By Whitney Baxter
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Career Services office is staffed and ready to support students as they pursue internship and job opportunities and prepare to attend the CALS Career Day this fall.
Long-time CALS Career Services employees Mike Gaul and Lois Benning retired in June. Efforts are underway to hire a new assistant director for the office.
In the meantime, a dedicated team has stepped up to lead the office through this transition period:
- Christen Burgett, associate teaching professor of animal science and CALS Career Service interim director
- Susie Stearns, career coordinator
- Paige Zhorne, student services coordinator in the Department of Agricultural Education and Studies
- Carah Mabry, program specialist with CALS administration
They are joined by three student workers, who will aid in the team’s efforts to staff the office and be available to assist students.
“It’s important during this transition period that we continue offering students the same level of support and guidance the CALS Career Services office has become known for over the years,” Burgett said. “We are fully prepared to do that and look forward to connecting with students this semester.”
Come welcome the interim team during a meet and greet Sept. 2, from 9-11 a.m. in 0015 Curtiss Hall. Coffee, juice and breakfast items will be available.
Career-related support
The CALS Career Services office can help students with:
- Resume reviews
- Mock interviews
- Job search assistance
- Job offer analysis
- Career counseling
Burgett and Stearns are available to meet with students one-on-one during the fall semester. These meetings can be scheduled through CyHire, or students can stop by the 0015 Curtiss Hall office between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. during the week.
Stearns also is available to provide classroom presentations on the following topics:
- Overview of CALS Career Services
- CyHire basics
- CALS Career Day preparation
- Resume and cover letter writing
- Interviewing skills
- Job offer evaluation
CALS Career Day
The annual CALS Career Day will take place Oct. 14, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lied Recreation Athletic Center on campus. More than 150 companies and organizations have signed up to attend, with more expected to register in the coming weeks.
Students can see a full list of registered companies by logging in to CyHire, selecting “Agriculture and Life Sciences Career Day 2025” under the Events tab, then clicking on “Employers.”
Following CALS Career Day, on-campus interviews will take place Oct. 15-16. This provides students an opportunity to continue conversations with potential employers they interacted with at Career Day while those company representatives are still on campus.
Freshman Resume Workshop
Freshmen students are invited to attend the Freshman Resume Workshop Sept. 16, from 6-7 p.m. in 0127 Curtiss Hall. This is a great opportunity for new students to polish their resumes ahead of Career Day.
The CALS Career Services office is located in 0015 Curtiss Hall. Staff can be reached by emailing calscs@iastate.edu or calling 515-294-4725.