WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
Program Assessment Plan
Career Services/Cooperative Education Office
Assessment Plan for 2006-2007
Primary Contact Name/Info:
Mardy Ashe, Director
Career Services/Cooperative Education Office
230 Killian Annex
828.227.3812 (v)
828.227.7344 (f)
mashe@wcu.edu
http://careers.wcu.edu
Program Mission Statement:
The Western Carolina University Career Services/Cooperative Education Office’s
mission is to enhance the learning process by encouraging students to gain selfawareness, define realistic choices, integrate major choice with work experiences, gain
knowledge of skills necessary for job/career searching and pursue life and relationships
with integrity and professionalism. Our services are available to current students and
alumni.
Statement on Alignment of Program Mission w/University and/or Division Mission:
Career Services supports the university mission of engaged, lifelong learning by
providing opportunities to integrate career with academics for the purpose of finding
meaningful employment/experiences throughout life.
Program Goals/Objectives:
1. To keep current in the field and to provide the most up-to-date information on
career-planning and the job search.
2. To provide WCU’s students and alumni with the knowledge and “tools” to job
search anywhere and repeatedly.
3. To provide up-to-date local, regional, state and national job listings in an
easily accessible format.
4. To bring together our students, alumni, faculty and employers for purposes of
meeting, interviewing, hiring and keeping up to date in the field.
Intended Outcomes
1. Students who take the Counseling 150 class or participate individually in a
vocational assessment session will learn who they are: interests, abilities,
personality and values and be able to apply that knowledge towards a major
and/or career decision.
2. Students who participate in an internship/co-op will be able to integrate major
with a related job; thereby, gaining related experience and the ability to apply
that knowledge towards choosing a next course of action.
3. By attending a resume, cover letter seminar/workshop, students will learn
what goes into these documents and why, how best to format them, and
finally be able to design, change and update them as needed.
4. By attending an interview workshop or participating in “The Perfect
Interview” program, students will learn the basics of interviewing in several
different formats; the importance of preparation, proper etiquette, thoughtful
questions and answers. Additionally, they will learn how to integrate this
knowledge for optimum chances towards employment.
5. Students who participate in career events, interview days will be able to
apply the above job search knowledge in an appropriate setting where they
will begin to understand the importance of networking in the job search.
6. Students who fully utilize the job listings programs on the Career Services
website (JobCat, MonsterTRAK, LOCALJOBS.COM, NACElinks) will
discover what positions are available and how to successfully apply for them.
Direct Measures of Student Learning
Declaration of Major
Culminating experiences
• Internships
o Final paper, portfolios, journals, pre-post assignment interviews
Student work samples
• Creation of a resume and cover letter (required critiquing through class
assignment
Surveys collected after each career event
• 2 questions included to measure learning
Indirect Measures of Student Learning
Surveys
• Graduation survey, 6 month out, 1 & 6 years out
Hiring letters from Employers