How many times have you heard a comment like: “Math is not for me. Music is what I want to do.”?

There’s a common stereotype that the arts and math exist in different realms of talent, or even different parts of the brain. However, historically speaking, arts and math have long been intertwined. The Pythagoreans of ancient Greece were the first researchers known to have investigated the expression of musical scales in terms of numerical ratios.

But, what is music, really?

One of the simplest, yet most accurate, definitions of music is: sound(s) organized with rhythm, melody and harmony, put together in a meaningful way. All three components — rhythm, melody and harmony — can be described by numbers associated with physical properties. You have probably heard of “harmonic frequency,” or “resonance.” These musical qualities are described using numbers with precise meanings.

If you are a casual listener, you’ve probably never realized that the mathematical properties of music have a significant impact on what you favor in terms of style.

That is where Tech Gnar — the undergraduate winning venture of the 2017 Alltech Innovation Competition — comes into play.

Tech Gnar is an application created by Western Kentucky University (WKU) undergraduate students Taylor Wathen, Zachary Wathen and Blake Knott. The app uses an algorithm to break down songs into numbers and correlate them based on which songs have previously been “liked” by the user. It uses this intelligence to then recommend songs with similar characteristics.

“It’s very hard to argue with math,” said Taylor Wathen.

The WKU team therefore believes Tech Gnar can beat (pun intended!) competitors’ recommendations with more fine-tuned suggestions for the user.

They are now on version number 771 of their app, and it is capable of filtering songs by instrument.

According to Taylor Wathen, Tech Gnar’s next steps include launching the website and mobile app as well as working in partnership with some record companies (mainly from Nashville) to come up with “perfect hit songs.” Furthermore, they plan to strengthen their digital presence through enhancements to their algorithm.

Before you know it, you could be listening to your new favorite artist, tapping your toes to the very beat that recommended it to you.

As the undergraduate winners of the 2017 Alltech Innovation Competition in Kentucky, the WKU Tech Gnar team took home $10,000, the same amount with which Dr. Pearse Lyons founded Alltech in 1980.

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – The outlook for aquaculture, the fastest-growing sector in the feed industry, is strong. Yet, challenges loom as aquaculture producers find themselves dealing with pressures on all sides. They face a limited supply of fish oil from overfished oceans. Meanwhile, increasing consumer demand for more sustainable seafood is causing ripples in the supply chain.

It is at this pivotal tipping point where a new collaboration is seeking to provide sustainable aquaculture nutrition solutions.

Coppens International, an innovative Dutch aquatic feed and nutrition company that joined Alltech in 2016, will be collaborating with Guabi, a leading fish feed producer in Brazil. Guabi, a 43-year veteran in the animal feed business, entered into a strategic partnership with Alltech earlier this year, and now Alltech is linking the two leading aquaculture feed producers from opposite sides of the ocean together to accelerate solutions for the aquaculture industry.

“The opportunities between Coppens, Guabi and Alltech are exciting,” said Paulo Rigolin, strategic director for Alltech. “You have leaders in two different regions — Latin America and Europe — combining technology and expertise from more than 20 years of working in aquaculture. This strength is underpinned by Alltech, a leader in numerous agricultural sectors, including aquaculture.”

Guabi and Coppens have already begun discussing new opportunities, and it is expected that algae technology will be a significant focus.

“It’s a great opportunity to further apply new technologies to maximize performance for aquaculture species, but more importantly to bring profitability to producers and the highest quality products to consumers,” said Rigolin.

Guabi has a particular expertise in extruded feeds and unique solutions for a wide variety of aquaculture species, from shrimp to native South America freshwater fish. In addition to a range of feeds incorporating Alltech’s sustainable alternatives to fish oil and inorganic trace minerals, Coppens specializes in nutrition for recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) and recently announced a major $1 million expansion of their research center in the Netherlands.

“The new Coppens Research Centre will enable us to do more relevant studies and, more importantly, work with more species than previously whilst also providing a training centre for our staff around the world and customers alike,” said Anno Galema, managing director for Coppens.

Coppens and Guabi will share information on formulations, manufacturing techniques, and raw material and ingredient utilization.

“These are two leading companies in aquaculture feeds, each with unique local expertise,” said Patrick Charlton, CEO of Coppens. “We are very optimistic about what we might deliver to our customers through a collaborative approach to the pressing issues aquaculture faces.”

According to the 2017 Alltech Global Feed Survey, the aquaculture industry experienced a 12 percent increase in feed production in 2016, reaching 39.9 million metric tons.

