McNeese State University - Log Yearbook (Lake Charles, LA)

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pee aiaeelatast MCNEESE STUDENT Evelyn Hebert assists a young girl with computer pro- cesses. The program is made possible through a grant from the Office of Re- search Services. LEARNING STUDIES benefit from re- search funding, which enables Evelyn Hebert to see progress in early child- hood education. SANDRA HARE of the Office of Research Services con- ducts sample testings, a standard procedure in con- ducting her research projects. JULIE NORTHUOP serves as director of this Special Office. SANDRA HARE uses a breathing technique to transfer mosquitos to a new location in an experiment to see how the mosquitos are affected by certain chemicals. 40 Office of Research Services

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iti EEE Gripping the job market inding a good job to help support a college educa- tion and landing the per- fect job upon graduation are tasks which sometimes seem impossi- ble to accomplish. McNeese offers three different, but related, serv- ices to its students in job prep- aration and in finding jobs which will help fund their education. The Placement Center on the McNeese campus serves alumni, graduates and undergraduates as well as the Lake Charles commu- nity. Through the Placement Cent- er office, alumni, graduates and seniors preparing for graduation are able to establish a placement folder and secure interviews with prominent businesses in the area. The center can help students pre- pare for interviews by offering tips and advice for interviewing and job hunting. Businesses from the local area and from surrounding states con- duct interviews each semester through the Placement Center of- fice. Kathy Bond, coordinator of the Placement Center, said the service ‘‘has been complimented many times’”’ and McNeese can be proud of the office and its work. She is also quick to add that the center provides a way for under- graduates to secure part-time and full-time employment to help pay the expenses of a college educa- tion. Local businesses often con- tact the Placement Center with job offerings for college students; stu- dents may utilize the office to set up interviews with such business- es. The rising cost of a college ed- ucation can be somewhat dimin- ished by on-campus employment. Students are able to work in a variety of positions from profes- sor’s assistant, to Bookstore clerk, Post Office employee, food ser- vice worker, resident assistant or dormitory desk worker. Students receive abundant ben- efits through internships in a va- riety of colleges. They receive not only financial aid but also college credit; students work in their field of study and secure much-needed experience, a prerequisite for seeking jobs after graduation. In- ternships are offered from many fields, including mass communi- cation, education and nursing. Some internships are graduation requirements while others afford the students job experience and income. Internships also help stu- dents decide whether or not they are truly happy with their chosen field of study. Gail Prats, a junior nursing major, says that she learned basic skills and procedures in lab; she is now actually applying what she has learned “‘in the real world.’’ She adds, “‘You know by the end of clinicals if you want to do it.” Through its many services, the Placement Center ‘‘develops good working relationships and reper- toire with local business,’’ Bond said. The service benefits both business and students, and it is offered at no cost to the student. ®) Employment 39

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The quest goes on he McNeese Office of Research Services and Sponsored Pro- grams is responsible in part for the acquisition of funding for research, creative expression, and program de- velopment. The four-member staff, un- der the direction of Julie Northup, works diligently to provide these services, ben- efitting the faculty, students and entire university. The research programs themselves are conducted on a wide range of topics from the effects of television advertising on children to the determination of chemical levels in mosquitoes. Propos- als are submitted from faculty in every department of the university to the Of- fice of Reserach Services and Spon- sored Programs. The office staff then searches for potential funding sponsors and provides ‘“‘how-to”’ information con- cerning the format and content of each proposal and its budget. The staff also assists in the actual contact and ne- gotiations with the sponsors; they then help edit, type, duplicate, and distribute the proposals through the appropriate channels. In addition to these services, the of- fice also maintains an extensive filing system of grants and contacts; this sys- tem contains catalogues, directories of sponsors, periodicals which include award listings and sponsor information, and information on personal develop- ment. The office also acts as a liason with the Office of Federal Programs and the American Association of State Col- leges and Universities, which provides current, detailed information on funding opportunities. Each month, much of this informa- tion is condensed into a campus news- letter, published by the office staff. This contains deadline dates and updates on sponsored programs, as well as poten- tial sponsors. These sponsors may be public (including federal and state fund- ing) or private (from special-interest foundations). The funds can involve hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, and indirect sponsorship funding may increase the university budget by as much as $90,000 per year. The office also supervises the sub- mission and approval of candidates for the Shearman Research Initiative Fund, a prestigious competition of sponsored programs. McNeese was proud to have 19 faculty members designated as 1987- 88 Shearman Research Fellows. All of these efforts culminate to main- tain an optimum level of intellectual in- terest and initiative at McNeese. Its par- ticipation in the acquisition of funding is vital not only to faculty but to the stu- dents and entire university as well. With- out the department’s much needed as- sistance, McNeese could easily stagnate and fall behind in the quest for greater knowledge. ) Office of Reseach Services 41