Recently the College of Business and Career Services took a group of students on a Career Tour to northern Utah. The intent of this trip was to connect students with potential employers, provide networking opportunities with alumni, and showcase different company cultures.
“This trip is one of the most impactful learning experiences a student can have,” said Executive Director Career and Student Services Ali Threet. “This trip takes a lot of coordination with employers, collaboration with different departments on campus and many staff hours in order for this tour to be successful.”
Students were able to visit Adobe, Maverik Base Camp, Amazon Fulfillment Center, Goldman Sachs, Deloitte, and Marcus and Millichap. Students took a tours, met with staff, and were connected with alumni when possible. Students were able to see first-hand how each company operates, ask questions to key personnel, and get a sense of the company culture. The students also had the opportunity to tour the David S Eccles School of Business specialized graduate school programs at the University of Utah, as well as met with admissions and career staff for each program.
In addition, they were able to attend the Alumni Dinner where Greg Heaps, CMO and Founding Team of Chunker gave an inspirational career story about his entrepreneurial experiences. He attributed his dream of creating businesses in part to his time as a student at Dixie State where he first learned how to create a business plan. The Alumni Relations department including the Student Alumni Association coordinated the event. Stanley Rosander, president of SAA, introduced Heaps at the dinner and provided DSU swag for all in attendance.
More than 20 business students, faculty and staff traveled together on the tour. One student, Ryan Miggin, an accounting major from Syracuse, Utah, said, “My experience during the northern Utah Career Tour was truly life-changing in the whole sense of the word. This trip helped me to see how my career plan was quite wrong for the type of work I want to do, and that my plan needed some major adjustment. It completely changed my direction for the better, and has effectively saved me years of stress and confusion in a job that I would have hated. This career tour has probably been the most beneficial thing I have done in my time at college.”
DSU College of Business Associate Professor of Finance Dr. Helen Saar was the main drive behind this tour. “Dr. Saar understands the importance of bringing real world experiences to her students,” said Career Coach for the College of Business Rochelle Blatter. “This tour gives the students an amazing experience to help plan their career journey.”
For future tour dates or for more information on how you can connect with employers’ students can contact Career Services at 435.652.7737 or visit Handshake for event dates dixie.joinhandshake.com. For employers willing to host students or sponsor an alumni dinner or event, please contact the Assistant Director of Career Services Shane Blocker at 435.879.4737.