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FINANCIAL SERVICES FEBRUARY – A CAREER PATHWAY

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In recent years top occupations in the region’s finance and insurance industry have grown by 5.9% and these employers are looking to engage with Augsburg University in order to recruit much-needed talent.

While 70% of employers recruit during the fall semester, only 15% do all of their recruiting during that time. There are still plenty of internship and job opportunities open and they are looking for students from a wide variety of degree programs. In fact some banks are considering themselves tech companies that happen to do banking. If you have not considered a career in the financial services industry you have a few opportunities in February to explore what your career pathway could look like.

Employers on Campus

Employees from four different financial institutions will be on campus to tell you about their professional career pathways, what it is like to work in their respective organizations, and what opportunities they have for you.

Tabling in Christensen Center

Thanks to the generous support for career readiness programming at Augsburg from the Wells Fargo Foundation.
  • Northwestern Mutual will be tabling in the lobby of Christensen Center on February 5, 10 AM – 12:30 PM
  • Wells Fargo will be tabling in the lobby of Christensen on February 19, 10 AM – 12:30 PM

Stop in to chat with their representatives.

Panel Discussion

You can get an in depth look into the Financial Services sector by attending the February 18th panel discussion with U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo, Ameriprise Financial, and Northwestern Mutual. This panel will be moderated

by the director of Augsburg’s Urban Investors program, Mike Christenson. You can read his bio below. This conversation will be in the Marshall Room from 12 PM – 1:40 PM. Register on Handshake.

Find an Internship and Job

You can find additional opportunities and talk with more employers at the February 27th Minnesota Private College Career Fair at the Convention Center. Over 280 employers will be present. Through the support of the Wells Fargo Foundation this fair is free for students to attend and there will be a complimentary shuttle every 30 minutes leaving from Augsburg to the Convention Center. Go to Handshake to find more information and to register.

Mike Christenson Bio:

Mike Christenson serves as program director for the Urban Investors program at Augsburg University, a partnership with the Strommen Career Center for Meaningful Work and the Sabo Center. Mike has led workforce development at Hennepin County and Minneapolis College, served as director of the Minneapolis Department of Community Planning and Economic Development and at the Allina Foundation. Before that, he was a partner with the Popham Haik Law Firm and served as the chief executive of Metro Transit, where he led an effort to turn around a historic decline in ridership.

Mike has been president of the Citizens League and an organizer for partnerships that sought to lift up challenged neighborhoods like Phillips, Cedar Riverside and the Northside of Minneapolis. He has chaired the boards of LISC, the Day One Project, and St. Matthew’s church and has served on the boards of Sunrise Banks, the Community Reinvestment Fund, the Project for Pride in Living, St. Matthew’s, and Aeon Capital Campaigns.

Mike helped launch the Phillips Partnership, the Minnesota Justice Foundation, the Day One Project, Power of You, Hennepin Career Pathways, Team Transit, the State Fair Shuttle, Midtown Global Market, and the Cedar Riverside Opportunity Center. He played a lead role in City government on the Cedar Riverside Plaza renovation, the Coloplast headquarters, McPhail Music Center, the Fairview and Children’s Hospital expansions, and Close the Gap—a successful effort to close the unemployment gap between the City and the metro area.

Mike believes the true economic development aims at raising incomes by building earning capacity and wealth for immigrants and those left behind by economic forces. Minneapolis has proven that challenged neighborhoods and households can turn around. That is economic development and that, in Mike’s words, is truly “the Minneapolis Miracle”.

Support Augsburg Young Professionals on Give to the Max Day 2019

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The Legacy of Clair and Gladys Strommen

In 2009, the Clair and Gladys Strommen Center for Meaningful Work was established to recognize Mr. and Mrs. Strommen’s personal commitment to creating meaning and purpose in work and life. The Strommen Center became the fourth of Augsburg’s Centers of Commitment that lift up our core values and live out the institutional vocation. The four Centers of Commitment include the Christensen Center for Vocation, Center for Global Education and Experience, Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship, and the Strommen Center for Meaningful work.

