With the help of Family and Consumer Sciences alumni, students in the FCS college learned the skills they’ll need during an interview at “Professional Evening: A Night for Success” Tuesday.

Thirty FCS students and 20 alumni and faculty attended the event at the Joan Bice Underwood Tearoom in MacKay Hall.

“There was more interest, but we had to limit the number due to space,” said Vicki Heiller, treasurer of the FCS Alumni Association Board.

Budget cuts in the late 1990s and the early 2000s caused the loss of career services in the FCS college. As a result, the FCS Alumni Association executive board decided to hold an event dedicated to helping students learn proper interviewing skills, which could possibly help them land their future career.

“We feel it was a good investment in the students,” said Karen Davis, FCS Alumni Association board member.

The main purposes behind the night’s events were to provide networking between alumni and students, tips on resume writing, interview skills and dining etiquette techniques.

“As alums, we know how valuable these services were to us,” said Julie Baumler, FCS Alumni Association board secretary.

Jan Brown, president of the FCS Alumni Association board and Ardie Roehr, retired educator and executive director for the Iowa Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, are two of the alumni who spoke with the students about the importance of etiquette in the future.

“When I taught school we had a guy come in who said 40 percent of students lost job [opportunities] because of a lack of social graces,” Brown said.

Roehr said she hoped to help students feel more comfortable with the dining experience.

“Most interviews today have a meal associated with them,” she said. “Students need to understand the proper procedures and knowing what to do and how to do it.”

The executive board, as well as Dynette Mosher from alumni relations who helped coordinate the event, said their goals for the night were to let students in the FCS college know they have the support of alumni and they are reaching out to them to help meet their needs.

“We hope the students [went] away feeling they gained helpful tips in the interview process that gives them self-confidence,” Brown said.

Students helped choose the topics for the discussion. Nathan Mueggenberg, president of Phi Upsilon Omicron, was one of the organizing students.

“There’s nothing more awkward than joining a co-worker for a business lunch and you don’t know how to act. It’s something that students need to be exposed to more than once… then it becomes second nature,” Mueggenberg said. “It’s a great opportunity for students to get their questions answered.”

Mueggenberg said students are also sometimes apprehensive about talking with professionals and finding the right contact people to help find internships or jobs.

“Networking is one of those things that is very difficult to master,” he said. “Students are hoping to make some great contacts that lead to future job opportunities.”

Kelly Zeige, senior in food science and industry, said she decided to attend to gain more training in etiquette, resumes and professional experience.

“Once a person is in their career there are many dining situations and they need to know what’s appropriate for that kind of situation,” she said. “The more you do these types of things, the more comfortable you are.”