March 27, 2006

Students gain experience at Chicago-area firms

by Laura Taylor

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- More than 150 Southern Illinois University Carbondale students last week spent Spring Break gaining valuable hands-on career experience through the SIU Alumni Association's extern program.

Externs were scattered all across the Chicago area to gain first-hand experience from major companies, including the Field Museum, Draft Worldwide, Midway Airport, the Chicago Board of Trade and many more.

Students experienced the everyday workings of offices such as the Chicago Housing Authority to gain insight on the professional work environment. Networking, resume building and career experience are all qualities these students bring back to SIUC before they even graduate.

The extern program was established by the Alumni Association in 1984 and provides college juniors and seniors with the opportunity to gain invaluable real-world experience while still in school. Students are matched with successful SIUC alumni and friends around the country and give up their Spring Break in order to shadow professionals from their chosen career fields.

Providing students with career-planning services is among the goals of Southern at 150: Building Excellence Through Commitment, the blueprint the University is following as it approaches its 150th anniversary in 2019.

For more information about the extern program, contact the SIU Alumni Association at 618/ 453-2408.

Southern Illinois University Carbondale Extern Program

2006 Extern Sponsors

Chicago Area

City Company Name, Employee Sponsor

Aurora Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. Larry Zimmerer

Chicago

AKP Media, Terrie Pickerill

ARIA Model & Talent Management, Robert Schroeder

Brandscope, Andrew Manocheo

Chicago Board of Trade, Steve Dickey

Chicago Housing Authority, Duwain Bailey

Chicago Office of Tourism, Katie Law

Ch'rewd Marketing & Promotion, Vanessa Abron

CodePink, Rachel Herbener

Deborah Fletcher, Photography Deborah Fletcher

Draft Worldwide, Janet Barker-Evans

Field Museum, Sam Burns

Illinois Film Office, Todd Lizak

Illinois Trade Office, Rick Doggett

JobBound, Brad Karsh

Kartemquin Films, Justine Nagan

Ketchum, J.Adaire Putnam

L.C. Williams & Associates, Gary Goodfriend

Landrum & Brown, Sara Hassert

Midway Airport, City of Chicago, Thomas Stastny

Morrow Design, James Morrow

RBC, Inc. Cory Crusen

Teams Design, Paul Hatch

VOA Associates, Lynette Whiston & Jan Gricus

 

Downers Grove Downers Grove Dodge, John Ficaro

Sentinel Technologies, Penny Clancy

Elk Grove Village Alexian Brother Medical Center, Cari Rivas

Itasca Prism Retail Services, Tom Dennis

Kankakee Kankakee County District 111, Crystal Cox

Lombard Stevens & Tate Marketing, Jim Legg

Naperville Wachovia Securities, Robert Siracusano

Oakbrook Whitney, Inc. Joanne Bunda

Schaumburg Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, Dan Sherman

Waukegan Legat Architects, Wayne Machnich

Wheaton City of Wheaton Police Department, Terry Mee

Wheeling M.V. Kuper PC, Marcel Kuper

For a complete list of national sponsors, contact the SIU Alumni Association at 618/453-2408.