Most students today are preparing to enter the workforce for the first time, or due to the economy, finding themselves preparing for a job search for that new career.

While the academic programs teach us what is needed to perform the duties of your chosen career path, there is still the need to prepare to find that new career.  Through the academic programs offered here at Maryville University, students are given the opportunity to expand their education to include the skills needed for that job search.

The Communication department here at Maryville University has a course that will help with these needs.  Dr. Barb DeSanto is head of the department and agrees that everyone in saying not just communication students can benefit from this course.  The course is COMM 233, Professional and Organizational Communication.

Students entering any of the communication degree programs will be required to complete this course.   However, any student can complete this course for an elective course and should consider doing so.

This course contains so much information to help you get started in preparing for entering the workforce.  Dr. Leilani Carver will help you from the beginning in building that network of contacts, to the resume, to the interviewing process.

This course was developed to help the student understand today’s job and career market before the time comes to face the task of finding a job.  Part of the course work is to develop a portfolio which will promote the student to prospective employers.

All students should consider this course early enough in their education to allow them to develop their portfolio for that individual path they have chosen.  Your portfolio is like an extension of yourself.  It will show samples of your skills, work samples and so much more.  This is important for entering today’s work force.

Do not let the syllabus scare you away.  It is an action-packed program that will provide the student practical assignments, providing the students opportunities to experience real interviews, attending networking events, and building that network of professionals that might be able to help you find that perfect job.

Another part of this class is to help the student find that mentor.  A mentor is crucial to success in any field.  A mentor in your field of work will help guide you in locating that perfect job and help ensure you have the skills for that job.

And did you know of all the places for finding an open position?  In this course, you learn of places that most people do not think about looking at for employment.  And have you thought of “Informational Interviewing”?  Show a company that they need you before they realize.

Dr. DeSanto said, “This class is more than a class, it’s an investment that each student must make in his or her professional life.  Our Maryville Communication Program’s goal is simple:  We want employers to request a Maryville graduate.  And a class like Dr. Leilani Carver’s professional and organizational development is one specific class target to providing the knowledge and skills that employers are seeking.”

Whether you are stepping out into the “real world” for employment for the first time, or making that career change, consider the opportunities this program offers.  Many of the students that recently took this class took the class to fill an elective and by the end of the program were very glad that they did.

As we learn so much from our professors and the hands on experiences in life, this is one course that helps you promote all of your skills in the best manner.  Consider the possibility of rounding out your education with the one class that can truly prepare you for the future, the future of employment and your career.

For additional information for this course, please contact the Communication Department, Dr. DeSanto at bdesanto@maryville.edu or Dr. Carver at clcarver@maryville.edu.

The post The Course to Round Out Your Education appeared first on Maryville Pawprint.

Everyone, and I mean everyone, is back for the presumably final installment of the “American Pie” series.  Jim and Michelle are married and have a young son, Oz (Chris Klein) is a celebrity sportscaster, Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas) is a whipped househusband, Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) reportedly backpacks all over the world, and Stifler (Seann William Scott) is stuck at the bottom of the corporate totem pole.

The guys may be at different points in their lives, but some things really do not change.  Jim is the same reasonable one who intentionally gets himself into trouble, and Stifler is the same crude, fun-loving buffoon.  They may be too old for house parties, but the gang still finds a way to stir up some drama in East Great Falls.

The problems this time aren’t as juvenile as an embarrassing video gone viral; grown up issues of marriage, friendship and overall change take charge.  This does not mean that the boys do not deal with the new problems the same way they always have: with crude humor, sexual awkwardness and a lot of apologies.

If you love the old movies of yesterday, you will fall in love with “American Reunion” today.  The acting and comedy are just as they have always been.  The actors may have aged 13 years, but their humor has not changed at all.  If you have watched all of the other movies, “American Reunion” is the movie for you.

Overall Rating: A

The post Save the Best Piece for Last appeared first on Maryville Pawprint.

October was not a very good month for the Blues.  With a slow 6-7 start, their performance was less than exciting and caught the attention of management.  The Blues hired Ken Hitchcock as the new head coach and have not looked back since.

