High style combined with high function

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Career Center features a fresh new look and greater functionality, thanks to the generosity of an alumna trustee. Renovations to the center’s first-floor location in West Building, made possible by the financial support of Linda Koch Lorimer ’74 and her husband, Charley Ellis, were completed in time for the start of spring term.

“The center embodies an up-to-date, smooth-flowing, classic business atmosphere, while at the same time feeling very cheerful, inviting, and engaging,” said Career Center Director Ashley Glenn.

While new furniture, artwork, and wall colors give the center warmth (thanks to the design expertise of Elaine Stephenson ’83), the latest technology offers students access to a wide range of career-related activities and resources. In the reception area, visitors can get interview advice, tips on business etiquette, and other valuable information to assist them in a job or internship search by watching original programming produced by CareerSpots.com. In another part of the center, students have access to personal computers where they can conduct career research. A third area is dedicated to presentations and workshops that incorporate video support, and another room is set up for students to participate in online job and internship interviews via Skype.

“The renovations truly brought us into this century and we are grateful for the contributions that made them possible,” said Glenn.

The improvements build upon the comprehensive array of services the Career Center already provides, including career counseling, assessment tools, and access to Hollins’ Career Advising Network, a worldwide group of alumnae, friends, and parents who are willing to speak to students about career-planning strategies and answer questions about their own professional development and the job market in their particular cities.