Since its inception five years ago, the Career Month program has continued to expand to include new ways of informing people of all ages about changes in today's work environment. The Southern Public Relations Federation gave the program a 2000 Award of Excellence for Special Events and Observances. The National Association of Colleges and Employers selected Career Month in Louisiana for the 1999 NACE Award of Excellence in Educational Programming and as one of the 1998 Best Practice awards showcased at the national conference. Mary delaHoussaye Belleau, assistant director of LSU Career Services and coordinator of Career Month activities, says credit for these awards also goes to the educators and employers statewide who, at the request of LSU Career Services, promoted Career Month in Louisiana to their publics. LSU Career Services and LACE are asking employers to host open houses, especially for their employees' children and for student groups to learn more about job opportunities within the workplace.
Open houses can also help employers recruit potential employees.
These programs link organizations with schools so that the organizations can work with the same school on a long-term basis. State Superintendent of Education Cecil Picard has asked city and parish school superintendents to hold similar career-related programs and have students read and write about careers. He was 68. Choong was climbing rugged terrain in La Tigre National Forest at the time of his death. He had a history of heart problems, but the actual cause of death is unknown.