Kellogg Co. and Consumers Credit Union honored by business career center

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—The Haworth College of Business Career Center will honor the Kellogg Co. with the first Premier Partner of the Year award and Consumers Credit Union with the first Employer of the Year award at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23, in Harrison-Stinson Hall on Western Michigan University’s campus.

Both companies are active partners in student programming through the career center, participating in a number of events designed to help students launch their first professional careers.

These inaugural awards highlight employers who go above and beyond to assist students in their development as young professionals.

Kellogg Co.

Kellogg is an active partner in the career center's Premier Partner Program, where several employers contribute time, expertise and resources, sponsoring a variety of career education programs that promote student career development.

The Premier Partner of the Year Award recognizes the Premier Partner that has had the most significant impact on student development and support through volunteerism during the previous academic year.

Kellogg was involved in more than 35 different business career events in the 2014-15 academic year, including Business Career Day, Integrated Supply Management Career Night, Sales and Business Marketing Career Night, the Externship Program, Resume Critique Day, Practice Interview Day, the BBA Orientation Employer Panel, the Women in Leadership Conference and the Food Marketing Conference.

Additionally, Kellogg regularly posts both internship and full-time job opportunities with WMU, recruiting many employees from the business college.

Recently, the need to renovate lounges in the business learning community, which is housed in Harrison-Stinson Hall, was identified. The business learning community is a social, collaborative and engaging living space where business students live together and benefit from social and professional programming.

Kellogg again stepped in to support business students at WMU. The company committed to refurbishing the large lounge, which includes a common space with attached kitchen. The lounge space is used for relaxation as well as connection among the students in the residence hall, including those of the business learning community.

Kellogg’s donation supplied fresh paint and new upholstery for furniture. Additions to the lounge include a mural of the history of the Kellogg Co. and etchings of Kellogg characters and brands on the glass in the space. The company also plans to stock the kitchen with Kellogg snacks for students during final exams.

"We are so grateful to Kellogg for their support of business students from the first year through senior year," says Geralyn Heystek, director of the business career center. "Because of Kellogg’s proximity to WMU, recruiters Shaughn Coyer and Niki Tyner are on campus regularly during recruiting season and support developmental events like the Business Externship program, Practice Interview Day and Business Bash, as well as networking events such as career fairs. We value the Kellogg Co. and its many contributions to student success."

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the lounge space will also take place on Sept. 23, following the presentation of the Premier Partner of the Year award by Dean Kay Palan. Following the ribbon cutting, Kellogg will host a Pop-Tart bar for students in Harrison-Stinson Hall.

For more information on the Premier Partnership Program through the Haworth College of Business Career Center, visit wmich.edu/business/career/partners.

Consumers Credit Union

Active in more than 15 business career events during the past year, Consumers Credit Union, the Employer of the Year award recipient, is always willing to lend support to student professional development programming.

The Employer of the Year Award recognizes the organization that has had the most significant impact on student development and support through volunteerism during the previous academic year.  

Consumers Credit Union played an active role in the MBA Mentor Program, Business Career Day, Career Fair, Mini Career Olympics, Business Etiquette Dinner, Practice Interview Day, the Women in Leadership Conference, Business Externship Program, LinkedIn Photography and Resume Critique Day, among other programs. The company also attended several recruitment events.

"We often joked with Steve Dykstra, 9th Street office manager at Consumers Credit Union, that he was with us so much last year that we were going to assign him his own office in the career center, and we are absolutely thrilled to be able to honor the company with this award," says Heystek. "Shawn Premer, chief human resources officer at Consumers Credit Union, has worked diligently to make this a beneficial partnership for both the students and their organization."

Consumers Credit Union has also made a commitment to refurbish the TV lounge in Harrison-Stinson Hall.

For more information on employer services and programs through the career center, visit wmich.edu/business/career/employers.

For more news, arts and events, visit wmich.edu/news.