On Give to the Max Day 2019 we are continuing Clair and Gladys Strommen’s legacy by supporting Augsburg students as they develop personal and professional skills and enter into the world of work.

The 21st century workplace is looking for candidates who think critically, work in teams, process information, communicate across differences and cultures, and are technically proficient. These skills are attained by every liberal arts student during their undergraduate studies. However, new integrated systems of learning that connects the student experience in and outside of the classroom to career readiness are necessary to ensure acquisition of professional skills, understanding of potential professional pathways, and organizational fit. The career center is transforming into an agency that creates partnerships and programs to ensure professional development is fully integrated.

Support students today!

You can support Augsburg students at the Strommen Center’s Give Campus site.

A gift from you means

  • Bringing in experts from different industries and sectors to provide training and guidance for students.
  • Organizing site visits for students so they can explore what it might be like to work in a particular organization or company.
  • Career readiness training like mock interviews, networking, and developing a LinkedIn profile.

A gift from you means supporting students as they grow as individuals and professionals and learn how to apply their skills, knowledge, and passion to work in the world.

Making the most of Augsburg’s Career Fair

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I came to the career fair to solidify my future career

Hasna Ali ‘20 said about the fall Career and Internship Fair, “I came to the career fair to solidify my future career and with all of the amazing employers I met today I believe I achieved that goal”. Nearly 200 of Hasna’s peers joined her to engage with employers like Best Buy, U.S. Bank, 3M, Travelers, and Wells Fargo to search for their next internship or job at the On-Campus Career and Internship Fair hosted by the Strommen Center for Meaningful Work and supported by the Wells Fargo Foundation. Employers at this career fair are intentional about partnering with the Strommen Center and recruiting Augsburg students. Many of the employers participate in programming and events throughout the year to provide additional value to students by hosting discussions about career choices, offering technical training, and providing helpful tips about interviewing. 

The career fair is also an opportunity for students to explore career options and open up additional possibilities they were not considering or did not even know about. Reggie Agyen-Boateng ‘21 reflected, “I came in looking for internships related to Sociology and I realized that I can apply the skills that I have learned in my Sociology courses in other disciplines such as Marketing or Human Resources”. Engaging with employers is one way that students are able to identify jobs they might be interested in. Alumni and professionals coming to campus to speak to students also helps students explore career options and understand how their degree can lead to many different types of jobs.

I learned how to represent myself

The Career and Internship Fair also helps students grow as individuals and practice new skills. Ma’Rissa Rowe ‘21 said “Not only did I learn about internship opportunities I learned how to represent myself and be more confident in front of employers”. For many students, this event is the first time they have to present themselves in a professional setting to other professionals. It can be an anxiety provoking experience as noted by Simone Rask ‘20 who said,  “I was super nervous at first, but I used the Strommen Center’s resources and prep video to prepare myself to give my best first impression to employers”. Following the Career and Internship Fair students completed 88 on-campus interviews for jobs and internships with these employers. For students who have an interview coming up they may want to take a look at the interview prep resources on the Strommen Center’s website (https://www.augsburg.edu/strommen/interviewing/).

Even though 71% of employers are recruiting right now for 2020 jobs and internships there is still time to find an opportunity. Visit Handshake to see open internships and job opportunities and mark February 27, 2020 for the Minnesota Private College Career Fair.

