Business Minute

Business Minute
A Bi-Weekly Publication
March 24, 2008
Phone: (517) 432-0830
www.bus.msu.edu/learcenter
The Lear Center Welcomes
For the weeks of: March 24th and March 31st:
ABB, Inc
Black and D ecker
Command T ransportation
D isney
Ethos
Four S easons
H umatal
I n T he L oop
Kohl ’ s
Piping Rock Country Club
Stryker
Getting Involved
PRSSA is the preeminent pre-professional
organization for students interested in public relations designed to promote, educate and encourage
students to pursue experiences in public relations
and to cultivate a mutually advantageous relationship between students and professionals. Today the
Public Relations Student Society of America has
more than 8,500 members in 270 chapters on college campuses across the country.
The Ned S. Hubbell Chapter of PRSSA has
over 100 Spartans, and by taking an interest in this
great Society you have already begun enhancing
your future career opportunities. The 2007-2008
Executive Board has lofty goals and many ideas
that will offer plenty of fun and worthwhile experiences for members of our chapter. We welcome
students of all majors and encourage you to visit
our Web site, attend meetings, and become a member of our great organization.
For more information visit:
http://prssa.adv.msu.edu
Lear Center Advisory Council:
21 Eppley Center
It Could Happen to YOU
Name: Rachel Lawson
Major: Human Resources
Management
Graduation Date: May 2008
Company: Owens Corning
Location: Toledo, OH
Internship Position: HR Intern
Email Address: lawsonra@msu.edu
What were the steps you took to obtain your internship?
Steps I took to obtain my internship were to review the list of
companies that were recruiting for HR interns at the Career
Gallery and began researching them. That way, I was prepared to talk with recruiters at the fair. My knowledge about
their internship program and company scored me an interview
and an offer three days later.
What are some skills you gained during your internship?
Skills that I gained during my internship were learning how to
cope with ambiguity in projects as well as learning how to become a successful HR manager. I also improved my decision
making skills as I had to make several important decisions for
the company on the spot.
Why would you recommend an internship experience to
other students?
I definitely would recommend an internship experience to
other students. They provide you with the opportunity to get
a “sneak peak” about what it is like working in your designated field, as well as getting a chance to apply everything you
have learned in class thus far to real business situations and
developing solutions for them. It is a great opportunity to gain
business acumen that will help you obtain a full time position
What was the most challenging thing about your experience?
The most challenging thing about my experience was feeling
comfortable enough to speak up about issues to people who
have worked in the field a lot longer than I have. Employees
really value input from interns since it usually gives them an
outsider’s view on projects. At first I was much intimated to
make suggestions or ask for clarification, but I quickly found
that employees were always willing to help me and took my
suggestions seriously. A lot of recommendations I made are
now standard HR practices.
For more information, contact:lawsonra@msu.edu or visit
http://www.owenscorning.com
If you’d like to be profiled in the Business Minute, please
contact Matt Dunatchik at dunatch4@msu.edu
Business Minute+
March 24, 2008
Phone: (517) 432-0830
www.bus.msu.edu/learcenter
21 Eppley Center
An Inside Edge
2008 Alternative Spring Break Corporate Tour
When you think of Spring Break the images that automatically come to your mind are typically of
Mexico and the Caribbean. Usually Philadelphia and Virginia are the last places on your mind,
but actually it can be fabulous! When you go to five different corporations in five days you gain
a great network, experience, and education. You meet a variety of people within the corporation
from the recruiter to the chief operating officer. You learn from them how they got to be where
they are today and they give you advice on what you should do while you are in college. They
really want to you succeed! You realize that they are just people as well and the more you talk to
people in corporations, the more comfortable you become with showing your personality. Personality is an aspect that employers are looking for.
Not only did I meet different people in the corporations but also people at MSU. I met engineers, business majors, and the CSN (Career Services Network) employees. This mixed background provided me with different places to learn new ideas and concepts. This was another way
to make big MSU into a smaller school.
When I went to a different company everyday this allowed me to compare and contrast the
culture and practices of the different companies. It allowed me to see where I fit in. Then I have
an idea of what I can look for in a company.
Since we were actually at the companies we didn’t just have the personnel telling us what
their company is about; we got to experience it firsthand, which makes a more lasting impression.
At most of these companies we got to tour both the headquarters and the production of the products. We got to see how much business majors and engineers need each other to make a company work.
Overall this spring break was amazing! It was a great combination of education and fun. I would
trade in Mexico and the Caribbean any day to go on the Career Services Network Corporate
Spring Break Corporate Tour. There are only so many opportunities you get, and you should take
advantage of all the ones you can.
Companies visited this year:
-Carolyn Lapham
Meadwestvaco
Accounting Freshman
Philip Morris USA
Norfolk Southern
For more information about the 2009 Alternative Spring Break
Alcoa
Corporate Tour contact Pepa Carlson in the Lear Center at
GE Transportation
517/432-0830 or lear@bus.msu.edu
Lear Center Advisory Council: