President's Blog: From the Heart

A Great First Impression
By Eric F. Spina
Walking through the Employer Engagement Center, our tour group noticed that nearly all the walls in the interview rooms and throughout the impressive building were painted various shades of blue.
That’s by design.
Blue, as opposed to red, is a comforting color. If you’re a graduating senior interviewing for your first job with a Fortune 500 firm or an opportunity to serve in the Peace Corps, you want to do so in a relaxed environment, Jason Eckert, executive director of Career Services, told us.
That’s just one of the many thoughtful touches in the two-story brick building on L Street located next door to Career Services in the Alumni House. The Employer Engagement Center includes nine private meeting rooms, several rooms wired for remote interviewing, and a kitchen.
It’s comfortable. It’s practical. And it’s a superb spot for employers to find the talent they need in this highly competitive job market.
“I’m not an alum, but this truly feels like home,” said Brad Jordan, general manager of Crown Equipment Corp. at the dedication and blessing of the center earlier this month.
Within the last eight years, Crown Equipment has hired “several hundred” UD graduates. I felt such pride when Brad told us why his company hires so many Flyers. “Academically, you have high standards,” he said. “It comes down to core values. (UD graduates) want to make a difference locally, regionally — and throughout the world. … This is a great facility for employers.”
International Paper interviewed 10 students for positions this month, and in the weeks ahead, Crown Equipment, GE Aviation, Forvis, Fifth Third and Fischer Homes are scheduled to meet with students seeking employment after graduation. The center’s staff helps companies develop campus recruiting strategies, whether it’s participation in career fairs, information sessions, tabling events, presentations, or individual interviews.
But the center isn’t exclusively for companies. It’s getting plenty of use from campus offices. Dining Services and Facilities Management have held hiring events, and Student Development has used the center to hire Neighborhood Fellows and Resident Assistants. While the space is primarily used for interviews, it also serves as a gathering place for student projects, presentation practice sessions, and faculty and staff meetings. On the morning of the center’s dedication, a group of pre-med majors reserved rooms for their med school interviews.
In our annual Flyer First Destination survey, a remarkable 97 percent of recent graduates report that they’ve landed a good-paying job in their chosen field, a service opportunity, or a spot in graduate or a professional school.
For UD students on the cusp of entering their professions, the first step toward their destination starts at the Employer Engagement Center. It’s a place where great first impressions are made — and careers are launched.