A blog post from SOLES Ambassador and MA in Higher Education Leadership, Katie Russo:

It is crazy to think that my time in SOLES is almost over. With that mindset, this time of the semester has me navigating the job search while working to complete my action research project and finishing strong in my classes. Last week I had the opportunity to attend The Placement Exchange (TPE) in New Orleans, Louisiana. This on-site interviewing experience is the largest career placement resource sponsored by six national Student Affairs organizations. As I was getting ready to embark on this experience interviewing at different schools all over the country, I had to pause for a moment of reflection. Was I nervous for the interviews? Of course. That’s normal. But was I prepared? Absolutely.
The second year Graduate Assistant seminar course, along with my colleagues and advisor, provided my cohort members and I with opportunities to do mock interviews to prepare us for this experience. Along with that, SOLES and USD Career Services partnered up to put on Conference Preparation Workshops to hear from seasoned professionals at USD who attended TPE and could tell us what the experience was really like.
If it wasn’t for the care and sincere support from the faculty, administrators and my colleagues at USD, I would have been a total mess walking into that larger than life convention center in New Orleans. I am beyond grateful for my USD family and their support through this graduate journey in order to help me reach my career goals. I feel confident that my academic courses and the professional experiences I have gained throughout my time at USD will allow me to successfully land a job after graduation. Whether I find a job in San Diego, North Carolina or Idaho, I know that I will have my Torero family to thank for helping me get to the place I am at today. The culture of care spread throughout the campus community is something I value the most about this institution. There’s something special about knowing I have countless people on campus that I can count on to advise and guide me, listen to me, laugh with me, and cheer me on. It’s just The USD Way!