"Backpack to Briefcase is about helping students make a clean transition from college into their professional lives."

-Jeremy Mishler, assistant director of Alumni Relations

Technical proficiency is no longer enough to satisfy employers according to a 1999 report by Public Sector Consultants, Inc. Business and industry leaders quoted in the report agree, "employability skills such as the ability to communicate well, interpersonal skills, good work habits, and personal initiative are more important than technical skills such as math and computer abilities."

Ferris students have the opportunity to acquire those skills by attending the second annual "Backpack to Briefcase" series. In this September to March event co-sponsored by the Offices of Alumni Relations, Career Services and Residential Life, alumni speakers share advice with Ferris students who are beginning their journey to professionalism. "Backpack to Briefcase is about helping students make a clean transition from college into their professional lives," said Jeremy Mishler, assistant director of Alumni Relations.

Alumnus Jason Mitchell (B'97), a Certified Public Accountant with BDO Seidman in Grand Rapids, understands that the interview process reveals a great deal about the level of a candidate's "soft skills." His presentation, "Initial Interviewing Techniques," covers the interview process, proper dress, mannerisms and speech. "It was only two years ago that I was beginning the transitioning process, and I remember all too well what a complex process it was," Mitchell said.

Students who attended Linda Meeuwenberg's session, "Understanding Yourself & Others," were broken into groups by personality. Meeuwenberg, president of Professional Development Association and a professor in FSU's College of Allied Health, administered a brief personal profile to identify each student's most predominant behavior style (dominant, influential, steady, or conscientious).

Matthew Poinsett, a sophomore from Grand Blanc, believes knowing himself a little better will help him work more effectively with others. "I thought the test was fairly accurate. I'm an ‘influential' personality, and I was originally in the Pre-Pharmacy program. It felt too narrow and constricting, so I changed my major to Business Administration and am much more comfortable with this choice."