After beating the Phoenix Coyotes 4-0 on Mon. March 25, the Blues’ advanced their record to 47-20-9 and putting up a total of 103 points on the season.  The win extended the Blues’ lead to 7 points over Nashville in the Central Division.  Not only are the Blue Notes in first place in their division, but also they currently hold the top spot in the Western Conference.  In fact, the team with the most points in the entire NHL is your St. Louis Blues.

So far this season, the Blues have gone 29-4-4 at home and have gone 6-2-2 in the last 10 games.  These staggering numbers are due in part to the coaching of Hitchcock, and the other part should be attributed to the men on the ice.

Just as any hockey team, the Blues have experienced their fair share of injuries this season.  At the end of December, Alex Steen suffered a concussion, but he finally made his return Monday night.  February came with another injury, but this time it was Jamie Langenbrunner.  After sitting out for a month with a broken foot, Langenbrunner has returned to the ice.

Andy McDonald has not had a smooth road the last few seasons.  A pair of concussions forced him to be sidelined.  He finally made his return in early March, scoring two goals in his first game.  His stint back on the ice was short-lived.  A check into the boards injured McDonald’s shoulder in the middle of March, and he has not played in a game since.

David Perron also suffered a concussion last year.  Sitting out and resting for over a year helped Perron heal enough to return to the Blues.  Similar to McDonald, Perron scored in his first game back.

With injury also comes success.  The Blues signed 19-year-old Jaden Schwartz in March.  Critics may have thought he was

rather young to be playing in the NHL, but Schwartz proved he was read to compete with the big boys.  Schwartz scored a goal in each of his first two professional starts.  No, this does not happen very often, especially for teenagers playing among men.  The last player to score in each of his first two starts in the NHL did so in 1992.  If 20 years isn’t a big enough gap, I don’t know wha

t is.

The once injured and newcomers are not the only ones making a splash on the ice.  The tag team of goalies in net for the Blueshas performed remarkably so far this season.  The win on Monday against the Coyotes was the eighth shutout for Brian Elliot, which tied Glenn Hall’s record for the most shutouts in a single season.  Combine Elliot’s shutouts with veteran Jaroslav Halak’s 6 shutouts this season and that makes 14.  This may be simple math, but it is a big deal in the Blues’ organization because it broke the record for the most shutouts in a single season by a Blues duo.  Halak is also tied at number two for the most shutouts, just three behind the number one spot.

With only 6 games left this season, the Blues have clinched a spot in the playoffs and hope to make a commanding run at the Stanley Cup.  Let’s Go Blues!

The post The Blues Are On Top in NHL appeared first on Maryville Pawprint.

The best part of the Maryville App is that is it free to upload.  Aside from the no wallet impact, this app is actually pretty useful.  When opening the app, 12 icons show up on the home screen.  Users can access campus news, events, courses, and even a campus map.

The athletics department has an icon as well.  From there, each sport has its own section the user can select to stay current on news and results from games, matches and meets.  All of the Saints sports are linked together through the Twitter feature.  Users can simultaneously follow the athletics department (@AthleticsMU), Saints Nation (@maryvillesaints), and Maryville University (@maryvilleu) to stay current on everything Maryville.

One of the most frustrating things occurs when you have to email a professor but can’t seem to find the class syllabus to verify the professor’s email address.  The Maryville App has a directory with faculty and staff members’ information on it: phone number, office location and, yes, the beloved email address.

The Maryville App is not just for current students.  There is a poll feature and a checklist feature also.  The polls have questions for current students and incoming ones as well.  The checklist for prospective students so that they have all of the necessary requirements in order to be accepted to Maryville.  Incoming freshmen have their own list of all of the things they need to have filled out and turned in before starting their first semester.

All in all, the new Maryville App has something for everyone.  Follow the link to Maryville’s website, or search “Maryville” in iTunes to download the app today.

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Magnolia Submission Deadline Moved to March 25.

Dear Maryville Community,

The staff of Magnolia is soliciting submissions to the magazine for this coming spring. Please announce this to your classes, colleagues and fellow workers. We have a new and easy way to submit all kinds of material to the magazine. See the directions below.

Secondly, Magnolia earned another first place with special merit in our division from the American Scholastic Press Association for last year’s issue (2011). So, we need your submissions to continue to do such good work

If you have any original pieces of art or writing that you want to have published, please submit!