“We have seen aquaculture as key to our global growth for many years now, and the work with Coppens and Guabi allows us to be able to provide our customers with feeds incorporating the Alltech technologies that we believe are most critical to improving health and performance,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech. “Through these relationships and our shared commitment to innovative research, we believe we are well-equipped to provide our customers with a level of support and expertise that is unrivaled in our industry.”

This expertise is reinforced through a series of research alliances with several universities and a research institute, all of which have focused on examining the impact of Alltech’s algae solutions in a variety of species:

Alltech-Kochi University Research Alliance (Japan) in Japanese yellowtail

Alltech-Ocean University of China Research Alliance (China) in turbot and shrimp

Alltech-Federal University of Santa Catarina Research Alliance (Brazil) in tilapia

Alltech-Kentucky State University Research Alliance (U.S.) in largemouth bass and shrimp

Alltech-Nofima Research Alliance (Norway) in Atlantic salmon

The research alliances’ findings to date have observed that Alltech’s All-G Rich™ could replace fish oil in the diets of marine, freshwater and salmonid species while maintaining performance and DHA levels in the fillet.

According to Dr. Lyons, the aquaculture industry should expect a long-term commitment from Alltech.

“We are already looking to add one or two more complementary partners to our aquaculture program,” said Dr. Lyons.

For information on Alltech’s innovative and sustainable solutions for aquaculture nutrition, visit www.alltech.com/aquaculture.

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – Out of 250 applicants, 21 undergraduate and graduate students stepped into the spotlight at the 12th annual Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition to sing for a chance to win scholarships and prizes that will jumpstart their operatic careers.

“Competitions can bring out the best in us, as well as our visions, and all of these young people here have a vision,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, founder and president of Alltech. “When we combine these things, we can change lives.”

Overall winners of the 2017 Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition are:

First Place Alltech Graduate Winner: Jessica Bayne, University of Kentucky, Christiansburg, Virginia (currently resides in Lexington, Kentucky)

Second Place Alltech Graduate Winner: HyeonJeong Kim, Wilmore, Kentucky

First Place Alltech Undergraduate Winner: Parker Van Houten, Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, Kentucky

Second Place Alltech Undergraduate Winner: Catarine Hancock, Lafayette High School, Lexington, Kentucky

Addington & Mills Incoming Undergraduate Award: Bailey Tillery, Lafayette High School, Lexington, Kentucky

Enterprise Fleet Services Third Place Undergraduate Award: Ashley Cissell, Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville, Kentucky

The 21 finalists were scored on voice, technical skill, interpretation, accuracy and appearance by six judges:

Marcus Küchle, the director of artistic operations at the Cincinnati Opera;

Ian Derrer, who recently joined Kentucky Opera as the newly appointed general director;

Dr. Thomas King, who has sung in five world premier operas in the last 20 years;

Corey Crider, alumnus of Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Ryan Opera Center;

Susanne Marsee, one of the New York City Opera’s leading mezzos for over 20 years; and

Amanda Balltrip, director of music education for McNeil Music Center.

“I’m speechless,” said Bayne. “This means that I can continue my education and career — I wouldn’t be able to go to graduate school without Alltech. I’m so grateful for Alltech’s support of this program.”

The competition, held March 5 at the University of Kentucky Singletary Center for the Arts, featured a pool of $500,000 in prizes. Launched in 2006, the annual competition at the University of Kentucky marks a continued partnership between Alltech and the University of Kentucky Opera Theatre department. This partnership has created the largest vocal competition in Kentucky and positioned UK Opera Theatre as a Richard Tucker Music Foundation top recommended opera program. Alltech’s support of this competition also led to Alltech being named one of the top 10 “Best Companies Supporting the Arts in America” by the Americans for the Arts in 2012.

Alltech Vocal Scholars have contributed to Alltech’s philanthropic efforts in Haiti by teaching music to Haitian primary school children. They have also performed at numerous Alltech events, including the Alltech FEI World Equestrian GamesTM in 2010 and 2014, the company’s annual international conference, Ambassador dinners around the world, the annual Celebration of Song and The Gathering Ireland 2013.

Parker Van Houten from the Youth Performing Arts School in Louisville, Kentucky, was the First Place Alltech Undergraduate Winner at the 2017 Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition, where 21 young vocalists competed for more than $500,000 in scholarships and prizes.

The corn earworm is considered one of the costliest pests for crops in North America. Alonna Wright hopes to find a cure that can stop the menace and keep farmers around the U.S. happy.

