Kansas Athletics Holds Annual Career Fair
Feb. 20, 2008
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas Athletics and its Student-Athlete Academic Support department hosted its third annual student-athlete career day on Wednesday, Feb. 20.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
In all, 11 employers, including Benchmark Financial, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Perceptive Software, the Topeka Police Department and First Investors Corporation, brought employment information for prospective employees to the <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>WagnonStudent-AthleteCenter.
Laura Jacobsen, Associate Director of Academic and Career Counseling, coordinated the event.
“This was a good opportunity for our student-athletes to interact with employers in a casual setting,” Jacobsen said. “What student-athletes don’t realize is the inherent skills they have from their sport, such as self-discipline, self-motivation and competitiveness because they’ve had to organized their lives around practice, meetings and class. They might not have time to have a part-time job, so what they are doing is gaining experience; it’s just a different kind.”
Brandon Watkins of Enterprise Rent-a-Car agreed with Jacobsen about the unique experiences student-athletes develop. Watkins is a former University of Kansas student-athlete.
“Being a part of a team teaches you teamwork, commitment and timeliness,” Watkins said. “It allows you to see how hard work pays off, teaches you how to push through difficult times and how to overcome rather than giving up. That’s what we look for in a potential employee; people with a drive to succeed and stamina to work for what they want. Athletes have drive more than anything.”
Student-Athlete Career Fair Employer Participants
24 Hour Fitness
Benchmark Financial
Eli Lilly & Company
Enterprise Rent-a-Car
First Investors Corporation
Northwestern Mutual Financial Network
Novartis
Peace Corps
Perceptive Software
Social Security Administration
Topeka Police Department
