27
August
2009
|
15:31 PM
America/Los_Angeles

College of Business launches Pilot Student Value Improvement Program: students to receive holistic business education

College of Business launches pilot Student Value Improvement Program: students to receive holistic business educationBeginning this fall, select business majors at Cal State San Marcos (CSUSM) will round out their business knowledge by participating in the Student Value Improvement Program (VIP) offered by the College of Business Administration (CoBA).The Student VIP program is a set of extra-curricular activities designed to enhance the curriculum, providing opportunities for personal and professional skill development that will aid in future success in the workplace. Over a two-year period, students will engage in a series of activities to teach them personal and professional skill sets and have them practice their newly acquired knowledge for mastery. The three stated goals of the program are to assist students in selecting an appropriate career, to provide help in obtaining a first job, and to develop lifelong skills for success."With this pilot program, we are looking to provide a holistic approach that combines the strong academic foundation found in our curriculum with a broad range of opportunities for personal maturation and professional growth," said CoBA Dean Dennis Guseman.Scheduled workshops for the inaugural fall semester include taking a series of inventories including the Strong Interest Inventory, the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory, and StrengthsQuest. Students will interact with faculty and discuss their results. The spring semester workshops will focus on applying the self-awareness concepts learned in the fall to help with presenting themselves more effectively. Topics include resume preparation, how to network effectively, and interviewing skills. Students will also attend a business etiquette dinner hosted by the CSUSM Career Center."Many of our students are the first in their families to attend college and have not been exposed to the cultural and social events that are found in the professional business world," commented Guseman. "Our students already distinguish themselves academically so the VIP program will only serve to further round them out and provide opportunities for more experience and growth."CSUSM students interested in participating must fill out an application found on the College's webpage (link:  http://www.csusm.edu/coba/forms/vipapplication.html). To be part of the pilot group, students must either have successfully completed the CoBA Pre-Business Core or have only one course remaining in the core in addition to being at the beginning of their junior year. While there isn't a minimum GPA requirement, students must commit to seeing the program through and provide a statement on why they will benefit from the program.The College is seeking support for underwriting the cost of the program. For more information, contact Regina Eisenbach, associate dean of the CoBA, at 760-750-4253.