(Posted November 17, 2003)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Juniata College?s Career Services office and the college?s Community Service office are combining forces and expertise to sponsor a weeklong career choice event from Monday, Nov. 17 through Monday, Nov. 24, that celebrates ?uncommon? careers such as service organizations or creative careers.

?Students may not realize that working in the Peace Corps or taking a nontraditional job can be great experience that will prepare them for the future,? says Darwin Kysor, director of career services. ?The college believes that service is a viable career choice and we?d like our students to see what options are out there.?

College students, interested high school students and parents are encouraged to stop by any or all of the events, which are free and open to the public.

The weeklong series of presentations opens at 7 p.m., Monday, Nov. 17, in the Sill Board Room in the von Liebig Center for Science, with the workshop ?Professional Presence and the New Professional.? Students will gain experience in presenting a professional demeanor during job interviews and in the workplace.

On Tuesday, Nov 18, starting at noon in the Ellis College Center Ballroom, representatives and students who have served in the Peace Corps, Americorps and the Brethren Volunteer Service will answer questions and advise students interested in pursuing service-related programs after graduation.

Recent graduates from Juniata will return to campus for the workshop ?Conquer the Real World? Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. in the Sill Board Room in the von Liebig center. ?Students can get tips about the transition from college to career,? Kysor says.

A lunchtime session at noon, Thursday, Nov. 20, will present a career fair for creative careers such as stained glass retailing, art therapy, psychotherapy and comic book art. Representatives from these career fields and more will be on hand to answer questions about pursuing career paths that are distinctly different.

The ?Uncommon Career? week ends with a presentation by Susie Flug, a representative from Action Without Borders/Idealist.org Monday, Nov. 24 at 4 p.m. in the Sill Board Room. Flug will talk about the, how to connect ethical values with a career path, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of working in the nonprofit sector. Resources for volunteering and finding jobs in the U.S. and overseas also will be available. For this session participants must pre-register by stopping in at the Career and Community Service office on the ground floor of Ellis College Center, or by sending an e-mail to turlisk@juniata.edu.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.