Wright, a rising senior at the University of Kentucky (UK), won the 2016 undergraduate Alltech Young Scientist (AYS) award with her research on the biological control of agricultural pests.

“Winning the AYS award was a very surreal experience, and one of the most memorable of my life,” said Wright.

Wright said she entered the competition just hoping to get an honorable mention to put on a resume. She never imagined winning.

“It means so much to me personally, but also to be able to share my research on a global platform and bring awareness to this problem, which costs our farmers billions of dollars in damage each year, is a privilege that some scientists may not ever be able to have, and one that I don't take for granted,” she said.

Fighting corn earworm with a nudivirus

Wright conducted her research at Paratechs, a privately held biotech company in Kentucky

“Virology is a field that continues to captivate me with each new thing I learn about it,” she said.

Virology is a branch of science that deals with the studies of viruses and viral diseases. According to Wright, viruses are very important to study and continue to study “in order to prevent harmful viruses and utilize the capabilities of other viruses to benefit the greater good.”

Wright’s research specifically dealt with the Heliothis zea nudivirus.

“This virus affects some populations of the corn earworm, or Helicoverpa zea, which is an agricultural pest that causes billions of dollars in damage to the crops they feed on; they feed on 123 known hosts,” she said.

In nature, the virus causes approximately one-third of the corn earworm population to become sterile.

“What we have done here at ParaTechs is we have mutated the virus to cause 100 percent sterility in the population,” said Wright.

“My specific project was determining the interaction between those viruses, using a superinfection research model, to determine if the presence of the wild-type virus would prevent our mutant virus from causing the high rate of sterility that we expect,” continued Wright. “Our results showed that presence of the wild-type virus would not decrease the rate of sterility in the insects due to our mutant virus.”

With this research, Wright hopes to market this mutant virus as a substitute to some pesticides used for corn earworm control and to supplement the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) plants that are currently on the market.

What’s next for Wright

Wright, who is an agricultural biotechnology student at the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment with minors in psychology and microbiology, believes agriculture is very important for the future.

“Agriculture is a very prevalent field of study in America, especially in Kentucky,” said Wright.

She believes that “home-grown” pride has brought agriculture back into the spotlight, and she encourages the younger generation to pursue a career in agriculture.

Wright’s plans are to utilize the full funding that she received from Alltech as part of her AYS award to complete her Ph.D. in a genetics-related program. Afterward, she plans on working in the industry on cutting-edge technology to help advance agricultural products and techniques. 

Wright’s dream would be to work as a research scientist in a research company.

“I really enjoy being in a lab and the thrill that molecular research can bring on a daily basis, and I'd love to be able to do what I enjoy every day when I go into work,” said Wright.

For someone only at the dawn of her career, Bailey Mack has already traveled the path of many a professional’s dreams. Currently a 2016 Alltech Career Development Program member, selected as one of 11 from more than 2,000 global applicants, Mack is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and has traveled the world, spending at least a month each in Taiwan, China, Indonesia and Peru.

Growing up, the Louisville, Kentucky-native and her family were active in scouting, which led to a love for all things outdoors and a particular passion for environmental and sustainability issues. She received her Girl Scout Gold Award for rehabilitating a pond at a state park in Kentucky.

“When I started to learn Chinese, I tied my background in environmental issues into it,” she said.

This led to Mack’s first application for a Fulbright research grant. She was named a semifinalist at the time.

After a second attempt for a Fulbright grant to India for an English Teaching Assistantship, Mack discovered that her third attempt, this time for Malaysia, would prove to be a charm. Recently, she was named one of 90 Fulbright grant recipients for Malaysia, where she will live and work as an English teaching assistant next year.

“My application centered around and was interested in looking at the environmental issues faced by countries and markets that want to evolve and become more economically developed,” said Mack. “They are facing a lot of pressure from other countries that want them to evolve in a sustainable manner. In Malaysia specifically, rainforest preservation and palm oil are really hot topics.”

Where exactly Mack will be located in Malaysia is yet to be determined and will depend on the needs in the school system. In addition to teaching English, Mack will serve as an ambassador of the U.S.

“They want you to do things like run afterschool clubs, whether badminton or helping set up English clubs,” said Mack.

She is also looking forward to integrating her environmental and sustainability interests into conversations and learning more from her Malaysian neighbors.

“My perspective is someone coming from the U.S. and is totally different from someone who is actually living there and understands how it is going to affect them and change certain things.”