You can submit short stories, essays, poetry, photos, ceramics, designs and digital media (video/music) through our online form.

Submission deadline is March 25!

Thank you,

Magnolia Staff

This letter was submitted by Dr. Germaine Murray, professor of English and faculty advisor to Magnolia

The post Call For Submissions! appeared first on Maryville Pawprint.

Megan Piontek Volleyball Tournament

Date: Fri. March 16

Time: 6 p.m. to midnight

Location: Simon Athletic Center (Gym)

The winning team will receive t-shirts.  Baskets and prizes will be raffled off throughout the night.  Pizza will be served to attendants as well.

Come and watch or put a team together today!

Amanda Kosyan: akosyan@live.maryville.edu 636-443-5257

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Helms’ character Pat is the brother of Jeff (Jason Segel) who is still living in their mother’s basement.  Pat attempts to help Jeff grow and mature throughout the movie since he is going through a difficult time.

In an interview with Pawprint, Helms described Pat as a guy who “is desperate to kind of portray himself as someone who really has his (life) together, but who doesn’t really have his (life) together at all.  And it’s that sort of chasm between what he wants to be and how he wants to present himself and what he really is that kind of defines this guy.”

If you are expecting “Jeff, Who Lives at Home” to be strictly comedic due to the fact that the main actors are Helms, Segel and Susan Saradon, you are mistaken.

Helms said, “It might not be what you expect,” in a movie coming from those three who obviously are well-rounded comedians.  Helms continued, “I’m insanely proud of it, I’d still call it a comedy, I think it very much lives in that world but it’s more – it’s kind of a more dysfunctional – it’s more, sort of an honest look at dysfunctional people than most work I’ve done.”

The movie is sure to please.  Helms has warned everyone that it may not be exactly what audiences are expecting but in a good way.  There are bound to be comedic scenes, but real-life drama will be mixed in.  Where comedies leave out angst and anguish behind the humorous characters, “Jeff, Who Lives at Home” explores this side of comedy.

“This movie doesn’t shy away from the kind of painful aspect of a dysfunctional life,” Helms said.

There is a reason dysfunctional characters are the way they are, and Helms’ new movie takes the back-story into consideration providing a deeper movie experience.

“Jeff, Who Lives at Home” opens in theaters Fri. March 16, 2011.

The post Ed Helms Interviews with Pawprint appeared first on Maryville Pawprint.

The struggles the Cardinals went through this offseason were almost as difficult as the challenges they faced in their come-from-behind victory during the season.  The retirement of manager Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan, and the loss of first baseman Albert Pujols were both large blows to the clubhouse, but the recharged staff shows no sign of slowing down.

Where is this confidence coming from?  One major source for the rejuvenated excitement is the absolutely solid bullpen.  So far, the returning hurlers include: Chris Carpenter, Kyle Lohse, Jaime Garcia, Jason Motte, Jake Westbrooke, Kyle McClellan, and Mitchell Boggs.

Right-hander Adam Wainwright has also been throwing this spring.  About a year ago, before the championship season started, Wainwright underwent Tommy John surgery leaving him unable to pitch at all during the 2011 season.  Wainwright says he does not feel limited in his abilities to execute so far.

The pitching staff is pleased with his progress as well, but they are not trying to rush the process.

“There is wiggle room,” said the new pitching coach Derek Lilliquist about Wainwright’s pitching regiment.

Lilliquist and the rest of his staff are staying flexible with the much-missed ace with how his arm feels.  He has thrown in live batting practices while in Jupiter, Fla., and it is not out of the question for Wainwright to be ready to pitch when the spring season begins on March 5.

Even though Wainwright has made a large improvement since his surgery, Carpenter has been rumored to get the Opening Day start.  This would make the seventh Opening Day start for Carpenter as a Cardinal.

“You have to have some plans,” said the new manager Mike Matheny.  “But I don’t want to put anything in stone right now because it’s still too early.

Another Cardinal recovering well is outfielder Allen Craig.  Craig underwent surgery on his right knee in the offseason, and was said to be out up to 6 months.  Matheny released earlier this week that Craig is ahead of schedule in terms of his recovery, but the Cardinals will still mostly likely be without the right fielder on Opening Day.  This would have been a problem, but with the signing of Carlos Beltran, the Cardinals staff is confident in their lineup once again.

