Center for Career & Leadership Development

At MGA, we believe that career and leadership development begin as soon as you enter college. From day one to graduation, The Center for Career & Leadership Development (CCLD) is here to provide career and professional guidance to all students through innovative, student-centered services, programs, and connection opportunities. Visit our website to access information on career development services, leadership programs, and internships.

To schedule an appointment, students should login to Handshake, select “Career Center” and then “Appointments” to schedule a time to meet virtually or in person at one of our campus locations. The CCLD is comprised of Career Development Services and the Office of Student Leadership Programs and has physical locations on the Macon campus in Student Life Center, Suite 261 and the Cochran campus in Sanford Hall, Suite 112; and Room 1129 on the Eastman campus.

Career Development Services serves students and alumni through individualized in-person and virtual appointments, student organization and classroom presentations, recruitment and networking opportunities, and campus-wide career and professional development programs. Career development services include one-on-one career advising offered in-person and virtually on resume and cover letter writing, career and major exploration, job and internship search, graduate and professional school search, interviewing skills, salary negotiation, networking, and developing a professional brand.

Handshake

All MGA undergraduate and graduate students should activate their Handshake accounts at mga.joinhandshake.com to be able to take full advantage of the services offered by the CCLD. Through Handshake, students can schedule appointments with career advisors, register for career fairs and events, and search a database of over 700,000 employers and graduate schools plus over 10,000 jobs and internships. Student Leadership Program events are also listed in Handshake. Students with activated Handshake accounts received regular email notices of career and leadership events, programs, and opportunities.

Career Benchmarks for All Students

Prior to graduation, all MGA students are expected to use the CCLD’s resources to

• Discover Your Path: Activate your Handshake account and complete career assessments and research careers through the Career Planning Resource page.
• Communicate Your Brand: Learn how to communicate your employability skills through your resume, online career profiles, and interviewing and networking situations.
• Build A Network: Develop professional connections through career fairs, the Student Leadership Conference, professional events, and alumni connections via LinkedIn. Locate jobs, internships, and connection opportunities via Handshake.
• Gain Experience: Develop skills through hands on experiences. These may include internships, student leadership programs, community service, student research, and on and off campus jobs. To explore internship opportunities, schedule an appointment with a career advisor at least three months before you plan to do one.
• Pursue Your Goals: Nine months prior to your expected graduation, it’s time to develop and implement a job or graduate school search plan. You’ll have access to career advisors as you apply, interview, and decide on opportunities. The semester you graduate, you will also complete the First Destination Survey to let us know your plans for after graduation.

Student Leadership Programs serve current students through specialized leadership development programs, campus-wide conferences, and individualized student consultations. Knights LEAD provides first-year students with the opportunity to develop and apply career competencies through case studies, service projects, a corporate tour, and an optional living learning community. Students at the sophomore level and above can participate in Emerging Leaders. Students interested in Knights LEAD & Emerging Leaders should sign-up by the first week of classes in order to participate in the fall kick-off sessions in August. Returning MGA students who are interested in a hands-on leadership opportunity after completing Knights LEAD and Emerging Leaders can go on to participate in the iLEAD Peer Educators program. iLEAD Peer Educators are selected through an application and interview process during the summer. Students who complete at least two years of the Student Leadership Programs receive a graduation honor cord. Students who complete three or more years are recognized on the perpetual plaque located in the CCLD. The CCLD also hosts a free Student Leadership Conference each spring that is open to any MGA student, including those who are not in a specific student leadership program. These programs prepare you for leading your peers within student and civic organizations, which in turn, makes you more prepared for the leadership roles you will pursue in your future career.

Internships are an integral part of preparing for your chosen career. Students who are interested in completing either a for-credit or not-for-credit internship should begin their search early since many large companies will recruit and hire in the fall for summer internships. To begin your search, use Handshake to schedule an appointment with a career advisor at least three months before your want to start an internship. From there, we will work with you to develop a search plan that typically includes career fairs, networking activities, faculty connections, LinkedIn, Handshake, and other methods specific for your industry.

Career Development Internship Program. Beginning fall 2024, students who are participating in non-credit internships can also get the experience recognized on their transcript. Students must register their internship and complete other course requirements with the CCLD in order for the internship to be recorded. To register your internship, submit the required information to

by the last day of drop/add during the first session of the semester you are completing the internship.

Internship Honor Cord. Students who report their for-credit or non-credit internship through Handshake Experiences and complete a reflection appointment with a career advisor are eligible to receive an internship honor cord. Students who complete all aspects of the Career Development Internship Program are automatically eligible for the honor cord.