Following her time in Malaysia, Mack plans to return to Alltech with a desire for more adventure and opportunity.

“I just see this as a natural continuation of what I’ve been doing for so long,” said Mack.

Considering the list of Fulbright alumni, it is quite a promising path for her. Mack joins an elite group; Fulbright recipients have gone on to win  Pulitzer Prizes (82 recipients) and Nobel Prizes (54 recipients), take on roles as heads of state (33), and become members of the U.S. Congress (10) and the U.N. (one secretary general).

Recent graduates from nine different countries have traveled all the way to Lexington, Kentucky, to join the 4^th Annual Alltech Corporate Career Development Program (CCDP). They have varied educational backgrounds ranging from a bachelor’s degree in economics to a double master’s in animal nutrition and agrobiology. Alltech’s 2016 CCDP members are a prestigious group of 11 recent graduates from the United States, Chile, Kazakhstan, Brazil, Indonesia, the Philippines, Chile, Vietnam and Ireland. They were selected from 2123 applicants!

This program, designed to recruit future leaders within global agribusiness, kicked off with an intensive orientation and training period at Alltech’s Global Headquarters in Nicholasville, Kentucky. Their first three months at Alltech will be devoted to supporting ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference, the company’s flagship annual international conference. The ONE delivers three days of inspiration and engagement with some of the most innovative thinkers, leaders and ideas of our time. The involvement of the 2016 CCDP members in the conference plan reflects Alltech’s commitment to education and professional development, and its passion for bringing fresh ideas to the table.

Dr. Aoife Lyons, director of educational initiatives at Alltech and a licensed clinical psychologist leads the CCDP. She has conducted psychometric testing worldwide for hiring and training at Alltech for the past 10 years.

 “These young people are chosen not just for their educational backgrounds, intelligence and experience, but perhaps more importantly for their curiosity, enthusiasm and sense of adventure.” said Dr. Aoife Lyons. “We look forward to seeing them grow professionally during the year and beyond.” 

The CCDP offers members the opportunity to work on projects in research, information systems, marketing, sales, finance, operations, regulatory and more. They will be integral in supporting Alltech’s business in animal nutrition, crop science, algae, aquaculture, life sciences and the beverage industry.

Tien Le of Vietnam said, “The CCDP has been an amazing experience for me so far. It is a world-class, fast-paced and innovative program with a focus on entrepreneurial skills – just what I was looking for.”

Following their work on ONE, CCDP members will be assigned to one of Alltech’s international offices. There, they will work with a mentor to learn how a global market leader operates. On completion of the program, members will be ready to play a key role in their field of expertise, share their acquired knowledge and take on even greater responsibilities.

“One of the very first things that struck me at Alltech was the incredible amount of effort people make to help me succeed,” said Farkhat Kassymov of Kazakhstan. “From the very first day, I knew that I am part of a team here, and I am very happy to be on board!”

The 2016 Alltech Corporate Career Development Program members are:

• Andy Montgomery, Ireland, M.A. Communications
• Andy Juhadi, Indonesia, B.A. Business and Management
• Bailey Mack, United States, B.A. International Affairs, B.A. Spanish
• Farkhat Kassymov, Kazakhstan, B.A. Economics
• Katherine Reed Calvert, Brazil, B. Sc. Business: General Management
• Kate Taylor, United Kingdom, M.Sc. Agrobiology, M.Sc. Animal Nutrition
• Macie Mattmiller, United States, B.Sc. Agricultural Economics
• Rachel Weber, United States, B.Sc. Animal Science and Biological Sciences
• Rafael Burayag, Philippines, B.A. Economics
• Tanja Marincich, Chile, B. Sc. Mathematics and Economics
• Tien Le, Vietnam, B.A. Advertising and Marketing Communications

Click to learn more about the Corporate Career Development Program.

[BENGALURU, India] – Global animal health and nutrition company Alltech is delighted to announce the 2015 winner of the Alltech Innovation Competition, India, hosted in Bengaluru. The competition celebrates business and entrepreneurship, and challenges the creative minds of university students. Institute of Rural Management Anand students, Mohit Dave, Pranav Harshe and Varun Modi were awarded the first prize of Rs. 1,50,000/- for their outstanding competition entry – “Saadhan.”  The Saadhan is a for-profit venture to reduce rural poverty, providing greater ownership to farmer producers, especially for cashew apple production. This provides a solution to one of the biggest problems in the cashew industry. Despite being rich in nutrients, the cashew apple’s commercial potential has not been fully explored or realized.

