Collegiate Times

For many students, the mere thought of graduation raises the stressful issue of finding a stable career upon graduation. While some students dream of landing a job in the Big Apple, the nation's capital, or in their hometowns, the city of Roanoke is a prospering location that seeks to employ Virginia Tech graduates.

This past weekend, members of the business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi went on an excursion hosted by the city of Roanoke and Roanoke's Building and Economic Development. The students were given the opportunity to network with promising Roanoke company representatives from The Renick Group, Carilion Health Systems and Suntrust Banks, Inc.

Stuart Mease, the special projects coordinator of the City of Roanoke, organizes programs and events to attract and retain young adults in the city and the region of Roanoke.

?One of these programs we established was (because) we felt that a lot of college students may have never experienced the professional environment in Roanoke, as well as, the social environment in Roanoke,? Mease said.

The event was held at the Higher Education Center in Roanoke. Mease said that the representatives presented their companies and their employment opportunities for the students. The attendees were also given the opportunity to network with the company representatives.

Brucie Boggs of the human resources department of the Carilion Health System attended the event as well. Along with managing hospitals, physician practices and hospice care centers, Boggs said that Carilion is a company with a billion dollars in revenue that offers employment to a wide range of majors.

?We have also the need for information technology talent; we hire a number of financial analysts and financial advisors. We have our own in house strategic development, so we have a need for marketing majors, and we have our own in-house human resources department,? Boggs said.

Carilion employs about 10,000 employees in the western region of Virginia, and is the largest private employer west of Richmond.

?So much of the work we do is extremely complex with regards (to) technological support and healthcare is also a very demanding industry in terms of financial management,? Boggs said.

Mease said that the purpose of this event was to show students that there is a growing number of job opportunities outside of the Richmond and Northern Virginia areas - with great social amenities to get the full experience.

?A lot of people like the area so much that they want to stay in the region. The myth is that there are no jobs, but the reality is that there are a plenty of jobs. Between the companies and students, they realize that there are a significant number of jobs in their backyard,? Mease said.

Susan Myers, a member of Delta Sigma Pi and freshman marketing major, found the promises of Roanoke business enticing.

?I am originally from Blacksburg and always thought that if I were to get an internship I would have to live in Richmond or in Northern Virginia. I now realize that there are multiple opportunities to get internships in the area,? Myers said.

Students took a walking tour of downtown Roanoke to take in the growing social ambiance.

?The whole purpose was to expose these young students to the city of Roanoke, the employment opportunities, the companies, the social life that are in Roanoke,? said Mease. ?Hopefully, students had a good enough time to come back on their own time maybe when they are looking for internships or full time jobs. Maybe they will think of Roanoke in a different thought then previously.?

Boggs said that Roanoke has become more of an appealing location due to its downtown area, suburban locations and reasonable cost of living.

?As someone who has grown up in Roanoke, but has been away for a number of years, and chose to come back, I think that there are tremendous opportunities especially for the graduates of academic institutions of the caliber of Virginia Tech,? Boggs said.

The city of Roanoke offers programs and events to students addressing career and education opportunities. To find out more, visit their website at www.roanokeva.gov/youngadults.