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SMU has a long tradition of offering a widespread array of education abroad programs, and the list of opportunities is growing this year with new summer programs in Australia and Asia, India and South Africa; an internship program in London; and a new semester program in Cairo.

The Education Abroad Office also will add a winter interterm program in the Western African nation of Mali and launched its new interterm program in Oaxaca, Mexico, in December.

"In today's global society, SMU is committed to providing educational experiences that allow students to acquire knowledge and understanding of diverse cultures," says Michael Clarke, executive director of the International Center, who oversees education abroad and supports international students and scholars at SMU, among other services. "Students, parents, business leaders and government officials increasingly recognize the value of developing international perspectives and skills."

The seven new programs were reviewed and approved by SMU's Education Abroad Council for academic content and suitability, and follow the recommendations of SMU's International Education Task Force, which met last year to develop a comprehensive plan for advancing the globalization of the University.

International Education Task Force Chair John Mears says the new programs reflect SMU's goals not only to increase opportunities abroad and the number of students who participate, but also to diversify the experience. "Education abroad isn't just about Western Europe anymore," says Mears, associate professor of history. "Every region in our interconnected and interdependent world is significant, as is every field of study, from engineering and science to business and the arts."

Here's a look at the new programs in brief. Learn more at the Education Abroad Office's Web site, and stay tuned for upcoming information on SMU-in-Mali.

SMU-in-Australia and Asia: The six-week summer term program, open to junior and senior business students, focuses on the economic and political changes occurring in Asia, particularly China's growing appetite for consumer goods. Participants tour diverse areas of China for the first three weeks and then move to Curtin University of Technology in Perth, Australia, where they work with Australian and Chinese students in developing presentations for industry and university experts.

SMU-in-India: SMU's Temerlin Advertising Institute partnered with the Mudra Institute for Communications in Ahmedabad, India, to create this summer program, which is open to both advertising and non-advertising majors. Students spend three weeks on the Mudra Institute campus and two weeks taking cultural and industry field trips. Kartik Pashupati, assistant professor of advertising, serves as SMU professor-in-residence in Ahmedabad, and Patricia Alvey, distinguished chair and director of the Temerlin Advertising Institute, participates in the second portion of the program.

London Internships: In this 8 1/2-week summer program, students enroll in six credit hours and are placed in professional internships by Boston-based EUSA, while living in student residences in London. EUSA partners students with well-known companies in many industry sectors, as well as with smaller companies, according to students' skills, course of study and professional goals.

SMU-in-South Africa: This summer program at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban focuses on South African history and musical theater, with courses taught by SMU's Dennis Cordell, professor of history and associate dean for general education, and Barbara Hill Moore, professor of voice and program director. Students will prepare and perform highlights of Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story, working with South African students and artists, in addition to participating in cultural field trips.

SMU-in-Cairo: The full semester program in the capital of Egypt and largest city in Africa is offered through the American University in Cairo, a private university whose three schools offer a broad range of degree-granting programs, with courses taught in English. Students will live and attend classes at the university's New Campus in New Cairo, which is scheduled to open in summer 2008. Karl Kilinski II, University Distinguished Teaching Professor of Art History, serves as program director.

SMU-in-Oaxaca: The winter interterm program in the southern Mexican colonial city exposes students to the art, history and religion of the region through classes, readings and numerous field trips. Kathy Windrow, adjunct professor in theatre design, teaches the Cultural Formations course and serves as program director.

By Troy Behrens, Executive Director of the Hegi Family Career Development Center

"If e-mail had been invented before the telephone, everyone would be saying: 'This new telephone thing is great! You can actually TALK to people with it!' "

- Anonymous

Trends in communications technology have led us to more frequent but impersonal interactions. Until the virtual meeting room becomes commonplace and mobile, we have to maintain our assertive, conscientious and professional character traits - especially when job hunting.

Power of blogs

Many blogs are dedicated to job searches and career building, including on Monster and a variety of mainstream and niche sites. Regularly read these blogs, review the advice and pick up tips that will aid your search.

Blogging can become a passion, but don't let that passion hinder your employment prospects. Blog securely and carefully, so your current or future career opportunities aren't jeopardized.

A better way to network

For those who want to network on a clean, "mature" site, LinkedIn is the way to go.

It's been reported that the jackpot in recruiting is finding "passive candidates" - people who are happy and productive working with their current employers. LinkedIn, with its 7 million-plus members, is a gold mine for these types of hidden job market gems.

That's why executive-level job hunters and hiring managers are jumping on the bandwagon and using online networking sites to promote their businesses or making alumni connections.

Not to be outdone, Facebook has countered with two cleaner, more mature versions of employment networking: One Day, One Job and Jobster.

Worth noting: Your Facebook profile will not be seen by employers. When you sign up for Jobster Talent Networks, only information you choose will be provided to desired employers.

Whether you're joining résumé databases, posting on social or professional networks or blogging your way to your next job, here's a link that will keep your search organized and effective:

Beware technology traps

Developing an overreliance on the "magic" of online job hunting can trap us into:

a.) Hiding behind impersonal mass communications

b.) Numbing ourselves behind an electronic buffer to the pain of rejection

c.) Applying to anything and everything at our fingertips

Succumbing to these traps will lend themselves to some interesting, difficult and sticky situations. They also can become bad habits - leading to complacency or overzealousness - and can weaken your interpersonal and communications skills, which are the top skills recruiters at all levels require of their new hires.

