Christine Sizemore:
A Role Model for the Next Carson Coug

During her senior year, Christine Sizemore (’18 MIS) was highly regarded by her peers as someone they could turn to for networking advice. Her résumé certainly reflects that of someone who excels at interpersonal communications. She served as a lead Carson College student ambassador; member of the business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi, serving one year as vice chancellor of the fraternity and one year as vice chancellor of the college’s chapter Omicron Psi; vice president of the management information systems club; and teaching assistant for MIS 250.

One might even say Sizemore was the perfect role model for The Next Carson Coug (TNCC), a newly implemented blueprint for transforming WSU business education and for offering the best program in the Pacific Northwest. The initiative is a promise to complement the college’s historic strengths—technical skills, a work ethic, and a spirit of community rooted in WSU’s mission—with a new focus on the professional skills needed to be competitive in tomorrow’s business world.

Career networking and professional development are vital components in the TNCC curriculum. While some people seem to have a natural ability to strike up a conversation with a stranger, for others, networking can be an anxiety-inducing experience. That was certainly the case for Sizemore, a presales engineer at Dell Technologies Inc.

“I attended an informational session for Microsoft my sophomore year, and I actually left early and ran to the bathroom and cried because I was so scared to talk with them,” she says.

Fortunately, the Carson Center for Student Success provides many resources and networking opportunities that help build networking skills.

“The Carson Center services have helped me a lot in growing my network and personal growth, specifically with helping me build confidence,” says Sizemore.

Student-Focused, Professional Services

The Carson Center for Student Success is the hub for TNCC programming and a premier resource for academic advising and career services for business students. The center’s team helps students, like Sizemore, succeed both academically and professionally through the many opportunities and resources offered through the center.

“I thought I would never be able to network to become a business person, but through the support from Carson Center staff, the college’s faculty, and professional events, my confidence grew and so did my interviewing and networking skills from practicing in a safe environment,” says Sizemore.

Sizemore landed internships with Costco Wholesale and Dell EMC, a subsidiary of Dell Inc.

“I believe my internships were a result of using the Carson Center’s wonderful career counseling services to help refine my résumé and LinkedIn profile. I would highly encourage any student to get help from this talented team,” she says.

She also encourages every business student to fully utilize Carson Center services and explore as many professional development and career networking events as possible. “Get to know the staff,” she says. “They really care about helping students. When they hear about a cool opportunity, they let students know.”