Homepage > FIU Students' Testimonials

Testimonial - Lemar Tyson White (formerly Linton)

June 14, 2006

Hi BBC Team:

Well I have my Accounting position lined up since last year (2005) thanks to the help of the staff at the Biscayne Bay Campus Career Services (specificially Claudia, Donna and Elliot). I graduated in Spring 2006 with my Bachelor of Accounting with a second major in Intl. Business but I was just sitting at home, doing nothing since my job doesn't start until September. I popped on Career Services Golden panther services link, searched for a job and found one that I was interested in.

Using the information these three (3) individuals had provided me with regarding adapting my resume to suit the position I am applying for - I was able to create a totally new resume for a teaching position (teaching English and Accounting). I applied for the job on a Thursday, sent off my resume with the application, got a response the Friday from the employer (phone interview) and started working that Monday. Your online tips on phone interviews really helped also, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THAT! So now I not only have my full-time job waiting in September, but I am keeping myself occupied for the summer, making money, and impacting the lives of many students. THANKS CAREER SERVICES!

Best Regards,

Lemar Tyson White (formerly Linton)
Bachelor of Accounting
Florida International University 2006

FIU Golden Panther FOR LIFE!

Testimonial - Melvis Oramas

June 26, 2006

Hello Ivette,

I have passed by the career center a few times, but I have not had the chance to bump into you. I wanted to thank you very much for helping me get that internship at the City of Doral. When I started the internship I was put in a position that was currently opened and the City was supposed to hire an individual to fill in that spot. After a short while I was encouraged to apply for the position and, this past Monday was my first official day as the Building Official's Administrative Assistance. I cannot thank you enough for recommending me to Jorleen and the City. I am learning so much about the practices in my field of study: Master's in Public Administration.

Once again, I cannot tell you how happy I am and it is all thanks to your help and dedication.

Take care,
Melvis Oramas

Testimonial - Megan Knight

Summer 2006

Dear Mrs. Myers,

You and I spoke at the Business Etiquette Dinner, which I applaud again. I mentioned my interest in writing a brief testimony about the influence of the Career Service Center on my life, and so I wrote the following.

Before I took advantage of the services offered through FIU’s Career Service Center, I definitely felt intimidated by the world awaiting me at graduation. Without a strong resume, strategies for finding a potential job, and resources to land that job, I knew I couldn’t compete very well, but I couldn’t imagine where to begin. Career Services make this personal transformation a cinch! They really know how to relate to the student’s schedule and more importantly how to target the student’s needs. This is by far the best used energy I have spent here at FIU. Because of the Career Service Center, I feel 100% more confident in my ability to present myself to future employers such that I am someone they want on their team! Thanks Career Services!!

Sincerely,
Megan Knight
Biology Major

Testimonial - Juan Mendoza

During my internship experience here at Merrill Lynch, I made lots of contact with the financial advisors, and was assigned interesting projects to complete directly relating to my field of study. All the materials relating to diversification and allocation of assets taught to us by our professors came alive in a real world scenario with hands on instruction by the staff at the Merrill Lynch office.

It was a demanding experience in that the more interesting and challenging projects were not handed to you along with a set of instructions. The advisors were extremely occupied servicing the needs of their clients, so the intern must show initiative and ambition by requesting special projects. Once assigned these projects, it was very rewarding in that you use the tools taught to you at FIU when making financial decisions on real peoples accounts.

Name: Juan Mendoza
Major: Finance

Testimonial - Carlos E. Velazco

Hello Dana,

I would like to thank the staff and the advisors of the Career Service Office, you all have been of a tremendous help to me and to the students at FIU and especially the students of the College of Business. Since Dean Elam paid for the business students to have the golden panther service it has given students like me the opportunity to enjoy the services that the Career Service Office offers from resume critique, to etiquette dinner, to workshop and more.

All of this services has giving me the opportunity to grow as a college student and it has help me become a more qualify candidate to compete against students from other prestigious University for ajob. Career services helped to apply to companies like Black & Decker, Burger King, Target, Progressive, GE, IBM and more. I was lucky to receive six offers from the eight companies that I apply for. The expectations that I had from the Career Services Office were surpassed by there professional and friendly service that they gave !

I consider the employees of the career services not just a university employee but a friend. Thank you for everything.

