The Center for Vocation and Integrative Learning (CVIL) took its services online in the form of a newsletter for students in hopes of keeping them “in the know.”

CVIL is an organization on campus whose main objective is to encourage volunteer work, post-college preparation and leadership involvement.

The CVIL newsletter was implemented as a way to cut down the number of e-mails students receive and to get more information to them about CVIL activities.

“We have been trying to find ways to communicate all of our CVIL activities to students because they are so very important to students in developing their careers and developing those careers,” Director of Career Services Jennifer del Pino said. “So we came up with the newsletter that we started last week, to cut down on the amount of e-mails students get and make it into one newsletter with the majority of the information.”

Some of the information in the newsletter includes service and leadership opportunities, career essentials, Coffee with a Pro and job opportunities.

“In the newsletter, we are providing information regarding service opportunities, leadership opportunities, and we highlighted two internships,” del Pino said. “Of course, the newsletter also includes our Coffee with a Pro and forum activities, career essentials, any fairs we have and interview days. We will have more activities as the year goes on.”

Although the newsletter includes a lot of information that may seem overwhelming to students, Career Counselor Erin Swancutt said that students should pick activities that are of interest to them.

“It doesn’t have to be that everybody has to do everything, but they can pick and choose what sounds interesting to them,” Swancutt said. “If there is a Coffee with a Pro or a good employer on campus that is in the topic that a student is interested in, go to that one.”

A new website, Career Paths, is being used by CVIL, which was in the first newsletter. The CVIL newsletter will highlight what it is and how to use it for students that are not familiar with the website.

“We are going to continue to advertise (Career Paths),” Swancutt said. “We will send out another reminder telling students about another opportunity to get it started, because it is new.”

CVIL helps not only with community service but also in applying for future jobs by educating students in writing resumes, cover letters and helping to plan future internships.

Junior Gaby Liedman says CVIL’s resources are valuable.

“I think that it’s good that CVIL offers resume help because that is something you need to review, especially when applying for jobs,” Liedman said.

Another service CVIL provides students with is career coaching and recently hired four staff members to do the job.

“The (coaches) are assigned the specific areas of technology, marketing and events and internships and special projects” del Pino said. “All of them are also cross-trained in helping students with resumes, cover letters and conducting reflection sessions at the end of internships.”

Students are encouraged to submit feedback regarding the CVIL newsletter.

“If students have any suggestions or if there is any information that they are not getting that they think is applicable through CVIL and they would like to hear it, we would be happy to hear them out and get their suggestions,” del Pino said. “They can e-mail [email protected] to do so.”

Del Pino and Swancutt both mentioned that CVIL is working on making the newsletter a weekly e-mail so that students will know when to look for it.

For more information about CVIL, students are encouraged to visit CVIL’s website at www.simpson.edu/cvil. Those who are interested in more information on the new Career Path’s website can find a link in the Career Services section of the CVIL website.