The Real World: Fanshawe pride can have far-reaching results
At the beginning of each new
year, I sit down with the city's
biggest movers and shakers of
industrial-commercial-institutional
property sales. Sounds sexy, I
know, but we always engage ourselves
in lively banter.
For a number of years during this roundtable discussion, we've attempted to define London's true identity. And each year we've determined that in addition to our medical community, our education sector — including Fanshawe College — is one of this city's largest assets.
Fanshawe College has come a long way since its inception as a provincial vocational school boasting just 300 students in 1964. A community college since 1967, Fanshawe housed about 4,500 students when I studied Broadcast Journalism from 1981 to '83. Today, more than 15,000 full-time students and about 40,000 parttime students call Fanshawe College home.
In fact, even though our students arrive from around the globe, London is their home for eight months of the year. And what better opportunity to start networking not only as a Fanshawe College ambassador, but also as a soon-tograduate student armed with a myriad of valuable skills?
Fanshawe Ambassadors
As a Broadcast Journalism student, much of my studies involved interacting with the community as a student reporter — a tradition carried on today by the CIXX-FM news team. A lot of responsibility comes with the territory of being a student reporter. But in fact, each and every Fanshawe College student is a college ambassador.
Just think back to the St. Patrick's Day Fleming Drive riot when searching for Fanshawe's place in the community. Initially, the entire college was painted with the same tainted brush. Thankfully, that is not the case today, as most of the rioters were not Fanshawe students. However, like it or not, as a Fanshawe student you are a college ambassador.
Why not, then, make the most of it? As a Fanshawe student, you hold a special status within the community. Along with Western University students, you pump more than $1.5 billion into the local coffers each year. But your status isn't just about dollars and cents. I need not look any further than my own students in the Corporate Communication and Public Relations (CCPR) postgraduate program in order to see how Fanshawe students give back to the community through fundraising and community service.
During Orientation, Fanshawe Student Union President Zack Dodge, a graduate of the CCPR program, spoke to this year's students about all things Fanshawe. Dodge spoke with great passion about the college (I taught him well), and encouraged the class to engage themselves in the community at large.
's no reason why you should not be promoting your own job skills as you interact with Londoners. The most direct form of interaction involves co-op placement. Here you can grab the spotlight as a potential employee, and can gain some valuable networking opportunities. Remember: everyone you come in contact with is a piece of the networking puzzle, and networking starts now.
Your Own Backyard
Don't overlook the obvious. Consider what social opportunities are available here on campus. For example, Fanshawe College is home to the top intramural and extramural recreation programs amongst any of the Ontario colleges. Whether or not Freddie the Falcon flaps his wings at your skills on the volleyball court is not important. Making new friends is the key. Who knows? Maybe the goaltender on your extramural hockey team will someday soon hire you as a technical advisor for his fledgling software company.
Long gone are the days of graduating, then making an easy transition into the career of your choice. Granted, part of the student experience is blowing off steam at a Richmond Row pub. As a firstyear Fanshawe student, I was known to bend my elbow now and again. These days, a cold beer after a round of golf is the equivalent of letting my hair down. For the most part, that's gone, too.
But as a college student in a highly competitive world, now is the time to start preparing for the real world. I've previously written in this space about the importance of printing business cards now, and the necessity of networking via social media. Next week, I'll write about cover letters, resumes and job interviews.
I recently spoke with a local landlord who likened Fanshawe and Western students to "gypsies. They come and go, and leave their garbage behind."
Just like the Fanshawe students who were involved in the Fleming Drive riot, those students are part of the minority of students who disrespect our community. Each year, thousands of Fanshawe students make this city a better place to live. I know: I've lived here my entire life.
For Fanshawe students, the future is now in terms of establishing a foothold in the business world. Nothing beats a strong work ethic. Build your foundation now, and the transition from student to career professional becomes a much easier one.
