Starting this Fall Semester, Penn State students will now have one place to go for their career needs: the new MBNA Career Services Center.
Located on Bigler Road near the Eisenhower Parking Deck, it will combine all the career services into one central place.
"It's going to be much more accessible," said Chris MacGill, associate director for career services. The grand opening is set for Sept. 6 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The day will feature different attractions, including food and raffle drawings, MacGill said.
She hopes it will be an opportunity for students to learn the location of the building and the different facilities it has to offer.
"I think one of the big advantages is that it's pulling together many career services that were scattered across campus," Penn State spokesman Gary Cramer said.
The new building will enable Career Services to expand and improve career development and job placement services for students and Penn State alumni. Some staff members have already moved into offices, but the entire building is not yet situated. The new building will include all the previously offered services, MacGill said. The new building will give students more opportunities to engage in programs within the center, and there is also an expanded space for interviewing, MacGill added.
Aside from the career services offices, the third floor of the building will include the Morgan Academic Support Center for Student Athletes, which is currently located in Boucke Building.
Inside the building is a cafe, which will include a basic menu of bagels, muffins and coffee during the morning hours and soups and salads during lunchtime.
The new building was made possible by the contributions of MBNA. In 1989 MBNA and the Penn State Alumni Association joined together and issued a Penn State credit card.
The income the Alumni Association receives is put to use through scholarships, alumni career services and various other activities that benefit Penn State students, faculty and alumni.
More recently, MBNA made a $10 million contribution, and $4 million was put toward the new Career Services, Center.