The Cardinals have faced many struggles in the last year both on and off the field.  With injured players gaining strength, spring training is forecasting another fantastic baseball season in St. Louis.

The post Cards Are Back in Action appeared first on Maryville Pawprint.

Greetings Graduates!

Students and their families are invited to attend Graduation Fair 2012, a great opportunity to take care of all the necessary details for Commencement.  Graduation Fair provides you the opportunity of a one-stop-shop experience to prepare for commencement:  primarily, your inclement weather tickets for Commencement (should the ceremony be held indoors), your cap and gown, have your picture taken wearing your cap and gown, order announcements and class jewelry as well as purchase diploma frames and get your free Cardinals baseball ticket.  Refreshments will be provided and dates and times of the fair are listed below:

Graduation Fair will be held in the Donius University Center Atrium both dates:

Thurs. Feb. 16
10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Or

Sat. Feb. 18
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

INCLEMENT WEATHER DATES
Thurs. March 17  10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sat. March 19  10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

(also in Donius University Center Atrium)

You are encouraged to visit the Commencement website at www.maryville.edu/commencement (choose Graduation Fair on the left navigation bar) to find all the latest commencement information. However, should you need further assistance, please contact the Office of Student Life at 314-529-9485 or 314-529-6686, or email jkoenig@maryville.edu

See you at the Fair!

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Have you been missing the Denzel Washington from “Training Day”?  Well, he is back.  The Academy Award winning actor from all of your favorite movies has mad his return to the silver screen alongside well-known heartthrob Ryan Reynolds.

Washington plays former CIA agent gone rouge Tobin Frost.  The CIA believes Frost has been leaking classified information to overseas enemies immediately blacklisting him.  The allegations caused Frost to go into hiding for 10 years until he surfaces in South Africa.  Frost simply walks directly into the American Embassy in Cape Town while being chased by grizzly-looking men with extremely large guns and turns himself in.

The CIA agents receive word that Frost has surrendered himself and immediate go into action transferring him to the closest safe house in Cape Town.  Matt Weston, the safe house’s “housekeeper” played by Reynolds, is on the lowest peg of the CIA ladder.  The transfer of the legend Frost is the only action he has seen in a year.  The same grizzlies who chased Frost through the streets break into the safe house and go on a killing rampage.  Weston knows the safe house better than anyone and escapes while keeping Frost under custody.  The two are officially on the run from their attackers as they try to make it to another safe house in one piece.

The thing about the CIA is that it is so secretive that coworkers don’t even know each other.  Has the tension grows thicker the less everyone trusts each other.  How can people who have been trained to be ambiguous trust each other enough to crack Frost and keep everyone alive?

The audience is given the perfect amount of information throughout the entire movie: just enough to follow the plot yet in the dark enough to constantly be guessing.  The action starts from the very beginning and does not stop until the credits roll.  There is a large amount of violence in the film, but not the blood and gore kind.  When hand-to-hand combat is peppered with gunfire, it is hard to keep everyone clean and alive.  There is death and violence, but you will not lose your lunch if you are squeamish.

True to form, Washington is exceptional.  He is hard, rough, knowledgeable and sarcastic all at the same time.  His character is complex, a kind of character only the Oscar winner could portray.  Even though Frost is an enemy of the CIA in the beginning of the movie, the audience is cheering for his success by the end.

Weston is not the typical character I would have imagined for Reynolds.  He is overlooked by his superiors and somewhat unsure of himself.  Other critics have put Reynolds down for his performance, but what actor would shine while sharing the screen with Washington?  When looking at Reynolds apart from his all-star counterpart, Reynolds’ role is unlike anything he has played to date.  His performance is not a bore, but definitely not the caliber of Washington.

So, is “Safe House” worth seeing?  Definitely.  It’s thrilling, exciting and full of action.  Once you think you have figured everything out, another wrench is thrown into the mix.  It is a perfect date movie has well.  The guys will enjoy the action, and the women will enjoy watching Reynolds do anything.

Overall grade: A

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