Award-winning journalist Jeffrey Reed is a Fanshawe College professor with the Corporate Communication and Public Relations post-graduate program and an instructor with Fanshawe's Continuing Education department. E-mail him at jreed@fanshawec.ca.
For a number of years during this roundtable discussion, we've attempted to define London's true identity. And each year we've determined that in addition to our medical community, our education sector — including Fanshawe College — is one of this city's largest assets.
Fanshawe College has come a long way since its inception as a provincial vocational school boasting just 300 students in 1964. A community college since 1967, Fanshawe housed about 4,500 students when I studied Broadcast Journalism from 1981 to '83. Today, more than 15,000 full-time students and about 40,000 parttime students call Fanshawe College home.
In fact, even though our students arrive from around the globe, London is their home for eight months of the year. And what better opportunity to start networking not only as a Fanshawe College ambassador, but also as a soon-tograduate student armed with a myriad of valuable skills?
Fanshawe Ambassadors
As a Broadcast Journalism student, much of my studies involved interacting with the community as a student reporter — a tradition carried on today by the CIXX-FM news team. A lot of responsibility comes with the territory of being a student reporter. But in fact, each and every Fanshawe College student is a college ambassador.
Just think back to the St. Patrick's Day Fleming Drive riot when searching for Fanshawe's place in the community. Initially, the entire college was painted with the same tainted brush. Thankfully, that is not the case today, as most of the rioters were not Fanshawe students. However, like it or not, as a Fanshawe student you are a college ambassador.
Why not, then, make the most of it? As a Fanshawe student, you hold a special status within the community. Along with Western University students, you pump more than $1.5 billion into the local coffers each year. But your status isn't just about dollars and cents. I need not look any further than my own students in the Corporate Communication and Public Relations (CCPR) postgraduate program in order to see how Fanshawe students give back to the community through fundraising and community service.
During Orientation, Fanshawe Student Union President Zack Dodge, a graduate of the CCPR program, spoke to this year's students about all things Fanshawe. Dodge spoke with great passion about the college (I taught him well), and encouraged the class to engage themselves in the community at large.
's no reason why you should not be promoting your own job skills as you interact with Londoners. The most direct form of interaction involves co-op placement. Here you can grab the spotlight as a potential employee, and can gain some valuable networking opportunities. Remember: everyone you come in contact with is a piece of the networking puzzle, and networking starts now.
Your Own Backyard
Don't overlook the obvious. Consider what social opportunities are available here on campus. For example, Fanshawe College is home to the top intramural and extramural recreation programs amongst any of the Ontario colleges. Whether or not Freddie the Falcon flaps his wings at your skills on the volleyball court is not important. Making new friends is the key. Who knows? Maybe the goaltender on your extramural hockey team will someday soon hire you as a technical advisor for his fledgling software company.
Long gone are the days of graduating, then making an easy transition into the career of your choice. Granted, part of the student experience is blowing off steam at a Richmond Row pub. As a firstyear Fanshawe student, I was known to bend my elbow now and again. These days, a cold beer after a round of golf is the equivalent of letting my hair down. For the most part, that's gone, too.
But as a college student in a highly competitive world, now is the time to start preparing for the real world. I've previously written in this space about the importance of printing business cards now, and the necessity of networking via social media. Next week, I'll write about cover letters, resumes and job interviews.
I recently spoke with a local landlord who likened Fanshawe and Western students to "gypsies. They come and go, and leave their garbage behind."
Just like the Fanshawe students who were involved in the Fleming Drive riot, those students are part of the minority of students who disrespect our community. Each year, thousands of Fanshawe students make this city a better place to live. I know: I've lived here my entire life.
For Fanshawe students, the future is now in terms of establishing a foothold in the business world. Nothing beats a strong work ethic. Build your foundation now, and the transition from student to career professional becomes a much easier one.
Award-winning journalist Jeffrey Reed is a Fanshawe College professor with the Corporate Communication and Public Relations post-graduate program and an instructor with Fanshawe's Continuing Education department. E-mail him at jreed@fanshawec.ca.