The competition, held at the University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK campus, Bengaluru, was judged by a diverse panel of judges comprised of Alltech team members, venture capitalists, an angel investor and entrepreneurs: Dr. Aman Sayed, general manager,  South Asia,  Alltech;  Krishnan Mundanat, regional controller, South Asia, Alltech; Ravindra Neralla, project manager, Asia Pacific, Alltech; Subhadeep Sanyal, vice president, Omnivore Partners; Ashwin Raguraman, chief operating officer, India Innovation Fund; Pavan Kumar, CEO and founder, Workbench Projects; and Saket Agarwal, CEO and founder, Onnivation.

A total of seven universities battled in the competition, each presenting forward-thinking business plans on their innovative ideas in the areas of agriculture and sustainability. The teams were facilitated by Dr. Sayed Aman, South Asia, general manager, Alltech, and Dr. H. Shivanna,  vice chancellor, UAS GKVK, Bengaluru. The teams and their projects were:

1. Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad – venture idea to link modern retail stores in cities with producers of fruits and vegetables.

2. Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow – consultancy services to farmers based on soil health and crop condition.

3. Institute of Rural Management Anand, Gujarat – for-profit venture to reduce rural poverty, providing higher ownership to farmers and producers.

4. Indian Institute of Plantation Management, Bengaluru – venture idea in livestock healthcare industry with “Naturaceutical” products.

5. Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore – venture idea based on poly-house cultivation.

6. University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru – venture based on providing food products for healthy living.

7. University of Agricultural & Horticultural Sciences, Shivamogga – venture idea to reduce crop waste and scale economies.

The runner-up in the competition was University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru team. Mithila Hegde and Shruti Ajay received a cheque of Rs. 75,000/- for their ragi (finger millet)-based confectionery business plan. The other five university teams each received Rs. 20,000/-

In the opening video address to the participants, Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech, encouraged the participants that, “Innovation is what we dream.” He emphasized the need to “make things happen” and stressed the importance of revitalization of the agriculture sector through innovation.

A panel discussion with the university students and judges was interactive as it brought venture capitalists, university officials and the private sector to one discussion. Dr. Sayed Aman, general manager, South Asia, Alltech, said, “Alltech ignited the entrepreneurial spirit among the students, but they displayed real insight, talent and knowledge. This is welcomed as the agriculture and food industry is and will continue to be the main driver of country's economic growth.” 

This was the first time the Alltech Innovation Competition, initially launched in the U.S. in 2012, has been held in India. Ms. Godha Govind, Alltech Asia-Pacific training manager, and Medha Singh, project coordinator, coordinated the competition.

Alltech continues to work with universities to ensure the development of talented and educated Indian agribusiness graduates through its education program, including the Alltech Young Scientist program and the Alltech Career Development program. For more information, visit education.alltech.com.

The Alltech Innovation Competition reflects Alltech’s commitment to lifelong education and the inspiration of innovation and entrepreneurship. The competition is also held annually in Kentucky, USA, and in Dublin, Ireland. For more details on the competition in India, contact india@alltech.com.

According to the American Diabetes Association, 90-95% of Americans diagnosed with diabetes have Type 2 Diabetes, and an adult diagnosed with diabetes dies an average of six years earlier than a counterpart without diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects the way the body metabolizes glucose, resulting in insulin resistance. Insulin resistance (IR) is a syndrome that affects other mammalian species, including dogs, cats and horses. When a healthy animal eats, food is broken down, sugars are absorbed in the intestine and blood glucose levels increase. As a result, a hormone called insulin is produced by the pancreas, which tells muscle, liver and fat to increase the uptake of glucose so it can be stored for future use. When an animal or human becomes insulin resistant, this doesn’t happen. As a result, the body keeps producing insulin, hoping that it will help and glucose will be stored, but instead both blood insulin and glucose levels stay high. While exact causes are unknown, often the onset of IR is preceded by weight gain and obesity. High sugar or starch diets can cause lower insulin sensitivity even in non-obese animals. In some cases, it’s believed that high starch diets can make animals more prone to IR because they did not evolve to eat those diets such as cats who are true carnivores. In the case of horses, overfeeding can trigger weight gain and increased adiposity, which can lead to IR.

While it may not seem like a big deal at first, elevated blood insulin and glucose levels can cause long term health problems. For instance, the hyperinsulinemia (elevated blood insulin levels) in horses can induce laminitis, which causes inflammation in the hoof wall lining and lameness. In companion animals and people, unmanaged insulin resistance can cause kidney damage and loss of vision.