Cordially,

Carlos E. Velazco
Expected graduation May 2, 2006

Testimonial - Sonja Clarke (This testimonial has been shortened - click here for full version)

Good Morning Helen,

How are you doing? This is Sonja Clarke; a few months ago (March to be exact) I came to your office seeking help regarding an interview in Washington DC for the government. When I was offered the position I sent you the email below listing links to government jobs, internships, fellowships and scholarships.

I promise to send you more information once I was settled in my new job.

Well I am here; living and working in the Washington DC area. I have a real nice apartment 20 minutes north of Bethesda, Maryland. I received a discount because I am a National Institutes of Health (NIH) employee....10% makes a difference between $929 per month and $882. I commute to work via the subway and it's not so bad.

The federal government has been really great!!!!

Testimonial - Adriana De La Torre (Electrical Engineer)

Dear Ms. Duarte and Ms. Godfrey,

I have no words to thank you and Career Services for all the help it has provided me with to find an opportunity with the company I want to work for within my field for many years to come. Through Career Services I learned about the BellSouth’s Co-op programs and I was able to be part of one of them this Spring 2006; while at it, the school’s database [PantherLink] informed me about an opening at GE Consumer and Industrial where I was hired this month as a Sales Engineer Specialist.

I am extremely proud of the work FIU does helping students with their career goals. It could be quite difficult to enter the work market in this competitive world but when you are guided through the right paths the task becomes much simpler and that is exactly where Career Services took its role.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

Adriana De La Torre
Major: Electrical Engineer
Graduation Date: Fall 200

Testimonial - Leandro Margulis (Industrial and Systems Engineering)

My name is Leandro Margulis and I am a Senior student of Industrial and Systems Engineering here at FIU.

I was always interested on what the companies had to say so I went to their presentations organized by Career Services. There was one about GE where I left my resume at the end. A couple weeks later, a recruiter called me to schedule an on-campus interview for an Operations Management internship.

I had the interview at the Career Services office in the main campus, and the next day I got a call from the recruiter and there I was!! getting a summer internship before anyone else, in my field of study and in an awesome company!

In addition to that, once I came back I was looking for a local internship while finshing school. I went online to the Career Services website and I found an internship at Oracle, here in Miami!

After two interview rounds I was in :) I was working part-time while finishing my studies!

I could not have gotten any of these internships without the help of Helen Godfrey an Advisor in the Career Services Office.

Thank you for helping us truly develop in our areas of interest!

Testimonial - My Internship with HACU

My placement was at the Kansas City Commodity Office, United States Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency. At this office I got to see the purchase of all types of food for poor countries, disaster relief, school lunch programs; and the transportation of it within the U.S. and other countries. We worked closely with USAID.

This was the best internship experience I have ever had. I learned so much for my career and in my personal life. This was truly an internship that was taken seriously by the employer, unlike other internships I have completed, because my supervisors cared how my experience would be. Learning as much as possible was always a priority, and I was always exposed to everything, even duties and tasks that only high positions are responsible for. By that I mean I got to see all of that, supervised of course, but at least I know what that job at the commodity office entails. The staff was surprisingly nice, I couldn’t have wished for more. Going to Washington for the orientation was an extra treat, which I enjoyed a great deal.

I think it was one of my best decisions to commit to the internship. And this decision I couldn’t have made without Career Services of FIU. It is a great perk of being a student here, and everybody should take advantage of it. It could make a big difference in what position you get.

Linda L

Testimonial - Mayling Ganuza (Public Relations)

Hi Claudia--

All my time walking in and out of the Career Services office has finally
paid off: Frommer's Guides has hired me as a travel writer to work on their new series, MTV Guides, and is sending me to Spain and Portugal later this
summer!

I saw the job listing on MTVu, which is shown throughout campus, and went
into the Career Services office to have my resume and cover letter
critiqued. Jesse reviewed my work, she was very sweet and helpful.

I just wanted to say thanks to you and your staff for the great services you
provide!

Cheers,

Mayling Ganuza

*I'll send you a postcard from the beaches of Ibiza!

Testimonial - Vanessa Dominguez (Accounting)

Hi. My name is Vanessa Dominguez and I just graduated from FIU in the spring with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.

