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PDA Special Topics and Programs

In addition to the regularly scheduled PDA workshops and speakers that are listed in the Approved PDA Opportunities (Speakers/Workshop) tab, students also have the opportunity to engage independently in the following Special Topics and Programs PDAs. These PDA opportunities will require submitting a separate form to earn credit, will often count for more than one PDA credit and/or required PDA Category and may require an external application or registration process.

PDA Title: External PDA

Description: The primary goal of the Building Your Business Portfolio program is to better prepare students for their transition into their professional careers. We recognize there are numerous opportunities both on and off campus that can help facilitate this goal. Not all of these will be pre-identified by the Wall Center as an approved PDA. Therefore, the Wall Center has provided an avenue in which students may request that alternative activities or events be included as a PDA and/or to count toward their required PDA categories.

Instructions:

  • Complete the External PDA request form, which can be found by clicking here. In this request, you must describe the relevance of the activity and/or event with a specific emphasis on how it will positively contribute to your personal or career goals. If you want this activity to count toward your required PDA categories, you must also indicate which PDA category or categories you are requesting for this activity to count towards and justify your selection. For more information on PDA categories,  visit the PDA Program Requirements page.
  • If your request is approved you must complete the external PDA credit approval form after completion of the activity in order to earn PDA credit. This form can be found by clicking here. 

The Following PDAs will count toward the Majors and Careers in Business PDA Category

 PDA Title: Connecting with a Faculty Mentor

Description: All business majors will be assigned a faculty mentor within their major by the end of their sophomore year, but in many cases, one will be assigned one sooner. Your mentor will be an excellent resource for you, both while at CCU and after you graduate. Since our distinguished faculty are both academically and professionally qualified, they will be able to provide firsthand advice on major-specific courses, and selective options, specialized career guidance, and internship and employment support. They will also contribute to the development of your professional network.

Requirements:

  •  Schedule a meeting with a faculty mentor.
  • You can find your assigned mentor on WebAdvisor by clicking on the “Email my Advisor’s” tab under the communication heading. The individual labeled as “mentor” is your assigned faculty mentor while the individual labeled as an adviser is your academic adviser.
  • If you have not yet been assigned a mentor, you can contact any of the faculty in your major area. For a list of faculty and their contact information click on the appropriate department tab on www.coastal.edu/academics/colleges/business/facultyandstaff. Before choosing a faculty member to contact make sure to review his/her background information as outlined on his/her VITA to determine which faculty member best fits with your personal and career interests.
  • Once you meet with a faculty mentor, you can request to earn PDA credit by completing the External PDA Credit Approval form, which can be found by clicking here. Make sure to include in the “overview of session” section what was discussed and learned during your meeting. 
  • You can request PDA credit for meeting with your faculty mentor once a semester for a maximum of eight (8) PDA credits.
  • Group mentoring sessions are also scheduled periodically throughout the semester. Click here for the schedule of these PDAs and scroll down to the PDA title, “Faculty Mentoring Sessions.” 

The Following PDAs will count toward the Experiential Learning PDA Category

 PDA Title: Participating in a Service Project

Description: Volunteering creates positive and proactive results in the community, nation and world. Yet beyond the mere “feel good” nature of volunteering lies personal, physical and professional benefits as well. It tells prospective employers you are a team player, you care about the community, and you can take initiative and solve problems. According to UnitedHealthCare’s “Do Good Live Well” study, volunteering raises morale, boosts health, provides skill development, increases career options and employee loyalty (73 percent of employers would recruit a candidate with volunteering experience over one without; 94 percent of employers believe volunteering can add to skills; 94 percent of employees who volunteered to learn new skills had benefited either by getting their first job, improving their salary or being promoted; and 66 percent of employees reported a greater commitment to the company as a result of their experience volunteering). 

Requirements:

  • Volunteer for a single organization for a minimum of four (4) hours. For assistance linking up with an organization, click here. 
  • After volunteering, you can request to earn PDA credit by completing the External PDA Credit Approval form, which can be found by clicking here. Make sure to include a reflection on your experience, its impact on the community and its relationship to your future goals in the “Overview of Session” section. 
    • If you volunteer for more than one semester, you may request for additional PDA credits after each subsequent semester.
    • If you volunteer for multiple organizations, you can make a separate request for each of these organizations.
    • You can earn two (2) PDA credits per request, for a maximum of eight (8) PDAs.

