The Career Development Center recently launched its new Career Champions program, designed to connect students with staff and faculty members who can assist them with career planning and decision-making.

Career Champions grew out of the recognition that the Career Development Center is just one of the many places students go to for career support. The program fosters collaboration and partnership between the Career Development Center and professionals on campus, ensuring students receive the most up-to-date resources, trends, data and information no matter where they go on campus for career support.

It also provides an opportunity to bring staff and faculty together for training, discussions and brainstorming around career issues as they relate to Fresno State students, in an effort to continue learning from one another.

At the inaugural Career Champions luncheon in early August, staff and faculty had the opportunity to learn more about the program, and the Career Development Center formally recognized Professor Betsy Hays with the Career Champion of the Year award.

Learn more about Professor Hays and her efforts in championing the students’ professional development in the following Q&A conducted by Abigail Phillips, a communication major and the marketing and events student coordinator at the Career Development Center:

What does being a Career Champion mean to you?

It is such an honor! I'm so proud of the work we are doing in this space in the College of Arts and Humanities and can't wait to see this movement continue to gain momentum and do so much more good for our amazing students. They deserve all of the tools we can provide to help them be more career-confident and career-ready!

What inspired you to take an active role in promoting the Career Development Center to students?

I've seen firsthand how impactful this is for our students! For more than 20 years, my students have shared with me how valuable these efforts have been. I provide them with networking opportunities and assignments that help them be more career ready, and we have many conversations about what it's really like to work in the MCJ (media, communications and journalism) fields and what it will take for them to succeed. I encourage all of our faculty and departments to double down on these activities with their students as well.

What advice would you offer students who are beginning their career success journey?

Take advantage of all of the wonderful opportunities provided by Fresno State to get you career ready. The online tools via the Career Center, the in-person workshops and career fairs, the speakers your faculty and department invite for you — it all matters and it all adds up to you being more confident, more prepared, and more ready to thrive in your post-college career! You've got this.

What advice would you give to other faculty/staff members who would like to play an active role in supporting students' success journey?

Know that all of your efforts will be worth it! The connections and networking opportunities you provide, the encouragement to access online and in-person resources, the conversations you have about careers in your fields — they all make a huge difference in our students' success.

Learn more about the Career Champions program or sign up to be a Career Champion.