SMWC receives $280,000 Sustaining Grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.
Posted on: 12/01
Lilly Endowment Inc. has awarded a $280,000 Sustaining Grant to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) for the Initiative to Promote Opportunities through Educational Collaboration, an effort that was launched in 2004. SMWC has also committed more than $300,000 to continue the initiative, which is focused on cultivating relationships with Indiana employers to increase employment and internship opportunities for students and alumnae/i and educating students and alumnae/i about Indiana employment opportunities.
“We are extremely grateful to Lilly Endowment for supporting Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and other institutions of higher education as we work to promote employment opportunities right here in Indiana,” said SMWC President David G. Behrs, Ph.D. “Guided by the data we collected in the first four and a half years of this initiative, SMWC is excited that we will be able to continue the successful efforts of the past while exploring new opportunities to match our students and alumnae/i with employers throughout the state.”
Susan Gresham, director of Career Development at SMWC, said that since launching this initiative in 2004, the Career Development Center (CDC) at SMWC has been working to promote the College’s students, alumnae/i and programs throughout the state. Their work has resulted in more than 200 new Indiana sites that offer for-credit experiential learning activities to SMWC students. In addition, the CDC has worked to educate students and alumnae/i about these opportunities and has improved data management by implementing a customized web-based data management system to connect students, alumnae/i and employers with the CDC.
The College identified several goals for the continuation of the initiative, including the expansion of outreach efforts to distance learners in the College’s Woods External Degree (WED) program and the cultivation of relationships with potential employers in the communities where these students live. The College also plans to research and deliver resources for supporting entrepreneurship and explore and expand technology utilization in providing information to students and employers.
“Our main goal is to bring SMWC students and Indiana employers together so that both groups can benefit,” Gresham said. “If students don't know about a company or organization, they will never consider them for employment. Likewise, if employers don't know about SMWC, they won't connect with the CDC for interns or to post jobs. With Lilly Endowment’s assistance, we can bridge this gap by educating our students about the many opportunities Indiana employers have to offer and by giving employers an outlet to market their organizations and opportunities to our students and alumnae/i.”
The Career Development Center is committed to providing SMWC students and alumnae/i with career-related services and resources, assisting in the exploration of career options, supporting and guiding sound vocational decision-making, engaging in experiential learning and preparing and supporting job search and graduate school endeavors. The SMWC Career Development Center also assists employers in connecting with diverse pool of candidates, including a large adult student population with considerable life experience, as well as seasoned alumnae looking to advance or change their career fields. Employers are encouraged work in collaboration with the CDC to market their organizations and opportunities a variety of ways, including posting internship and job announcements, conducting on-campus information sessions, offering expertise and advice during classroom presentations, developing connections with faculty and participating in career fairs. For more information, email career@smwc.edu or call (812) 535-5188. More information about the SMWC Career Development Center is also available online at career.smwc.edu.
