Central New Jersey Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association

3rd Annual Bowl-over-Cancer Event (CNJ Chapter): Sunday, February 21st, 12PM

Join the Central Jersey Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association at our 3rd Annual Bowl Over Cancer event. This year, we will be bowling at Howell Lanes and raising money to support THON and the Four Diamonds Fund.

$15 includes the games of bowling, shoe rental, pizza and soda. We will be accepting open donations and look to beat last year's mark of $700.

During the event, be sure to enter any of our great raffles! Up for grabs are: a $50 gift certificate to The Lake House, our Beaver Stadium on the shore; a $30 gift card for Tailgate Runner, to help make your next tailgate even better and easier; and a 50/50!

Know 5 people you would like to bowl with? Register early and send us your names so you can reserve a lane together! Email Lauren at communityservices@pennstatecnj.com.

This is a great chance to meet new people, enjoy a Sunday afternoon and support a fantastic cause. In the past two years, the Central Jersey Chapter has donated $1500 to THON and we look to continue to increase our donations every year with your help.

RSVP here!

Special News & Upcoming Events

CNJ Night Out: Friday, February 19th, 7PM

Join your fellow PSU alumni and friends for the CNJ Chapter Night Out at the Lake House (our Beaver Stadium at the Jersey Shore & Best Bar!). After 7 PM enjoy $3 Coronas and $4 shots.Then, hang around after happy hour for Central NJ's favorite band Brian Kirk & The Jirks and dance the night away.

Located at 601 Main Street, The Lake House is a bar and restaurant situated on beautiful Deal Lake in Loch Arbour, NJ.

Note: The 2/19 Night Out event replaces the Happy Hour at City Streets Cafe for the month of February. The monthly happy hour at City Streets Cafe will reconvene on 3/18.

PSU vs. Princeton Men's Volleyball: Friday, February 26th, 7PM
Cheer on the 2008 NCAA Champions!

Join the Central NJ Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association to cheer on the No. 5 ranked Men's Volleyball team as they take on the Princeton Tigers on Friday, February 26th at 7:00 PM.

The match will begin at 7:00 PM in the Dillon Gym on Princeton's Campus.

Let's turn Dillon Gym into REC Hall and cheer on the Lions!

More details to follow as we hope to have a pre / post game gathering in Princeton!

Job Market? What Job Market?

Getting a job right out of school in this economy has definitely been tough. When I worked in Penn State's Smeal Career Services office as a senior, companies were forced to cancel info sessions, on campus recruiting, or worse - rescinded outstanding job offers for students who have already accepted. One really tends to question the value of their degree (or degrees, for the overachievers), and the return on their four year, hundred-thousand-dollar investment. I was fortunate enough to come back to the company I interned with and by no means am I the expert in the labor market. However, regardless of your current role, the following are things to keep in mind post-life in Happy Valley:

Your first job will not likely be your last job. On average, according to Jack Latham, ex-Associate Director of Career Services at Smeal College of Business, most Americans will have at least nine jobs in their lifetime. Most people therefore, will not land their dream jobs on the first shot, so definitely be flexible and keep your options open. Jen Eury, Director of Alumni Relations at Smeal, also suggest utilizing resources available within the different colleges at Penn State, such as SmealConnect or the Alumni Programs through Bank of America Center.

The economy > you. Coming out of one of the worst recessions definitely doesn't help with getting a job, but that shouldn't be your excuse for not doing anything. Whether it's a volunteer gig, an unpaid internship, or prolonging pursuing your degree, remember to keep busy and your calendars occupied. In a recent conversation with Robin Stevens, Director of Career & Corporate Services at Smeal, she mentioned that the "Penn State" brand is now stronger than ever; students/alums are definitely more marketable and should capitalize on opportunities into the future.

Networking. People typically think it's hard to do and needed only if they don't have a job. Think about it this way - networking is not like driving in New York City, but more like going to the bank - you can only make withdrawals when you make a deposit and it's never a one way street.

"Love what you do, and you'll never work a day in your life." OK, unless you're LeBron or Peyton, this is tough to stand by, but the concept still applies - have the right attitude, meaning doesn't matter if you're a first year Investment Banking Analyst working 30 hours a day or a back office paper-filer, always look at the glass half-full and treat others as you would like to be treated.

Transferrable skills. As we all navigate through our professional lives, consider the technical and interpersonal aspects of your day-to-day. Ask yourself: how can I apply those to my next project? What have I learned about myself to develop and enhance onto the next level? Write them down - that's how you build your resume from now on.

With almost ten percent of America out of work or discouraged to job hunt, it's definitely hard to stay positive and keep your head up. One last point to wrap up here: your job doesn't define who you are nor does it limit your abilities to grow other aspects of life. To be completely honest, you have the rest of your life to work; why not take time off and explore other cultures in the world, go back to school for a post-bachelors, or simply, appreciate the fact that your parents, significant others, or in some cases - kids, will love you, doesn't matter what who you are or what you do?

Jack Sun
'09 FIN & ECON
*****************
Alumni Wanted for March Event!
If you're interested in sharing your advice, your stories, and your energy with current students and recent graduates, please email CentralNJPSUAlumni@yahoo.com.

Purchase Ad Space. Donate towards chapter scholarship. Make a difference!

Grab the Spotlight!