The 2024 Community Safety Career Day is Thursday, September 26, 2024, in Taylor Courtyard from 12:30 until 3:30 p.m. The event is open to all IU Indianapolis students.
Written by: Candace Smallwood, MPA candidate (Homeland Security and Emergency Management)
The O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IU Indianapolis prides itself on connecting its students with opportunities throughout their time at O’Neill.
In 2023, O’Neill brought back a reimagined version of a previous event during Fall Career Week, renaming it Community Safety Career Day and expanding its focus to go beyond careers in criminal justice and public safety. The new CSCD now also showcases careers community resilience and environmental sustainability, ensuring it is upholding all three pillars of the O’Neill School.
For its inaugural launch, 25 agencies participated in the event, offering the chance for students of all majors to connect with professionals in their fields of interest. CSCD allowed students, including myself, to learn not only about careers in the field but current job opportunities, internship openings, and volunteer activities.
Through this event, I was introduced to Marion County Emergency Management. As a Public Safety Management major, this was the perfect opportunity for me to gain experience at the local level with a government agency.
After talking with emergency management specialists at the event, I decided to pursue an internship with MCEM in spring 2024. I had amazing opportunities to attend special events such as the NBA All-Star Weekend and Indy 500, meeting professionals and building my network, and contributing to agency projects, all of which solidified my desire to continue on my career path in emergency management. I was able to relate what I was doing at my internship to my classes, strengthening my understanding of my coursework.
I also had the unique opportunity to be deeply involved in the planning and execution of Community Safety Career Day. I worked with O’Neill Director of Career Services Stacy Lozer to help plan this event. This year, as the O’Neill Career Services Graduate Assistant, I have worked with Stacy to ensure this event is valuable and a great experience for all student attendees.
This direct connection between the classroom and a career is why I encourage all O’Neill students—and all students across campus—to attend Community Safety Career Day and pursue an opportunity with an agency/organization. You will gain invaluable experience, become a marketable candidate, and gain insight into your field.