At this point, when it comes to résumé databases, blogs or social networks, most of us are aware of the need to "Post Responsibly." We're inundated by "heads-up" messages from You Tube, college career centers and the mainstream media.

Still, not everyone is as careful as they should be. Here's a real-life example of how one job searcher's technical difficulties got the worst of him:

A case study

"Jason" was the epitome of lazy - he threw his résumé to the wind on every site imaginable and let RSS feeds email him job openings instead of actively searching for them. When he did take the initiative to respond to an online ad, he paid little or no attention to job requirements.

As you can imagine, he didn't have much luck. But the law of averages works in favor even of long shots from time to time, and he did get an interview now and then.

Astonishingly enough, there was a time when he was "not really feeling like going all the way down to an employer's office," so he requested to be interviewed via "texting"! He wanted simple yes/no questions, and he didn't think complicating the process with formal meetings was necessary.

He also thought that follow-up phone calls or screenings were a waste of time and inconvenient. Instead of returning calls, he e-mailed employers in response to their voice mails and referred recruiters to his MySpace site for more information.

When a few employers pursued him more seriously, Jason was more brazen, due to the impersonal buffer of e-mails and texts. He often demanded salary information upfront, and under no uncertain terms would he continue with the application process if the employer didn't disclose wages immediately.

With all of his technical shenanigans, Jason led many employers astray. One afternoon, Jason's online applying, declining, reapplying and redeclining offers were so fast, furious and disorganized, that disaster struck. He had applied for a one-in-a-million job - one he had been waiting for - and the recruiter sent an e-mail to inform him that he was going to be called. But first the company did a quick background check.

The employer Googled Jason and discovered that he had a questionable background - including the acceptance of a recent offer job offer! Jason was as surprised as they were to learn of his other offer. Apparently, he had agreed to a sales job in Cleveland and his name was posted on the company site as a new hire!

His chances at the dream job were gone.

"Bummer!" was all Jason could say.

SMU Hegi Family Career Development Center counselors, who are now blogging at smuhegi.blogspot.com, remind you to Post Responsibly!

Mustang football coach June Jones is bringing his successful run-and-shoot offense to SMU. He has spent his first weeks at SMU hiring nine assistant coaches who share his experience as a rebuilder of college and professional football teams and recruiting 28 new scholarship players.

As coach of the Hawaii Warriors for nine years, Jones led his teams to 76 wins, two WAC championships and six bowl appearances. In 1998 Hawaii suffered its first winless season. The following year, the first under Jones, the Warriors went 9-4, the biggest turnaround in NCAA history.

"I'm really excited about this opportunity," he says. "I have a history of rebuilding teams. We're going to stay the course and get it done here."

Why did you decide to become football coach at SMU?

I like turning around programs. That's always fun to see. It's going to be fun to be part of that legacy at SMU.

When you take risks professionally you have opportunities to reap great gain. Schools that are hungry are more apt to listen and are ready to make changes. It's easier to turn these situations around than going to someone who's 7 - 4 and who already thinks they know how to do it.

Steve Orsini (SMU director of athletics) has done so many things to put this program in a position to turn the corner. He has hired interesting and creative people who can get the job done. He's a visionary leader - I sensed that immediately.

How are you going to retrain the team to the run-and-shoot offense?

It's going to be a challenge; we have to get everything we believe taught this spring and in 29 practices before the fall season begins. We teach in the classroom and on the field. It's a lot to do, hopefully we can get it taught quickly enough for these kids to believe in what they can do.

You won't hear yelling on our practice field. We do things a different way-it has worked before, it will work here too. We definitely get our point across, and players respond.

I've had two positive meetings with the team. I'm sure they are hungry to get this thing turned around. We're anxious to get on the field with them when spring practice begins.

How would you describe your new recruits?

It was amazing that in three weeks we were able to get the quality of kids we were able to attract. That says a couple of things for the excitement about what we're going to do as the coaching staff, and it says a lot about their respect for SMU and its academics. We had a lot of kids rethink commitments to other schools.

I think a lot of these kids will play as freshmen. As I told all of them, I'm not into redshirting, I'm into winning football games. If they're the best player, they'll play.

What will attract alumni to attend football games?

Ultimately winning has to do that. Certainly SMU alumni will be proud of the way we do things. We're interested in giving student athletes their best opportunity to be successful in life, not just on the football team.

We're going to win a lot of games, but the thing that means more to me is what we're going to do in these young mens' lives.

You're known as a coach who likes to give players a second chance. Did anyone give you a second chance?

Since I was a little boy, I always wanted to be a professional athlete. But I played college football for five years on three different teams and never got in a game. I was going to quit, but a guy named Mouse Davis, who was my coach at Portland State, gave me another chance - the rest is history.

That's probably why I don't evaluate a player until I get to know him. I don't care what they've done before.

For more information about Mustang football, visit smumustangs.com. For season tickets, call 214-SMU-GAME.

For a preview of SMU football, mark your calendars for the annual Red and Blue Scrimmage at 1 p.m., Saturday, April 5, at Ford Stadium.