Student services give career, counseling, legal assistance

The+door+and+sign+leading+into+Career+Services+located+in+the+Campus+Life+Building.

Patrick Murphy | Northern Star

Career Services can help students write resumes, cover letters, planning for graduate school and more.

By Ashley Dwy

Career Services, Counseling and Consultation Services and Legal Assistance are three centers on campus aiming to make student life more manageable during and after college — and post-pandemic. 

Career Services

Career Services aims to help connect students to a major that interests them, according to their website. Career Services offers help with writing resumes, planning for graduate school, helping prepare for interviews and more.

We have access to testing to help focus and capitalize on your strengths to figure out what you should pursue academically and professionally, which helps toward your final career goal.

— Catherine Doederlein, director of Career Services

Two of the biggest resources that Career Services offer are their Career Fair and their workshops. This fall, both will be virtual. The fair is a great way to connect with future employers, Director of Career Services Catherine Doederlein said. 

The workshops will be virtual out of student preference, Doederlein said. Career Services offers general workshops about how to build a resume, interview tactics, etc. or workshops where they invite special guests to talk about life after college.

Career Services also offers an online job board, Huskies Get Hired, where companies are looking to specifically hire NIU graduates.

It’s never too early to connect with Career Services, Doederlein said.

“Even if you aren’t sure what you want to do after college, we ask questions to help guide you,” Doederlein said. “We have access to testing to help focus and capitalize on your strengths to figure out what you should pursue academically and professionally, which helps toward your final career goal.”

Career Services is located in the Campus Life Building room 220. To set up an appointment, call at 815-753-1641 or email [email protected] from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Counseling and Consultation Services

Counseling and Consultation Services (CCS) provide comprehensive mental health support to students on and off campus, according to their website

This fall, they will offer in-person services and their telehealth services that were utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic. These services include an online, generalized mental health screening, group therapy sessions, one-on-one therapy sessions and more.

The CCS wants to help students during their transition to NIU, whether they are an incoming student or a returning student who is unsure of how to navigate life back on campus, said Liz Garcia, associate director of the Counseling and Consultation Services.

“We’re here to provide support,” Garcia said. “Don’t wait until (your emotions) are unmanageable.”

The CCS is located in the Campus Life Building room 200. To book a consultation appointment, call 815-753-1206 during hours of operation, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

For any student who needs immediate support after hours, call and they will be forwarded to an on-call therapist, according to the CCS’s website.

Legal Assistance

Students’ Legal Assistance offers free legal services such as legal representation for ordinance, traffic and criminal misdemeanor citations issued in DeKalb County, student loan repayment, breaking leases and more. 

Students’ Legal Assistance is located in the Campus Life Building room 150. To schedule appointments, students can call 815-753-1701 or email [email protected] from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.