IUN Prepares Students ot meet the Demands of the Workplace

Health Care Employers Look to IUN for Employees with Excellent Qualifications

"A degree in an allied health discipline is a ticket to a solid future," states Job Choices: 1997 magazine produced by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. This is because there is an increasing need for workers in the health care industry.

Chemistry major, Dave Shaffer, hones his skills for the job market with state-of-the-art equipment

In Northwest Indiana, residents turn to IUN for education in this growing field. The curriculum here offers students the choice from more than a dozen different health occupation programs. Students receive training for certificate programs as well as associate and bachelor's degrees from IUN. A new course created this past fall, "Orientation to Allied Health Sciences," allows students to explore the full range of health-related careers from optometry to physical and occupational therapy.

Certificate programs such as dental assisting, medical coding, medical transcription and phlebotomy are attracting individuals into the division of Allied Health. These careers are in demand in the job market and IUN graduates are able to help meet the needs of these employers.

Majors in the Arts and Sciences Division Find Success After Graduation

Just because you don't major in a technical field or business does not mean your career choices will be limited. Tim Stabler, chairperson of the Biology Department, counsels his students to find out where their real interests lie. "Here at IUN we professors have the opportunity to talk with students about their real interests. We can ask why do you want to pursue a particular field and help them sort out what they want from their education."

Students who major in Biology at IUN have an excellent track record for getting into professional and graduate schools as well as moving directly into the workplace. "Our success is attributable to professors who are aware of the needs and demands of medical schools and employers in the region," Stabler said. To ensure IUN students are well prepared, the Biology Department offers courses such as calculus-based physics and "Comparative Anatomy and Histology," that have proven to make students more competitive as they move on to medical school.

For the student looking to enter the job market with a bachelor's degree they are qualified for careers in a variety of industries requiring lab technicians.

Graduate in May - Have a job in June! Sound pretty good?

This is what happens for most chemistry graduates from IUN. The Chicagoland region has a number of large industrial employers who look for graduates with chemistry majors. There is also a growing demand for employees who have a technical background such as chemistry or one of the other sciences. "Our students are well prepared to go into the workforce or further their education at a professional school," said Kizhanipuram Vinodogopal, chairperson of the Chemistry Department. These results are due in part to up-to-date scientific instruments and faculty who are excellent teachers and have an impressive record of research productivity and publishing.

The chemistry program is also helping to prepare individuals for the new area of environmental science. The course "Environmental Chemistry" is part of a new post-baccalaureate certificate program.

The chemistry program, accredited by the American Chemical Society, ensures that students have the skills to be successful in a career. Like campuses across America, the psychology major at IUN is the most popular one in the College of Arts and Sciences. People are attracted to the discipline for many reasons. The psychology major provides exposure to research and quantitative analytic methods as well as to divergent points of view regarding the study of behavior. Many employers find this combination a good one for the preparation of workers who deal with the public. The psychology major also enjoys popularity as a good preparation for professional school admission, including programs in social work, law, medicine, dentistry, and of course, psychology.

Preparing Students for a Future in Public Service

Criminal justice careers increasingly require degrees and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) at IUN continues to meet this growing need of employers. Through specialized courses such as "Seminar for Law Enforcement Careers," students learn about the process and unique aspects of starting a career in law enforcement. Both associate and bachelor's degrees in criminal justice are offered at IUN, as well as a Master's of Public Affairs with a concentration in criminal justice.

SPEA also offers The Public Service Internship Program where students get valuable experience with police departments, juvenile and adult probation officers and in the courts.

As SPEA celebrates its 25th anniversary, IUN also celebrates the Seventh Annual Public Service and Public Affairs Week March 31 - April 4. This activity focuses on career opportunities in public and nonprofit service and generates discussion about important public affairs issues.

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