Boot Camp A Career Kick-Start

R-MC's Boot Camp was sponsored by The EDGE program.

The EDGE Boot Camp The EDGE Boot Camp Video

1/8/12

Randolph-Macon College students gave their career development a kick-start during Boot Camp weekend January 4-5, 2013.

Sponsored by R-MC’s EDGE program, the Boot Camp was held at the Wyndham Virginia Crossings Conference Center in Glen Allen, Virginia. The EDGE, within the Center for Personal and Career Development, is a four-year program designed to help students identify their career passions, compete for meaningful employment and apply to graduate schools. The Boot Camp was just one of many initiatives offered by The EDGE.

“Career development is a journey,” explains Director of The EDGE Linda Carne. “It requires a ‘passport,’ and Boot Camp provided students with a ‘visa entry stamp’ for success in their personal and career development.” Students attended seminars, had simulated interviews and learned the importance of business etiquette, communication styles and professional attire.

“Boot Camp helped students hone skills that are vital to any career,” says R-MC President Robert R. Lindgren. “With the help of hands-on instruction, they are prepared to put into practice what they learned. And the experience was made even richer by alumni who facilitated some of the workshops.”

Whitney Forstner ’98, the founder of Momentum Resources, and Jill Lemon, partner at Momentum, presented “Telling Your Story” and stressed the documented fact that within the first 10 minutes of an interview, the initial impression of how interviewees tell their stories prevails.

Jim Johnston ’68 facilitated a Boot Camp mock-interview workshop.

“Prior to my retirement from Reynolds Metals Company, one of my Human Resource functions was recruiting seniors from big colleges,” wrote Johnston in an e-mail to Carne. “I can tell you categorically the R-MC students I interviewed during Boot Camp can compete head to head with students from any college. They were poised, focused on their career goals and able to effectively communicate their stories. Clearly, they represent the best of a liberal arts education.”

For Olayemisi Ogunshina ’14, the weekend was an eye-opening experience.

“I cannot stress enough the importance of Boot Camp and its impact on my outlook,” says Ogunshina. “The greatest thing was that, despite the participants’ differences, we all supported each other for the common cause. I now have an Action Plan in place, which will help me make important career decisions.” Fellow Yellow Jacket Lindsy Greene ’14 posted this on Twitter: “Attending the EDGE Boot Camp was one of the best decisions I’ve made in college thus far.”

Carne considers The EDGE a springboard for career and personal success.

“With the help of The EDGE program, R-MC students have a network of colleagues, faculty, staff and alumni with whom they can partner throughout their lives,” she says.