Career Center workshop brings networking, diversity together

Networking and diversity are two hot topics among college students.

The Career Development Center will hold a workshop titled “Diversify Your Options” to promote both of these issues. Students will get the opportunity to work in small group settings and to engage in personal conversations with prospective employers toward the end of the evening.

The event, largely based on the importance of promoting diversity in the workplace, will be from 7 to 9:30 p.m. today in the Flame Room in McNutt Quad.

“I think diversity is an extremely important topic on this campus and is an integral part of a successful organization,” said junior Kelly Moeller, networking nights intern for the Career Development Center.

Students will be able to meet with employers for a fast-paced networking opportunity. Employers attending the event include Target, General Mills, Cook Medical, the CIA, the Social Security Administration, the Boys and Girls Club of Bloomington, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis and Teach for America.

The participating employers are committed to giving their position on diversity initiatives and raising awareness about their take on diversity among employees, said Crystal Smith, senior assistant director of university relations.

“I feel that Indiana University is really invested in diversity,” Smith said. “I enjoy the fact that we can communicate with a lot of multicultural organizations, as well as being able to promote the importance of diversity.”

The event will focus on the employers’ specific goals and efforts to recruit and maintain members of underrepresented populations.

“Working for an organization that strives for diversity within the workplace is particularly important to me because I think that when working as a member of a team, the best final product is a result of people with a variety of backgrounds and personal experiences,” Moeller said.