For many graduated students, working at your alma mater is a dream come true.
With a handful of alumni working in each department at Dixie State University, the appealing career has grown of interest among students. In fact, four out of the five students interviewed by the Dixie Sun News said they would prefer to work at their alma mater rather than with any other employer.
Brittney Malone, a sophomore exercise science major from Las Vegas, said: “I would want to work for Dixie because of the genuine love I feel from everyone here. Setting foot on campus and being able to hear student government playing music and releasing their positive energy makes me want to be a part of Dixie forever.”
While there are some students who believe that just being able to find work after graduation is a blessing, there are others who can’t imagine themselves working anywhere else but Dixie.
Kayla Coolbear is a 2016 DSU graduate from Livermore, California. She received her bachelor’s in art with an emphasis in graphic design. She started working for the DSU marketing department as the social media and digital marketing specialist weeks after she graduated.
Coolbear said, “If I didn’t go to Dixie, I would probably be working at a grocery store.”
She said the faculty at DSU do everything they can to give as many opportunities to students. Once she found them, she said, “I had opportunities coming at me from every direction.”
DSU prides itself on offering countless opportunities to students and this is present through the number of students and alumni employed by the university.
“I still work with people I went to school with,” Coolbear said. “There are people who were a year or two behind me in school who I still work with now.”
However, just because a person is an alumnus or alumna, it does not always guarantee employment.
Matt Devore is a 2016 DSU graduate from Mesquite, Nevada. He received his bachelor’s of science in integrated studies with an emphasis in communication and business management. Devore was also the student body president through the 2015/ 2016 school year. He started working for the DSU housing office as the resident life coordinator three months after he graduated.
Devore said: “I’d like to think that because I am an alumni I have a greater sense of passion, but I don’t know if that had anything to do with who got the job… I think it was fair and everyone got an equal shot. I am just grateful that I was the one who got the job.”
For students looking to be employed by DSU, they should keep in mind that certain positions require specific skills. They also should not expect to be hired by the university based on the fact that they are alumni.
However, there are some things you can do that will increase your chances of getting a job at DSU.
“I got my job here because I had references from people all over campus,” Coolbear said. “I already knew most of the people in the marketing and communication department so when I went into my UMAC interview, I already knew everybody in the room — they had all worked with me.”
Involving yourself on campus is one of the best things to do if you are looking to be a part of Dixie in the long-run, Coolbear said. Being able to expose yourself and your work ethic to the faculty is a critical step because then they recognize you, and know what working with you is like.
“Working for Dixie has been one of the greatest experiences,” Devore said. “The reason I think why you see so many students wanting to work for Dixie is because of that Dixie spirit. Students — they feel the love, and they feel that Dixie spirit, and it’s something they want to be a part of for years.”