 PDA Title: Delivering a Professional Presentation

Description: Today, it’s not just what you know that counts but how you present your knowledge to the world. Delivering accomplished presentations is a vital skill, whether you’re a student just starting out or the head of a large organization. Even if you don’t normally give presentations as part of your occupation, one day you may need to deliver a presentation as part of a job interview or you’ll need to address a hobby group or community organization, so it pays to prepare and develop those skills now, and the best way to develop those skills is to give actual presentations.

Requirements:

  • Develop a presentation and present it in a public forum. This could include, but is not limited to the following:
    • Presenting during Wall College Connections 
    • Presenting during the Celebration of Inquiry
    • Presenting during the Undergraduate Research Competition
    • Participating in a Business Plan Competition (contact Robert Salvino for details regarding the annual Pitch competition held each spring).
    • Participate in “Toastmasters” 
    • Presenting at a local, national or international conference
    • Presenting at a professional association meeting
    • After making your presentation you can request to earn PDA credit by completing the External PDA Credit Approval form, which can be found by clicking here. Include in your “overview of the session” section of the form an evaluation of how you thought the presentation went and what you would do differently when presenting in the future. You will also need to email your presentation documents to pda@coastal.edu.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)

Description: VITA is the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance nationwide program that is sponsored by the IRS. Volunteers prepare federal and state tax returns for low and-moderate income taxpayers. Each spring, students can participate in the VITA program to gain hands-on experience in preparing tax returns. 

 Instructions:

 There are certain requirements for this program students must complete before being eligible. They are as follows:

  • Students must be enrolled or have already completed CBAD 440 (Individual Taxation)
  • Students must complete three required, on-campus training sessions provided by the IRS
  • Students must complete additional training online that will be given at the beginning of the spring semester

For more information on how to be a VITA volunteer or to learn more about the program, contact Dave Mason, associate professor of accounting, at 843-349-4147 or contact the accounting department chair,  Greg Krippel, at 843-349-2643 or krippel@coastal.edu (Wall Building  301H).

  • After participating in the program you can request to earn PDA credit by completing the External PDA Credit Approval form, which can be found by clicking here. Include in the “Overview of Session” section on the form the dates/times you volunteered and what you learned from the experience. 

Participation in the VITA program is worth 1 PDA credit for every hour of service for a maximum of four (4) PDA credits.

PDA Title: Serving in a Leadership Capacity 

Description: Obtaining a leadership position or participating in a leadership program is an excellent way to gain real-world experiences you can use as talking points in employment interviews. Serving in a leadership capacity will also allow you to develop important skills that will better prepare you for your future career in business.  

Examples of leadership positions include but are not limited to:  

 Examples of leadership programs include, but are not limited to the following:  

  Instructions: 

  • To receive PDA credit, you must actively serve in a leadership position and/or program for a minimum of one semester or for the entire duration of the program if the program lasts shorter than one semester, and have made a significant contribution to the people and/or organization you represented while serving as their leader.
  • After serving in the leadership capacity for a minimum of one semester or having completed the leadership program, you can request to earn PDA credit by completing the External PDA Credit Approval form, which can be found by clicking here. 
  • If you remain in your leadership role for more than one semester or participate in the leadership program in more than one semester, you may request for additional PDA credits after each subsequent semester.
  • If you have multiple leadership positions or participate in multiple programs you can make a separate request for PDA credit for each of these positions.
  • You can earn two (2) PDA credits per request, for a maximum of eight (8) PDAs.

 PDA Title: Studying Abroad

Description: Studying abroad is an exciting opportunity for Coastal students to round out their education and experience other cultures and countries firsthand. Studying abroad is also a rewarding experience that allows students to achieve proficiency in a foreign language, study subjects from different cultural perspectives, experience adventure and personal growth, and develop valuable career skills. 

Instructions:

  • To receive PDA credit, you must have successfully completed a study abroad course with a satisfactory (S) or a grade of a “C” or higher.
  • After returning from your study abroad experience, you can request to earn PDA credit by completing the External PDA Credit Approval form, which can be found by clicking here. 
  • If you participate in a study abroad program that comprises of multiple courses, you may request PDA credits for each course. However, you must make a separate request for PDA credit for each course.
  •  Each study abroad course will count for two (2) PDA credits, for a maximum of eight (8) PDAs.

