CBU Expands Career Preparation With New Sponsor
California Baptist University career center expands support after 4,260 student appointments and gains Modern Woodmen sponsorship.
By Academic Writing Club Newsroom
California Baptist University has renamed its Career Center the Center for Career and Professional Development and named Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial as its sponsor. The Center provided 4,260 student appointments and 1,550 mock interviews in the 2025-26 academic year. It also brought 951 employers to campus through nine career fairs and other opportunities. A new one-unit career readiness course is planned for spring 2027.
Expanded Career Support
The Center offers career assessments, individual appointments, résumé and cover letter reviews, LinkedIn assistance, mock interviews, and internship and job search preparation.
Lisa Blair, director of the Center for Career and Professional Development at California Baptist University, said:
“The name change stresses the importance of overall professional development, not just job placement. Professional development is not transactional but transformational and covers the ongoing skills, habits and competencies students need to build before, during and after that initial interaction to stay competitive in the workforce.”
Course Launches in 2027
Foundations of Career Readiness will begin in spring 2027 as a one-unit elective. The course will cover career decision-making, professional branding, networking, interviewing, and other career skills.
Modern Woodmen Sponsorship
Modern Woodmen’s sponsorship builds on a relationship with CBU that began through the university’s career fairs and employer engagement opportunities in 2018.
Bennett L. Sperber III, managing director at Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial, said:
“CBU has been an integral part of our recruiting efforts since we first came to campus in 2018. We see strong alignment between CBU’s values and our own, but we also see students who are exceptionally prepared. They understand what future employers expect of them and are ready to contribute. That makes CBU a place where we want to continue investing and building relationships.”
Preparing Students Beyond Graduation
Dr. Charles D. Sands, provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs at California Baptist University, said:
“Student success is ultimately the outcome we are working toward. We work hard to provide an exceptional educational experience, but preparing students for what comes next takes more than what happens in the classroom. The Center for Career and Professional Development, along with the support of partners in our community, creates opportunities for students to grow their skills, build professional relationships and prepare to serve well beyond graduation.”
