Students can visit Nashville, Tennessee, over fall break and explore professional opportunities as part of the first-ever trip to the city sponsored by Career Services.
“Nashville is a real up-and-coming city, and it’s as open as Chicago is closed,” said Director of Career Services Ken Koopmans.
The trip, which costs $125, will run from Wednesday Oct. 20th to Saturday Oct. 23rd and will offer students a glimpse into politics, journalism, publishing, finance, business, and media. Businesses on the schedule include Randall House Christian Publishing, Ramsey Solutions, and Sigma Consulting Group.
In the past, Career Services has coordinated trips to Chicago during fall break. Because of the city’s COVID-19 restrictions, Career Services opted for Nashville this year.
Koopmans also said the city’s businesses align closely with the ideals of the college.
“It’s becoming more and more difficult to find organizations aligned with the college,” he said. “You don’t want to land a job somewhere and realize that they’re not a good fit for you. Luckily, we have a lot of champions of the college in Nashville.”
While students will be in groups for the majority of the trip, they will have the opportunity to make one-on-one connections during an alumni networking dinner on Thursday night.
“We don’t even have two full days for the trip, and we are trying to fit as much in as possible, so when we visit different companies, it will be group tours and presentations,” said Roma Rogers, program manager and internship coordinator for Career Services. “Students need to really hone their networking skills prior to the networking event on Thursday evening, so that they can have one-on-one conversations with employers.”
Koopmans added that the networking dinner could be one of the most fruitful parts of the trip for many students.
“75% of all jobs are earned through networking,” he said. “Each year, when graduates complete the senior placement survey, we ask them how they found their job. The number one answer is always networking.”
Students will also have the opportunity to explore the city’s downtown and notable attractions such as the state capital building and the Grand Ole Opry.
Emma Meares, a senior from Franklin, Tennessee who helped plan the trip, said the city has become very attractive to young people.
“It’s such a fun city,” Meares said. “There’s always something going on from country music concerts to historical city tours.”