For three years, I worked for a medical education company as an administrative assistant, where I assisted a leading oncologist and multiple physicians in the production of cancer research publications. I also worked closely with the controller on various financial and accounting duties. I truly enjoyed working there because I learned so much about the field of oncology, but in the fall of 2004, I felt it was time for a change. I wanted to gain more experience in accounting, preferably taxation, before I graduated from FIU. I then joined Beta Alpha Psi, the accounting honor society, because of the networking opportunities and their close relationship with Career Services.

Once I signed up with Career Services, I went to a mock interview where I was critiqued on my interviewing skills. After the mock interview, I felt confident and prepared for the actual interviews with the accounting firms. Through Beta Alpha Psi and Career Services, I was exposed to many different accounting firms and was able to interview with them on campus. Luckily, I landed a tax internship with PricewaterhouseCoopers during the spring of 2005. I had a wonderful experience interning in PwC’s tax department. I was able to complete tax returns of high net worth individuals and I also had the chance to work on big clients, like the Miami Heat. My internship with PwC gave me a feel for what working for a big accounting firm in the field of taxation is really like. I absolutely loved it! Everyone I worked with was kind and helpful. I was offered a second tax internship during the spring of 2006 and I cannot wait to go back.

Without the help of Career Services, I would not have gotten the exposure needed to obtain an internship with such a prestigious accounting firm. Career Services offers an array of resources to prepare students for recruitment and they provide many opportunities for exposure to potential employers.

Thank you Career Services for all your help!

Sincerely,
Vanessa Dominguez

Testimonial - Yanil Flandez (International Relations)

Hello Ivette,

my name is Yanil Flandez...Don't know if you remember me.. i went to your office looking for an International Relations Internship and also a marketing internship like 2 months ago. I just wanted to let you know that in fact i did get an internship with Sony Pictures here in Miami Beach...i am very excited, today is my first day at work and I just wanted to let you know that i was the only fIU STUDENT THAT GOT THE INTERNSHIP! not one of the UM students that had applied got it. I am very happy to know that because it shows that big cooorporations don't care about the school that you go to but instead of your knowledge and attitude towards things. It is a marketing and advertising ineternship that you had posted in the system like two months ago. I just wanted to thank you because your help. I am very glad that you are our internship advisor. Well just wanted to let you know!

Thank you !

Have a wonderful day!

Yanil Flandez

Testimonial - Cristian Fonseca (Accounting)

Hi Ivette

I just wanted to let you know that I have submitted the intership form but I got a Full time position with Grant Thornton. The form has been designed for people who actually got an internship. I just wanted to point this out to you, I am so happy that I got this offer and I have to thank the staff at Career Services for all the help your department provides. Please make sure you tell your people about it.

Thanks,
Cristian Fonseca

Testimonial - Karl Frater (Electrical Engineering)

Hi Helen,

I just wanted to let you know that I got the Job with FPL in their Nuclear Division at Turkey Point. I must personally say thanks to you as that STAR advice did wonders for me. It's amazing, it made me more comfortable in the interview as I knew I was "well armed". They invited a group of us to dinner and I was personally told that they like my energy. I don't know if you remember , but you told me the same thing and that telling a story did it for me as "a picture is worth a thousand words"

Thanks again
Karl Frater

Testimonial - Lorrain Thomas (Management)

My first class on Saturday morning was proceeding as expected. Little did I know that we were to have a visitor who would bring information that was to impact my career in a positive way. Dana DellaCamera came to visit the students of the MSHRM class. She spoke to us at length about the services offered by Career Services and even brought a few job postings.

A few listings caught my interest but as an international student I knew there were restrictions. I sought Dana’s advice later that week and with her help I applied for three internship positions. Less than six weeks later I secured a position at Sofitel Miami as an HR Assistant and although I was only with Sofitel for 2 months, the experience was invaluable. I am now at Ryder Systems as a Compensation Intern for Summer 2005. The experience of these two internships will go a far way in shaping my career.

I couldn’t have done this without the help of Dana and the Career Services team at University Park. Thanks guys!!

Lorrain Thomas

Testimonial - Jackie Nwaiwu (Marketing)

My name is Jackie Nwaiwu and currently I am a full-time student majoring in Marketing and minoring in Spanish. From an early age, I have always wanted to work in the Entertainment Industry, but did not know how to get my foot in the door. As a teenager, I got involved in a touring theatre company in my native Minnesota, with the hopes of gaining experience and networking. Unfortunately, after 2 years of acting and performing, my parents dissuaded me from pursuing an unpredictable future in the Entertainment Industry.

