate,” he said.
Golden Bulls have already taken a step toward career success and financial mobility by pursuing their undergraduate degree. According to the Association of Public and Private Land-Grant Universities, bachelor’s degree holders earn more than $20,000 a year more than those with a high school degree.
But in 2023, the job market is as competitive as ever. As industries tighten their fiscal belts following post-pandemic financial challenges, employers are looking for the best and the brightest who can use myriad skills to facilitate success for their businesses.
“In a global economy, students always have to look for ways to differentiate themselves from their peers who are at colleges around the country,” he said. “The best way to do that is to make sure they’re building a resume where experiential learning is at the center of their collegiate journey. The resume-building perspective starts with involvement in activities and organizations on campus, part-time jobs, attendance at professional conferences, volunteer opportunities and projects. You can then use that to start seeking out those experiential learning opportunities where you’re able to get paid for or gain valuable experience on what you’ve been working toward.”
Varnado says students who visit the Smith Institute for Research, Career Development and Post-Graduate Readiness can be connected to a range of experiential opportunities and training that will help them stand out in a widening pool of candidates.
Justin Nixon ’25 is one such student. He is involved in many aspects of campus life, acting as the lead campus coordinator of JCSU Civic Engagement and most recently becoming a member of the Alpha Epsilon chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
Nixon, a Political Science student, engaged with Smith Institute early in his collegiate career, which he says helped connect him to opportunities he might not otherwise have known about.
In his first few years at JCSU, the Smith Institute reached out to Nixon about an opportunity to intern with Congresswoman Alma Adams in the Bipartisan HBCU Caucus Internship Program. The HBCU Caucus was founded by Adams in April 2015.
“I learned a lot about caucuses and their influences on how a given congressperson votes,” said Nixon. “The best part of the experience was the research and learning about legislation and how it works.”
Jennifer Joyner, director of the Smith Institute, says she and her team are passionate about connecting students with opportunities to learn and grow.
“We are dedicated to educating, preparing and connecting students to opportunities that will equip them to compete in the 21st Century,” she said. “We know that our students are capable of achieving at the highest levels and it pushes our staff to create even more strategic working relationships with staff, faculty and employer partners. Our students are our clients, and we want them to succeed. We believe in them and know that, if given the opportunity, they, like Mr. Nixon, will surpass our expectations.”
The Smith Institute prepares students through a variety of services and events, including Workforce Wednesdays, when local businesses visit to discuss their career opportunities; an annual Fall Career Fair; resume reviews every Thursday from 1 to 5 p.m.; scholarship and internship opportunities; mock interviews; and employment negotiation training.
These services, according to Varnado, will not only help a student reach their anticipated career goals, but can also help them develop transferrable skills that can be key in identifying secondary career opportunities should they choose to shift away from their initial career path.
According to an article in the New York Post, 39 percent of college graduates say they want to change their career path. Varnado explained that those transferrable skills, paired with the fact that JCSU is uniquely situated, both physically and culturally, to address local industry needs will lead to career success.
Not only is JCSU located in a top, industry rich city, but the fact the institution produces graduates of color could help infuse local businesses with the cultural diversity they need to thrive.
The discussion around race relations was reignited in 2020 after the death of George Floyd. This spurred multi-level conversations about the lack of diversity and equity in the world, including the workforce.
“After the death of George Floyd, many companies began focusing on diversity and recruiting top diverse talent,” he said. “With JCSU being in Charlotte, we are uniquely positioned to be able to place students into companies right up the road.”
For more information about the Smith Institute Varnado encourages students to visit the team in Carnegie Hall, or contact him to make an appointment. Oh – and be prepared to work hard!
“Career readiness is an everyday process,” he said. “You should be working on something that will help you better yourself every day. We have one of the best career departments in the country that can take a student from the ground up and build them into a powerhouse, but they have to trust the process. We have the formula to make them successful. If they trust that process, they are going to be successful!”
