Web site links students to alumni contacts

Graduating seniors anxious to learn more about specific job responsibilities now have somewhere to turn for answers to their questions.

Because of LionLink, a free professional networking program, University students can explore various career fields and gain knowledge about a particular job market by linking with established professionals who are alumni of the University. The service is available on-line at www.lionlink.psu.edu or through a registration packet available in 406A Boucke.

LionLink was first established in February 1997 and is sponsored by The Alumni Association and Career Services. The program is now open to all University students enrolled in a degree program at University Park or any Commonwealth Campus location.

"The main goal of LionLink is to help get students information," said Lisa Hatheway, Career Services coordinator for the association.

Participating students are linked with volunteers in their field of choice and are then sent information about the volunteers with whom they have been linked, Hatheway said.

Students are then encouraged to contact the volunteer through a letter or telephone call to schedule an informational interview, she said, but participants are not allowed to ask the volunteers for jobs or internships.

Helping students get information is the reason Ed Dempsey (junior-secondary education) said the program sounds like a good idea, adding that students will most likely participate in the program if they know it is available on-line.

"It will be a successful program once it is under way and people know how to participate," Dempsey said.

Brian Smithers (senior-actuarial science) said he has never heard of the program but will check out the Web site when he begins his job search.

"I think it'll be a great program for both seniors in search of jobs and freshmen in search of majors," Smithers said, suggesting that a workshop should be held to help motivate students to try the program.

The program proves that University alumni are willing to go out of their way for students, said April Scimio, director of marketing and communications for the association, and networking with alumni is the best way for students to get jobs when they graduate.

"Students don't realize that alumni will do back-flips to help Penn Staters," Scimio said.

And the best way to get a promising job is to talk to a person already established in the professional career field, Hatheway said. She added that the program, which has 1,000 volunteers, was designed to help students build their own network of professional contacts.

However, more alumni are needed to volunteer their time sharing their job experiences and advice, Scimio said.