New course orients business students for success
A new Mike Ilitch School of Business course is designed to equip freshmen and transfer students with the study skills needed to be successful at Wayne State, as well as introduce them to university’s resources and the Ilitch School’s Career Planning and Placement services. The one-credit class – BA 1000: Student Success and Career Development for Business – is required for all new students entering the Ilitch School in winter 2018 and later.
The course was offered for the first time this winter and taught by Mary Zinser and Christie Pagel, two academic advisors in the Ilitch School.
“Teaching the course was a lot of fun,” Pagel said. “Students benefited from it in a variety of areas, including developing better study strategies, improving test-taking skills, creating a LinkedIn profile, and beginning to connect with a variety of professionals and companies.”
The class was comprised of mostly freshmen, but also included two seniors, Kiera Woods and Kevin Salter, whose contributions were critical to the overall success of the course, Zinser said.
“The seniors were a great resource for students new to Wayne State because they could provide helpful hints and were able to answer questions from the student angle,” Zinser said. “They were two of our more vocal students, giving a real-world perspective to the challenge of finding a job after college.”
Woods said she was able to share her academic and professional experiences with other students, and give them advice on how to make the most of their time at Wayne State. “I was there with open ears if they had any questions or just wanted to chat about things they’d experienced so far.”
She added that the class taught her about the many resources available to business students, and how important it is to start building a strong academic and professional resume early on.
Now an Ilitch School graduate with a bachelor of science in marketing, Woods said she is glad a class like this is now required for all new business students.
