Even after the Career Center's Internship Etiquette Dinner was canceled a few weeks ago due to lack of interest, the Professional Etiquette Dinner, held each semester, still attracted about 77 Ball State University students.
The dinner, held Monday night in the Alumni Center, taught students how to be more professional and more comfortable in business situations.
"This event is put on to help students have proper etiquette at professional dinners," Jennifer Warrner, assistant director of the dinner, said. "At this dinner, students learn different cutting styles, components of a place setting, how to pass items and appropriate conversation topics."
The dinner was open to students of all majors and class levels at a cost of $10 per person. Career Connections and flyers around campus advertised the event. Although the advertisement mentioned only a dinner, students first sat in on a presentation giving tips about professional conversation and, prior to eating, had the chance to "mix and mingle" with the other students in a professional manner, organizers said.
Despite some students being required to attend the dinner, Lynn Fultz, a senior English major, said she got more out of it than a grade for attending.
"I'm here because I'm a member of the Business Fellows program and it's a requirement," Fultz said. "However, the dinner is a valuable tool for networking."
During the presentation prior to the dinner, students received professional pointers such as how to start a conversation.
Tara King, Assistant Director at the Career Center, spoke to students explaining things such as the importance of asking questions and listening to people's answers when starting a conversation. She explained that making a statement and using lead statements with open-ended questions is an appropriate way to reveal one's identity in a professional manner.
"The main point of this event is to help students be more comfortable in getting through a dining situation when it pertains to getting a job interview or going to a professional conference," King said. "Knowing how to handle yourself in these situations and in a professional light is important for students to know."
The event has been going on for approximately 10 years. Sponsored by the Career Center, it is held twice a year, once in November and again in April. The food served included mixed green salad, chicken picatta, death by chocolate dessert and assorted dinner rolls, Warrner said.
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