Dukes in Demand
"JMU students
and alumni are clearly in serious demand," says Josh Pringle ('95),
president of the Metro Washington Alumni Chapter. "Our chapter has just
completed its second successful job fair, despite the challenging job
market."
The Metro
Washington Chapter sponsored JobFair 2002 on Jan. 4 in Falls Church.
Thirty-two employers, representing a wide range of opportunities, signed
up to recruit at the job fair, helping to raise more than $3,000 for
the chapter's scholarship fund.
Job seekers,
including JMU students and alumni, met with representatives from business
services and technology firms like Integic, Entrust, The Arlington Group
and ATS; major corporations like BAE Systems, SRA International and
Anteon; five public school systems; the U.S. Department of State; and
organizations like the Peace Corps. Eleven firms returned from last
year's event, two as cosponsors. The Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce
Workforce and Education Committee also joined as a cosponsor.
"This is a
great way to start the year," says Pringle. "We're glad we had school
systems represented this year, since JMU produces such quality teachers."
Candidate
turnout was up more than 20 percent from last year, as the Metro Dukes
hosted 120 alumni, 106 students and 107 friends of the university. In
advance of the job fair, alumni and students could e-mail resumes to
JMU to be published for employers on a CD-ROM. The disc provided nearly
500 resumes to potential employers.
The job fair
is the brainchild of chapter volunteers Mark ('92) and Erin Goewey Chernisky
('92). Mark says, "Our model is simple and our case to expanding employers
is compelling. JMU alumni have a strong reputation for talent, and we
have a base of 15,000 alumni contacts in this area alone.
"There were
no opportunities like this when I graduated 10 years ago, and it means
a lot to Erin and me to add lasting value to the alumni network. We
were helped by some very dedicated alumni and student volunteers and
the staff of the JMU Alumni Relations office."
Through fundraising
events like the job fair, the Metro Washington Chapter successfully
endowed a scholarship fund and awarded its first annual $1,000 scholarship
this year. "This is a great accomplishment, but it's just the tip of
the iceberg," says Kate Finamore ('94), chair of the Metro Dukes scholarship
committee. "As the largest alumni chapter, we want to set a high standard
for all chapters. We're just beginning to realize our potential."
For more information
about the job fair or how to donate to the chapter's scholarship fund,
visit www.metrodukes.com or www.jmu.edu/alumni/jobfair.
Reported
by Mark Chernisky ('92)
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