So, I went off to college in Miami and started to pursue a degree in Marketing. I still had my dream alive in my heart, but I decided to realize my dream through a different angle: the business aspect of entertainment. As weeks turned into months, and months into semesters, I realized that the only way I was going get experience in the business aspect of the industry, was for me to get an internship. I began the quest for a great internship on my own, and yet with all the search I was doing, I was lost. I quickly remembered the FIU Career Services. So the very next day, I went to make an appointment with Ivette Duarte. As I entered into her office, I was introduced to Dana DellaCamera, a new Internship Coordinator at the time.

Both Ms. Duarte and Ms. DellaCamera were extremely helpful, and provided me with numerous internship opportunities available on the Career Services web site. Some of the openings were in the Entertainment Industry and some were not. I carefully reviewed each opportunity, until I got to the U> Mun2 internship. I was ecstatic! The program prided itself on providing real work experience and not being a personal assistant or gopher. Finally there was an internship available where I didn’t have to make copies or file papers or make someone’s coffee!!! I immediately called to inquire about the internship.

After a resume critique by the office, I sent it to the Internship Coordinator at Mun2 and shortly after I had my interview. On December 22, 2004, I was emailed that I landed the internship with Mun2 TV!!! The internship is for the duration of Spring 2005, and so far I am learning a lot about the industry! As an intern for Mun2 TV, I promote different events and programs shown on the network through online guerilla postings and distributing flyers. In addition to that, the U>crew members or the interns have the opportunity to watch tapings of shows like “Fuzion” and “Nuevas Voces de America”. I also participate in various promotional events and research projects.

I am forever indebted to the Career Services staff, especially Ms. DellaCamera because throughout this internship process, she was supportive and gave me excellent tips on resume writing and interviewing skills. I really appreciated the consistent and personal attention she gave and continues to give me. Ms. DellaCamera truly went above and beyond her job description!
Thank you.

Sincerely,
Jacqueline Nwaiwu

Testimonial - Joshua Rey (Television Production)

Hi!

My name is Joshua Rey and I'm a sophomore at FIU, majoring in Television Production.

This semester I am a Production Assistant intern for WIOD NewsRadio 610's Miami Heat coverage. I found out about the internship through the PantherLink NewsWire and I'm forever grateful. I get to attend the Heat home games, record Coach Van Gundy's press conferences, interview players in the locker room and edit the audio for playback on the morning news. And this March I get to do the same thing at the Nasdaq-100 Open tennis tournament.

In essence, I'm getting credit to watch sports, work with the media and have fun.

Thanks Career Services!

- Josh

Testimonial - Jaymee Ruiz (Health Services Admin)

My name is Jaymee Ruiz and I am currently a full time student at FIU. During the last weeks of December 2004 I found myself in an unfortunate dilemma. Since September of 2004 I had been employed as an administrative assistant at the office of a plastic surgeon. The experience was wonderful, but it was only temporary, and I found myself on the search again. I decided this would be the perfect opportunity to begin looking into internships and other employment opportunities that were adequate for both my schedule and my level of professional experience. I began my search on my own using the usual job search engines, CareerBuilder.com and Monster.com; however I found that they were not of much assistance. In a bind, I realized that I had all the resources I needed right at my finger tips.

Currently I am a member of the Honors College at FIU. I recalled on the Career Services presentation that Dana DellaCamera delivered to the Honors College members at the beginning of the Fall 2004 semester. I immediately decided to visit Career Services at GC 230 to get further informed as to the services available to me. The ladies up front were helpful and they began to explain to me the advantages of becoming a member of Golden Panther Services. I joined and one week later met with Ms. DellaCamera who beautifully edited my resume and informed me of various internship and employment opportunities. At our meeting she printed out one employment opportunity in particular for a position as an instructor at The Prentice Hall which is an academy who provides intensive preparation for standardized tests such as the SAT’s, ACT’s, FCAT, and graduate level testing.

I believe it will prove to be a challenging and rewarding experience. I begin in February when I will begin training; and though it is not pertinent, the pay is very good. I would like to thank Career Services for all their assistance and kindness.

Sincerely,
Jaymee Ruiz