On April 14, the Career Development Center hosted an etiquette dinner for the students at Missouri Western. Career Development director, Dr. Jerri Arnold Cook, hosted & presented on ways to to have etiquette when you're in a professional setting. 

 

The Career Development director, Dr. Jerri Arnold Cook, expressed how the idea of an etiquette dinner came to fruition. 

 

“I was raised in a family where there was a plate and usually a paper towel, and usually a fork, unless we knew for a fact we needed knives,” said Dr. Arnold Cook. “So it was foreign to me and very early in my career, one of my student organization advisors hosted an etiquette dinner to help us so that when we went to do something at a formal event or we're eating with an employer, we knew what to do. And so I have tried to, I found it helpful, so I try to offer those to my students.”

 

In Dr. Arnold Cook's presentation she discussed the differences between formal and informal ways to eat when you're in a professional setting. She spoke about how important it is for Missouri Western students to learn about etiquette.

 

“I think etiquette dinners are really important for those, like me, who were raised where you just weren't exposed to formal dining,” said Dr. Arnold Cook. “Because there will be students that go to scholarship dinners and when they're presented with two forks, or if you go to a banquet and you're kind of crammed in there…you don't know which glass is yours and you're afraid to drink and I just think it makes you more comfortable at those events.”

 

Dr. Arnold Cook spoke about the importance of leaving positive first impressions. 

 

“First impressions are lasting impressions many times and you can make a better first impression if you know how to interact with employers, how to shake their hand and look them in the eye,” said Dr. Arnold Cook.

 

Dr. Arnold Cook gave credit to SGA for helping The Career Center fund this event.

 

“This would not have been possible without funding through the Student Government Association,” said Dr. Arnold Cook. “In order to have a dinner with this many courses free, we really needed a co-sponsor. We were fortunate to have them sponsored,” Dr. Arnold Cook said. “There have been times in the past when an employer has sponsored it. The other thing is our Aramark team was fantastic. We had a meeting with the chef and catering director and two or three of the waitstaff so we were very gracious and we worked out every detail.”

 

The Career Development Center’s etiquette dinner presented lessons in life skills for anyone who is trying to refine their etiquette.

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