{"id":63,"date":"2016-11-09T10:00:27","date_gmt":"2016-11-09T15:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/strategic-plan\/?page_id=63"},"modified":"2016-11-09T12:22:08","modified_gmt":"2016-11-09T17:22:08","slug":"unique-university-assets-and-experiences","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.saintpeters.edu\/strategic-plan\/unique-university-assets-and-experiences\/","title":{"rendered":"Unique University Assets and Experiences"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Unique<\/p>\n

\u201cStudents are eligible for internships their first year, which is not typically the case at other institutions.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

By the time Matthew Feeney \u201915 applied for the Pfizer Professional Development Program in Finance during his senior year, the Jersey City native had amassed a distinctive resum\u00e9. As a freshman, Feeney and a business classmate won a national marketing competition. The following year, he landed a fellowship for first-generation college students. He went on to intern at Lehman Brothers in Jersey City, was selected for a summer management training program at Wal-Mart and wrote his honors thesis on the economic implications of virtual bitcoin.<\/p>\n

He credits these experiences to relationships formed at Saint Peter\u2019s University. \u201cEarly on, I got involved with professors and administrators,\u201d he said. \u201cThey knew who I was\u2014as an individual, not just as a student\u2014and helped me connect with the right opportunities.\u201d Feeney, along with Muhammad Shaoour Mir \u201915 and Tamara Encalada \u201915, were among 15 students selected last May for the highly competitive Pfizer externship, which is coordinated by the Independent College Fund of New Jersey. Feeney was hired by Pfizer as a finance associate in August. The applied learning, internships and leadership development he experienced at Saint Peter\u2019s are available to all students.<\/p>\n

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\n\u201cWe engage students in career planning from the onset,\u201d said Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs & Assessment Mildred Mihlon, Ph.D. \u201cStudents are eligible for internships their first year, which is not typically the case at other institutions.\u201d With Pathways to Distinction, opportunities for experiential learning will be identified and enhanced, making what is currently a widespread practice among students ubiquitous.<\/p>\n

The new Center for Career Engagement and Experiential Learning on the first floor of Dinneen Hall establishes a central facility for traditional undergraduates and adult learners to secure opportunities for practical experience through internships, service learning and part-time jobs. The Center will also create workshops and seminars and provides an ideal location for on-
\ncampus recruiting. The initiative is also unique in that many career opportunities are grounded in the Jesuit ideal of service.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt goes beyond resum\u00e9 building,\u201d stressed Dr. Mihlon. \u201cWe are preparing students for the world of work with a perspective that is consistent with our mission. We are preparing them for purposeful lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Starting Point<\/h3>\n

The Jesuit mission and identity of Saint Peter\u2019s University is stronger as a result of VISION 2015. Ignatian principles such as cura personalis, magis and the lifelong commitment to be \u201cmen and women for others\u201d inspired each strategic direction of Pathways to Distinction. These ideals form the greatest asset and promise offered to every student entering Saint Peter\u2019s.<\/p>\n

High Scores for Student Engagement<\/h3>\n

Collaborative learning, student-faculty interaction, enriching educational experiences and a supportive campus environment are indicators of student engagement, a key predictor of college success. According to the 2013 National Survey of Student Engagement,* Saint Peter\u2019s outperformed peer institutions in several categories:<\/p>\n