 For a list of possible study abroad courses/programs and for more information visit https://www.coastal.edu/educationabroad/. 

 PDA Title: Participating in a Professional Internship

Description: Internship experiences provide a challenging opportunity for students to develop work-related skills, such as problem solving, goal setting, time management, effective communication and organizational skills. Internships also provide students with practical experience within their chosen field, which improves post-graduate employment prospects dramatically. The Hospitality, Resort and Tourism Management and the PGA Golf Management programs require multiple internships, which leads to exceptionally high levels of career-oriented employment for graduates of these programs. However, all students are encouraged to participate in one or more internships during their enrollment at Coastal Carolina University, regardless of their field of study.  

Instructions:

  • Students that earn a grade of a “C” or higher in an internship course administered through the Wall College of Business (e.g. CBAD 297, CBAD 497, ACCT 497, MGMT 497, FIN 497, MKTG 497, PGMP 180, PGMP, 280, PGMP 380, PGMP 480, HRTM 180, HRTM 280, HRTM 230, HRTM 381, HRTM 480, ECON 497) will automatically receive two (2) PDA credits as long as they successfully complete the course. However, the posting of the PDA credits to the program evaluation will be on a one-semester lag. For example, if a student successfully completes an internship in Fall 2014, the PDA credits will not appear on the program evaluation until the start of the Summer 2015 term.
  • If the PDA credits are not appearing on the program evaluation by the expected posting date or if the student’s graduation date will fall before the PDA credits are expected to be posted, students can submit an appeal to request the credits be posted to their program evaluations sooner by clicking here. 
  • Students who complete an internship that was not administered through the Wall College of Business can still request to earn PDA credit by completing the External PDA Credit Approval form, which can be found by clicking here. 
  • Internships that are administered through the Wall College of Business will count for two (2) PDA credits, while internships that are not administered through the Wall College of Business will count for one (1) PDA credit. Students can earn a maximum of eight (8) PDA credits through participation in internships.

 The Following PDAs will count toward the Leadership PDA Category

PDA Title: Women's Leadership Conference 

Description: The WIPL Women’s Leadership Conference, created and sponsored by Women in Philanthropy and Leadership for Coastal Carolina University, seeks to empower women as agents of change on campus, in the community, in the state, throughout the nation and around the world. By inspiring and leading women to be the architects of their own destiny, they can be taught to build bridges and structures which will sustain the collective power and vision across generations and throughout nations. 

Instructions: 

  • Students must register for the conference by visiting wiplconference.com/.
  • Students can earn two (2) PDA credits for attending the conference. To earn PDA credits, you must complete the External PDA Credit Approval form, which can be found by clicking here. 

PDA Title: Serving in a Leadership Capacity 

Description: Obtaining a leadership position or participating in a leadership program is an excellent way to gain real-world experiences you can use as talking points in employment interviews. Serving in a leadership capacity will also allow you to develop important skills that will better prepare you for your future career in business. 

Examples of leadership positions include but are not limited to: 

Examples of leadership programs include, but are not limited to: 

Instructions: 

  • To receive PDA credit, you must actively serve in a leadership position and/or program for a minimum of one semester or for the entire duration of the program if the program lasts shorter than one semester, and have made a significant contribution to the people and/or organization you represented while serving as their leader.
  • After serving in the leadership capacity for a minimum of one semester or having completed the leadership program, you can request to earn PDA credit by completing the External PDA Credit Approval form, which can be found by clicking here. 
  • If you remain in your leadership role for more than one semester or participate in the leadership program in more than one semester, you may request for additional PDA credits after each subsequent semester.
  • If you have multiple leadership positions or participate in multiple programs you can make a separate request for PDA credit for each of these positions.
  • You can earn two (2) PDA credits per request, for a maximum of eight (8) PDAs.

 The Following PDAs will count toward the Building a Professional Profile PDA Category

PDA Title: Creating a LinkedIn profile 

Description: Current studies show 93 percent of employers today are using LinkedIn as a method for recruiting potential candidates. As Wayne Gretzky once said, “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take,” so if you don't create an online, professional presence, you may miss out on 100 percent of the jobs you don’t make yourself a candidate for by lacking a presence on professional platforms such as LinkedIn. So, why not start building that online presence now by creating a LinkedIn account and profile? This PDA is designed to help you accomplish just that. 

