Center for Career & Leadership Development

The Center for Career & Leadership Development (CCLD) provides innovative, student-centered career, leadership, and professional development programs and services that prepare and empower students to identify, build, and articulate career and leadership competencies needed to be successful in a competitive, global marketplace. Using best practices from the student affairs profession, we address the holistic needs of students and collaborate with faculty, staff, employers, graduate programs, and community leaders to ensure post-graduation success.


Career Development Services

Through these services, we support students and alumni through individualized in-person and virtual appointments, student organization and classroom presentations, recruitment and networking opportunities, and campus-wide career and professional development programs.  Learn more about our career and professional development services.

Student Leadership Programs

Leadership is an important part of your career preparedness.  To provide an opportunity for you to build the leadership skills you will need for serving within your profession and the community, we offer specialized leadership development programs, campus-wide conferences, and individualized student consultations. At MGA, you have the opportunity to participate in three signature student leadership programs:  Knights LEAD, Emerging Leaders, and iLEAD Peer Educators.  Through these programs, we strive to retain, engage, and develop students into leaders for campus, civic, and professional life. Students who participate in these programs obtain valuable professional experiences and are prepared to compete in a global economy and society.  Learn more about our Student Leadership Programs and how to participate.

Scheduling Career Advising Appointments

We ask that all students and alumni schedule appointments via Handshake in order to meet with a career advisor virtually or in-person on the Macon or Cochran campuses.  Click here for a detailed set of instructions.  To schedule your appointment, follow these steps:

  1. Activate your Handshake account at mga.joinhandshake.com with your MGA email. 
  2. Login and go to "Career Center" and select "Appointments."  You can also use this direct link as long as you have activated your Handshake account.
  3. Next you will be prompted to select your category and then your primary reason for scheduling an appointment.
  4. If you are doing a virtual appointment, the appointment will be in Microsoft Teams, not Handshake.  Check your email for a message from the career advisor with the Teams link meeting.  You should also download the Teams app to your mobile device or computer.  
  5. If you're in the Student Leadership Programs or have questions about joining, you can also schedule appointments via Handshake.  

Quick Career & Leadership Links

 

 

Student and Employers:  Connect with Handshake

We use Handshake to post all job and internship opportunities as well as career fairs and career events to MGA students and alumni.  New students should activate their MGA Handshake account with their MGA email during their first semester.  Alumni are encouraged to create an account as well.  

Employers who already have an account should add MGA to their list of approved schools.  If your company is new to Handshake, go to mga.joinhandshake.com and choose "employer" to set up your account.  After setting up your account, add Middle Georgia State University as one of your institutions so you can register for career fairs and post jobs and internships directly to our students.  Job postings are FREE and allow you to connect with students across all five MGA campuses as well as our online students.  Contact us if you have questions about setting up an account.