The new Handshake service hosted by Career Services and Experiential Learning allows participants to apply for thousands of jobs, internships and other opportunities. Participants can use the system to store a resume, cover letter and other documents to use for each application.

Handshake also provides access to employer information and campus interviewing and recruiting events.

To sign up for the program, click .

Handshake is replacing KnightLink and Place Pro services. To help learn how to navigate the new system, workshops have been scheduled in Career Services and Experiential Learning Room 121. The workshops will be 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 21; 1 p.m. Thursday, June 22; and 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 27.

Employers who want to be included in the program also can check the link to register.

Wyndham Vacation Ownership offered similar internship opportunities to Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝ Rosen College students in the past, but downsized its college recruiting efforts over the past few years due to the U.S. economic climate. However, according to Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝ Rosen College Visiting Assistant Professor Dr. Amy Gregory, the College’s ARDA affiliation and expanded timeshare curriculum has sparked a renewed interest between WVO and the Rosen College of Hospitality Management.

“We had an increased presence at ARDA’s global convention this year due to our student scholarships, involvement in the Education Committee and Research Committee, and various other networking opportunities,” said Gregory, who helped Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝â€™s Rosen College become a member of ARDA. “Our visibility within ARDA has certainly helped generate or reinvigorate interest within the industry. Wyndham, aware of our presence within ARDA, recently visited our campus to discuss new partnership opportunities with our administration.”

As a result of those discussions arranged by Lori Cosimides and facilitated by Dr. Joe Hutchinson, Dr. Youcheng Wang, Dr. Amy Gregory, Tom Barr and Veena Garib, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝ Rosen College students will have the opportunity this summer to participate in Wyndham Vacation Ownership’s 11-week paid “WYNternship” program. The full-time, 40-hour week program will allow students to gain excellent industry experience, along with the opportunity to learn from some of the most experienced and talented individuals in the hospitality industry.

“This is a great opportunity for learning, exposure, and visibility to the many levels of Wyndham’s organization, including direct interaction with senior leadership,” said Gregory. “The students that are selected will be very fortunate to have these opportunities.”

According to Shelly Griessel, Senior Vice President of Contact Center Operations and Wyndham Vacation Resorts Management, “the WYNternship program allows for students to work in a variety of areas within our Hospitality division whilst being part of a wider group of interns.”

The rotational program will help students gain a deep understanding of the inner workings of several areas, equipping them with the ability to make more informed decisions on their true passion in the world of hospitality.

Wyndham Vacation Ownership is currently interviewing Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝ Rosen College students to fill four summer WYNternship positions, which are all set to begin on May 29, 2012.  Students interested in the internship opportunities, as well as other full and part time work with Wyndham Vacation Ownership should refer to the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝â€™s Rosen College listserv communications and/or contact Tom Barr or Veena Garib in Student Services for additional information.

The Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝ is one of eight academic institutions in the United States, who are current members of ARDA’s vast network of industry professionals and organizations.

The 25,000-square-foot Career Services Experiential Learning Building, which was completed in November, is much larger than the departments’ former offices and offers additional services for student job seekers.

The new building — between the Fairwinds Alumni Center and Psychology building — features more space for workshops and meetings with peer advisers or potential employers, a computer lab for students to edit their resumes — and even a “shower room” where job candidates can freshen up before an interview.

“In our previous location, we had to schedule employers to meet with students all over campus because of a lack of space,” said Lynn Hansen, executive director for Career Services. “Now we’re able to offer more services to the students and provide them with more opportunities that will help them land a job or internship.”

The new facility has 20 private interview rooms, including a boardroom-style practice interview suite. Inside, a camera can record students’ interviews, which helps career counselors give students more in-depth feedback on how they did.

Live broadcasting technology allows out-of-state and international employers to regularly interview students without having to travel to Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝. Career Services has already used the technology to connect students with employers in Alaska and the Caribbean.

Located on the building’s third floor, the Office of Experiential Learning in Undergraduate Studies helps students apply what they’re learning in the classroom through experience in the workforce.

This office helps students on all Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝ campuses find internship and co-op opportunities and teaches experiential learning courses.  Students can access the Experiential Learning database system at to learn about available opportunities and can come into the office for advising on a walk-in basis.

“Our goal is to help all students participate in major-related experience before they graduate, and the new features in this facility give us the resources to accomplish that,” said Sheri Dressler, the director of the department.

With work-related experiences becoming even more important for students before they graduate, Dressler says that the new facility “gives us much greater visibility and sends a message to employers that the university is serious about experience outside the classroom.”

Career Services also plans to offer real-time online workshops for students at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝â€™s Regional Campus locations, with a $45,000 technology grant to provide laptops for interactive learning offered with on-site workshops and resource demonstrations. The office also helps to virtually connect the campuses so they can interact in career-related trainings and meetings.

Students can access Career Services resources from anywhere via their computers. KnightLink, a jobs database maintained by Career Services, helps connect students and alumni to potential employers. The database is accessible via the Career Services website at http://www.career.ucf.edu.

Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝â€™s Student Government Association funded the building for the benefit of the student body. Career Services remains the university’s first stepping stone for students who many not know which career field or major is right for them.

Career Services is hosting its Spring 2011 Career Expo from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 1, at the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ă˝ Arena.

The Office of Experiential Learning is holding a campus-wide Co-op and Internship Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 2, in the Student Union’s Cape Florida Ballroom.

To learn more about the career expo and other opportunities from Career Services, go to http://www.career.ucf.edu. For more information on the Co-op and Internship Fair and the Office of Experiential Learning, visit .