WWU prepares students for ‘Life Outside the Woods’

10/31/2011 Mary Ann Beahon
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (573) 592-1127

 

Faculty and staff are teaming up all across William Woods University’s campus to teach students “life skills” they wouldn’t necessarily learn in the classroom.

The next event in the series will be “Professional Internet Do’s and Don’ts,” scheduled for 1 p.m. Nov. 10 in the library auditorium. Murphy Tetley, instructor of management information systems, will be the speaker.
 
The series started last year as a collaboration between Debbie Schick, office and LEAD coordinator for the Office of Student Life, and Cherie Meeks, director of career services and student transition. It has continued this year with Amy Dittmer, the new director of career services and student transition.
 
“We’ve called it “Life Outside the Woods” because we’re really hoping that students will take this information with them when they leave the Woods,” explained Schick.
 
The events range from professional etiquette tips, to healthcare after college, to legal advice. They are spread out over the course of the year, and are usually held over the lunch hour to make them accessible to students.
 
“We’ve even had students contact us about event ideas. If there’s something students are asking about, we want to do our best to inform them,” said Schick.
 
Maybe the best thing about this event series is that it connects the entire WWU community to one another.
                                                                       
“The Office of Student Life has reached out to our faculty, staff, community and alumni and they’ve been more than willing to come and present on topics in their areas of expertise,” said Dittmer.
 
Jenny Kesel, a senior from Catawissa, Mo., attended the business attire fashion show.
 
“I thought it was a really fun way to demonstrate appropriate and inappropriate business attire,” she said.
 
More than 200 students attended the business attire fashion show in October, and close to 50 students attended a presentation on rental and lease agreements in September by Cynthia Kramer, professor of legal studies.

Future topics will include ultimate money skills, stress in the workplace and cocktail party etiquette.