A foreign culture, a new language and an entirely different set of job expectations.
For some students at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s (FDU) Vancouver campus, the journey to a new country and career path can be the dictionary definition of culture shock.
Support beyond academics
But a dedicated team of FDU Vancouver staff members work almost exclusively to make those new experiences as seamless as possible – whether that be in the classroom, in their personal lives or as they transition out of school and into the workforce.
Take Kira Straesser as a primary example.
A career services advisor with FDU’s Vancouver campus, Straesser’s international experience as both a student and professional enriches her approach and enables her to provide compassionate and culturally aware support.
Straesser works closely with the Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) team to ensure a comprehensive approach to career development and employer outreach, fostering career prospects and professional growth for FDU students.
Her days are filled with everything from providing interview tips, fostering opportunities to connect with employers, building a personal brand, growing a professional network or even selecting the right clothes for a job interview.
“You can easily train someone in a new skill like Excel but employers are looking for soft skills: troubleshooting, problem-solving skills and thinking outside of the box,” Straesser says. “I help our students work on those skill sets, develop action plans and guide them towards understanding the needs of employers here in Canada.”
Picture Straesser as a conduit between her students and the businesses those students hope to work for. She organizes job fairs, hiring events and creates opportunities for students to connect with industry professionals.
But there’s also the harder-to-quantify assistance that Straesser specializes in. That could be calming a person’s nerves down before a critical interview or establishing the FDU Career Closet, which provides students access to professional attire free of charge.
“When they find clothing that they feel comfortable with, both their body language and facial expressions change so much,” Straesser says. “It's so fun to watch how they leave the process as though they’re standing two feet taller.”
Bridging academics and careers
Like Straesser, Pete Moores is a catalyst for connection and creativity.
Moores serves as the university’s WIL coordinator, where he connects students with experiential learning opportunities to bridge the gap between academics and professional fields.
It’s a role that sees Moores facilitate internships and relationships with local employers; he assists students with resumes, interview prep and workplace confidence; tracks employment agreements; and supports student progress to ensure smooth integration across the board.
Like many FDU students, Moores came to Vancouver from abroad with no connections. When he sees students who are homesick, unsure of themselves or simply stressed, he takes an empathetic and holistic approach to right the ship linking students with the appropriate support services or simply having a chat.
“Sometimes a student might have three or four interviews and the process can be super stressful – they're kind of wondering ‘what are the next steps?’” Moores says.
“So, I listen to them, understand what's going on and find opportunities to be proactive and supportive throughout the process. It is so exciting for me to see a student develop holistically, excel and go out into the workforce.”
Learn more about how FDU’s Vancouver campus supports students every step of the way by visiting www.fdu.edu/campuses/vancouver-campus/.