Requirements: 

Independently develop a professional LinkedIn profile by visiting the LinkedIn website at linkedin.com. 

Once on the site follow the instructions on how to create an account. At a minimum you will need to: 

  1. Upload a professional picture
  2. Create a COMPELLING and EASY TO READ summary that showcases your value
  3. Add your educational background, including your CCU major(s), minor and relevant coursework (if applicable
  4. Add your work experience, leadership positions held, skills and projects (if applicable)
  5. Join the official Wall College of Business (CCU) Network 
  • Connection to professional groups such as these will help you expand your network, strengthen your online reputation and increase your chances of getting noticed by potential employers.
  • Once you have completed your LinkedIn profile and joined the WCOB network, request to earn PDA credit by completing the External PDA Credit Approval form, which can be found by clicking here.  

Below are resources that will assist you as you create and populate your LinkedIn account: 

PDA Title: Building Your Online Portfolio 

Description: Online portfolios are a fantastic way for college students to showcase their skills, work experience, projects and potential for future employers. Online portfolios are also a great way to display your knowledge and interests to your friends and family. If employers are going to see your portfolio, you will want to make sure yours stands out above the rest. Portfolios can help you make a great first impression, shows you are serious about the job and demonstrates you are able to do technical, quality work.  

Requirements: 

  • Create an online portfolio by following the steps outlined here.
  • Once you are finished with your portfolio, you can request to earn PDA credit by completing the External PDA Credit Approval form, which can be found by clicking here. 
  • Include your website URL in the “Overview of Session” section on the form.
  • The online portfolio is worth three (3) PDA credits.

 The Following PDAs will count toward the Interviewing Skills PDA Category

PDA Title: Mock Interviews

Description: A mock interview gives students firsthand experience with the interview process by allowing them to engage in a real-life interview with a trained professional. Following the session, students will receive constructive feedback from the interviewer. Students will also have the option to have their interview taped.

Instructions:

  • If you are interested in scheduling a mock interview, contact the University Career Services office directly at 843-349-2341 or slane@coastal.edu, or stop by the office, which is located in the Indigo house.
  • Once you have completed the mock interview, you can request to earn PDA credit by completing the External PDA Credit Approval form, which can be found by clicking here. 

*This PDA is intended for students who are currently in the internship or job application process. If you are interested in a more general interview skills workshop, you should attend the Career Launch II: The Successful Interview PDAs. For the dates/times of this PDA click here.

 The Following PDAs will count toward the Transitioning to the Profession PDA Category

Career or Internship Fair

Description: Career fairs are useful for students seeking a full-time, part-time or internship positions. They also provide an outlet for students to network with professionals for future career opportunities and to explore career opportunities in career fields or companies of interest.

Instructions:

  • Attend a career or job fair. Coastal Carolina University hosts several on-campus job and/or internship fairs throughout the year. Information regarding these opportunities can be found at coastal.edu/career. In addition, there are also career fairs regularly scheduled in Myrtle Beach or even in your hometown. Information about job fairs in the Myrtle Beach area can be found by clicking here or by performing a simple Google search. For information regarding job fairs in your hometown, contact your local chamber of commerce or again conduct an Internet search. 
  • To request to earn PDA credit complete the External PDA Credit Approval form, which can be found by clicking here.  Include in the “Overview of Session” section on the form what career/internship fair you attended, which employers and/or graduate schools you met with and why, and what you learned from the experience.  

PDA Title: Participating in a Professional Internship

Description: Internship experiences provide a challenging opportunity for students to develop work-related skills, such as problem solving, goal setting, time management, effective communication and organizational skills. Internships also provide students with practical experience within their chosen field, which improves post-graduate employment prospects dramatically. The Hospitality, Resort and Tourism Management and the PGA Golf Management programs require multiple internships, which leads to exceptionally high levels of career-oriented employment for graduates of these programs. However, all students are encouraged to participate in one or more internships during their enrollment at Coastal Carolina University, regardless of their field of study.  

