To sophomore journalism major Tosha Chavez, her academic advisor at the Center for Advising and Career Development office is like her fairy godmother.

Chavez said she goes to the CACD every week to do homework and receive tutoring.

“Even if they don’t have the resources you need, they will tell you where to go,” she said.

Since 2008, the center has been aiding students in multiple facets of their education and life after college.

“The best benefit of the CACD is just the advice you get,” freshman pre-medicine major Karla Martinez said. “We are all students, we never stop learning and we never stop needing advice.”

Martinez is currently enrolled in the UCOLL leadership class, the curriculum of which is designed by the CACD. The course is geared toward academic success of incoming students and is among one of many UCOLL courses hosted by the CACD.

It is important for freshman and sophomores to understand the importance of preparing for the future academically, said Christie Motley, assistant director of career and employer relations.

Director of the CACD Terese King said academic assistance is a major service offered by the CACD.

According to King, the center offers drop-in tutoring Mon- Fri in the CACD and night tutoring held in the residence halls Regents, Gannon-Goldsworthy, Streit and  Stephenson Down- Under.

Tutoring is free for all students, and tutoring schedules are available online.

The CACD offers more than tutoring, with in-house advisors for both academics and career development.

Academic and Career Advisor Becca Prescott said she is an unbiased professional students can talk to about practically anything.

“I’m impacting them in helping them realize their own goals rather than telling them what they need to do. It’s a cooperative relationship,” said Prescott.

One of the biggest events hosted by the CACD is the biannual career exposition.

On Oct. 1 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Beasley Coliseum will be packed to the brim with more than 250 employers from across the nation seeking to recruit, King said.

Motley said a diverse menu of employers from Boeing to Target will be in attendance along with recruiters for internship opportunities and master’s degree programs.

The biggest misconception about the expo is the type of majors recruiters are looking for, Motley said. Despite being hosted by the College of Engineering and Architecture, students of all majors are encouraged to come to the exposition.

 “These employers want students across all majors. Keep an open mind,” Motley said. “If you’re interested in a company, go talk to them even if you don’t think you have a chance, because you do.”

King said the real benefit of utilizing the services provided by the CACD is allowing employers to see students as a potential part of their company.

“We are helping students explore ways to make themselves more marketable,” King said.

The CACD offers an array of career-related services for students to prepare for life after college including career counseling, on campus-interviewing programs and wellbeing workshops, she said. These services give students the opportunity to learn resume building, mock interviews and etiquette lessons on professional dress and approaching employers.   

Motley said not to forget about CougLink, an online resource to aid in job searching that all WSU students can access.

King said it is very important that students come to the exposition prepared in order to feel comfortable and confident.

A week prior to the exposition, the center offers preparation workshops on how to research and select employers of interest, create a 30 second introduction, benchmark a starting salary, and other topics. The pre-expo workshops will run Sep. 24 – 30.  

“Those students that have a plan of action are the students that almost always find employment after graduation,” King said.