New Career Programs Launched by the Strommen Center for Meaningful Work

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Latinx panel of professionals
ALAS hosts Latinx panel of professionals at recent meeting

Career Readiness and Professional Development Programs Launched this Fall

Augsburg University’s Clair and Gladys Strommen Center for Meaningful Work is leading the way in preparing and empowering a diverse group of future workers through critical career readiness programs to meet the demands of employers. In 2018, Augsburg University President Paul Pribbenow and the Board of Regents launched the Strommen Initiative to usher in a new era of career services that builds on the hallmarks of a liberal arts education. The 21st century workplace is looking for candidates who think critically, work in teams, process information, communicate across differences and cultures, and are technically proficient. These skills are attained by every liberal arts student during their undergraduate studies. However, new integrated systems of learning that connects the student experience in and outside of the classroom to career readiness are necessary to ensure acquisition of professional skills, understanding of potential professional pathways, and organizational fit. The career center is transforming into an agency that creates partnerships and programs to ensure professional development is fully integrated. 

 

Through a grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation, the Strommen Center is launching two campaigns, Augsburg Works and Auggies Explore, during the 2019 and 2020 academic year focused on internships, post academic employment, and career exploration.

 

Augsburg Works

 

71% of employers are hiring now for 2020 interns and employees, Augsburg Works helps students understand recruiting timelines for 2020 jobs and internships as well as connect them to the career readiness programs they will need to be successful candidates. 

 

Highlights of Augsburg Works

  • Resume Round-Ups to assist students in developing their resumes.

    Augsburg Works
    Events happening during Fall 2019 to prepare students for jobs and internships
  • Part-Time and On- Campus Job Fair to connect students to employment and professional opportunities on and off campus.
  • 3M Innovation Center Site Visit to hear from a panel of professionals on what it’s like to work in technology at 3M.
  • Latinx Professional Panel hosted by Augsburg’s Latin American Student Organization to hear about navigating careers as a Latinx professional.
  • Intro to Resumes hosted in partnership with Augsburg’s Trio programs to support students who are developing their first resume.
  • Accounting and Auditing Conference connecting students to professionals and opportunities in financial services. 
  • On-Campus Career and Internship Fair connecting nearly 200 students with 38 employers to secure 2020 jobs and internships.
  • Employer info sessions held in classrooms to help students understand organizational culture, recruiting timelines, and tips on applying for positions. 
  • Twin Cities Startup Week Job Market connecting students to entrepreneurs and local startups to find internships and jobs.
  • Speed Mock Interviews to help prepare students for their job or internship interview.
  • Queering Career in partnership with Augsburg’s LGBTQIA+ student services hear from a dynamic panel of LGBTQIA+ professionals about their professional journeys as queer identified people.
  • Minnesota Department of Human Services providing panelists from a variety of human services fields to speak to students about careers in this sector. 
  • Government and Nonprofit Job Fair connecting students to jobs and internships in these sectors.
  • Professional Networking hosted by Augsburg’s Latin American Student organization in partnership with UpTurnships.
  • Internship Peer Panels with students who have completed successful internships hosted by Augsburg’s Business Organization and in partnership with UpTurnships

 

Auggies Explore

 

We also know that 61% of employers want to hire employees with relevant work experience. The second part of Strommen’s new campaigns is Auggie Explores which focuses on career exploration and helping students understand potential career pathways. Career exploration is a critical component to the career readiness journey. According to a recent Gallup report that surveyed over 2,020 college students, 637 hiring managers, and 1,037 parents, it was reported that students wait too long to begin their career exploration. 82% of respondents noted that it is important that their work fits with their values. Gallup also found that employees with a high sense of purpose are more productive. 

 

Auggies Explore is a spring initiative to help students learn about companies, career opportunities and pathways, and connect to professionals in the field. This program also provides companies with an opportunity to educate students on the culture, values, and opportunities within the organization. 

 

Upcoming Events:

  • Augsburg students will be travelling to Chicago for the  United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI) National Conference to network with professionals and students from across the United States. 
  • Alumni will be hosting students from Augsburg’s Business Organization in Chicago over spring break and speak to them about their careers and professional journeys.
  • Augsburg’s LGBTQIA+ student services will be bringing students on a number of site visits to queer owned businesses to speak with entrepreneurs about their business and career.

 

And there is more to come! The Strommen Center is excited to be working with employers on additional programming for students to help them explore careers in many industries and sectors.