Instructions:

  • Students that earn a grade of a “C” or higher in an internship course administered through the Wall College of Business (e.g. CBAD 297, CBAD 497, ACCT 497, MGMT 497, FIN 497, MKTG 497, PGMP 180, PGMP, 280, PGMP 380, PGMP 480, HRTM 180, HRTM 280, HRTM 230, HRTM 381, HRTM 480, ECON 497) will automatically receive two (2) PDA credits as long as they successfully complete the course. However, the posting of the PDA credits to the program evaluation will be on a one-semester lag. For example, if a student successfully completes an internship in Fall 2014, the PDA credits will not appear on the program evaluation until the start of the Summer 2015 term.
  • If the PDA credits are not appearing on the program evaluation by the expected posting date or if the student’s graduation date will fall before the PDA credits are expected to be posted, students can submit an appeal to request the credits be posted to their program evaluations sooner by clicking here. 
  • Students who complete an internship that was not administered through the Wall College of Business can still request to earn PDA credit by completing the External PDA Credit Approval form, which can be found by clicking here. 
  • Internships that are administered through the Wall College of Business will count for two (2) PDA credits, while internships that are not administered through the Wall College of Business will count for one (1) PDA credit. Students can earn a maximum of eight (8) PDA credits through participation in internships.

PDA Title: Job Shadowing

Description: This is an opportunity to spend time in a real-life work setting to observe a professional in your career field of interest. Job shadowing allows students to gain exposure to a career to determine if it would be a good fit for them. To schedule a job-shadowing opportunity, contact the University Career Services office at 843-349-2341 or career@coastal.edu. The career services office is located in the Lib Jackson Student Union, A-203.

Requirements:

  • After participating in your job shadow experience you can request to earn PDA credit by completing the External PDA Credit Approval form, which can be found by clicking here. Include in your “overview of the session” section of the form the company you shadowed, what you learned and how the experience will contribute to your future career and/or major goals.
  • Each job shadow experience will count for two (2) PDA credits, for a maximum of eight (8) PDAs.

PDA Title: Utilizing the Business Card

 Description: In this PDA, you will learn about the various major and career options in business by connecting and networking with current professionals.

 Requirements: 

  • Independently attend a civic or professional organization meeting (Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, Rotary, industry meeting, such as a Strategic Human Resources Management, Board of Realtors, Marketing meeting, American Culinary Federation, etc.) and exchange business cards with business professionals from at least three organizations. The organizations can be profit or nonprofit.
  • Choose one of the organizations to schedule a follow-up meeting with. This follow-up activity can take various forms, but the purpose is to connect with the person or organization outside of the initial meeting place. An informational interview with someone at the organization (not necessarily the initial contact), a tour of the facilities and other correspondence can meet this requirement. 
  • This PDA is worth two (2) PDA credits.

 Note: Before starting the PDA, make sure to print the Utilizing the Business Card PDA Credit Approval form. To earn PDA credit, you must submit this completed form along with copies of three (3) business cards to Melinda Tavernier in Wall 228.

 *Multiple business cards are required for this activity. Free personal business cards are available online through the Student Affairs office. To learn about creating your own personal business card, consider attending the Business Card: World’s Smallest Resume PDA workshop. For a list of dates/times for this PDA, click here.

PDA Title: Research and Reflection on Business Networking Opportunities

Requirements: Select one of the businesses from your Utilizing the Business Card PDA or another company of your choice and complete a three-page paper, which investigates the company and your personal experience meeting with people in the organization, touring the facilities, etc. The paper should be in an APA style (see the Kimble Library website) and include all applicable references and citations.

The paper should have the following sections:

  1. INTRODUCTION
  2. REVIEW OF THE ORGANIZATION
  3. YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE ORGANIZATION
  4. CONCLUSION

INTRODUCTION

Provide a brief overview of what you will be discussing in your paper.

REVIEW OF THE ORGANIZATION

Using the company website and other sources provide a brief over of the company (i.e. its history, structure, mission/vision, products/services, marketing strategies and financial performance).

YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE ORGANIZATION

Describe your interaction with the company from your initial meeting where you exchanged business cards to the final meeting with the organization and what you learned from the experience.

CONCLUSION

In the conclusion, reflect on this assignment and how the assignment relates to your choice of employment or career. Discuss how you feel this has helped or hindered you in your career.

*Students can earn two (2) PDA credits for completing the paper as long as it meets the listed criteria. Finished papers should be submitted to Melinda Tavernier for review.