Treatment of IR is often through diet and health management, which sounds simple but can be a challenge to those affected. Management includes having the discipline to monitor carbohydrate consumption and exercise on a regular basis. However, human error such as underestimating intake or overestimating exercise intensity can lead to poor disease management and chronic problems.

One area that shows promise for improving insulin resistance is the inclusion of microalgae meal in the diet. Microalgae meal is a heterotrophic strain of algae containing high levels of the omega-3 fatty acid, Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), produced by the global animal nutrition leader, Alltech Inc. In a trial conducted at the Alltech Research Farm, insulin resistant horses were fed a diet supplemented with microalgae meal and their blood insulin and glucose responses were measured. Researchers found that both insulin and blood glucose levels were reduced compared to horses that did not get microalgae. This means that microalgae, or a component of the microalgae like DHA, caused the horses’ bodies to become more insulin sensitive without changing their diet (beyond microalgae meal inclusion) or increasing exercise.

For people who struggle to manage IR in their pets, this is great news. While diet and exercise management is still essential, this research shows another way people can improve the health and well-being of their animals that have become insulin resistant and prevent the devastating conditions that can result from not properly controlling insulin and glucose levels in IR animals. To help fight IR, microalgae meal must be added to your pet’s diet on a daily basis. If this simple addition to your pet’s daily diet can help prevent IR and all of its devastating complications like blindness, lameness or kidney failure, why wouldn’t you feed it? 

Part 1: Getting Started

Starting your professional journey can be hard, especially after experiencing so much freedom and fun at university. Say goodbye to scheduling classes at your preference, weeknight parties and regular leisure time with friends. Say hello to schedules, deadlines, meetings and managers. As a recent graduate who has recently entered the workforce, I would like to share some tips to help you make a smooth transition from the classroom to the boardroom.

Work is fun! Let’s address a few misconceptions. Work is not a boring place full of unimaginative people doing routine tasks and attending endless meetings. You get to know interesting people, start investing in a new wardrobe, practice language skills, learn new ways of doing things from experts in your chosen field and SO much more!    

Preparation, preparation, preparation. Make the time to put together a complete but brief resume (one page is ideal). An experienced recruiter for top companies recently wrote that it takes him less than 20 seconds to evaluate a candidate based on his/her resume. Your work experience may be limited, so focus on highlighting your academic and relevant extracurricular achievements. For example, mentioning you were the winner of a pie-eating contest will likely not impress your future employer; however, your role as president of a campus group would highlight your leadership strengths. It is important to be thorough and consistent in your writing, including tense, fonts, spellings, etc. Proofread your resume several times. Some universities even offer mock interviews where you can practice dressing appropriately and answering questions properly, and at the same time gain feedback on how to improve before the real thing.

Find a company that excites you! A work environment that has a positive culture, shared values that foster innovation, teamwork and happy employees will get you fired up in the morning and keep you motivated. Look at company websites and social media platforms. Maybe you know people who work at that company. Ask them about their experiences. Consider reaching out to key people at that company through LinkedIn.

You may not get hired. Looking for your first job is not easy. Even with all the right preparation, a potential employer may not see you as the right fit for the company. Do not give up! Excitement, rejection, patience and stress are all part of the job hunt. A good way to handle this is to develop a professional frame of mind. Start your day early, as if you worked in an office. Watch or read the news, or check headlines on your Twitter feed. Practicing this will help you get in the habit of waking up early and staying connected to current events, which can be great talking points and references in an interview. Keep in touch with your university friends. They are probably experiencing the same challenges, and you can help each other stay motivated.

Be curious! Earning a degree is a great accomplishment, but it does not necessarily define your career. Nowadays companies in every industry are looking to hire graduates from different fields. The knowledge and hard skills from university classes, paired with soft skills gained from extracurricular and social activities, can help you become a more desirable candidate. Reach outside of your comfort zone, and apply for jobs in different industries. Taking a chance may lead to incredible opportunities!

Continue learning and reading. Just because you have a diploma does not mean you should stop learning. In fact, employers value candidates who challenge themselves. This could mean learning a new language, computer skills, social media practices or other items that will add value to your character and resume. Reading is a great educator. Whether books, blogs or articles, stay informed about the economy, the latest trends or tips from industry leaders. This information could come in handy.

Everyone has different ways of adapting to life outside of the university. We hope these tips will help you handle the transition and find that dream job to get you started on your professional path.

Stay tuned for part two – meeting your future employer!