Jennifer Reed, an academic adviser for the Academic Advising Center, wanted students to learn about their academic possibilities from people who had been in the situation.

Students who have undecided majors had the opportunity to hear from fellow students about ten different major possibilities Tuesday afternoon at “What is Your Major,” a lecture for undecided majors.

The event featured 10 student representing 10 different majors discussing what a student’s major focuses on, what kind of classes a student takes, what job areas students can work in, and how much the average starting salary is in that major.

Reed organizes this event once every semester.

“The goal of this presentation is to get (students) thinking about what is available to them,” she said.

She estimated that there are a total of 400 students with undecided majors on campus.

One of the student that presented was Jessica Petruszak, a senior family consumer sciences major with a dietetics option. Petruszak said that those in dietetics work with schools and vending and distribution companies among other industries.

“I was a transfer student and got my associate’s (degree) in science, and after an internship, decided to get into dietetics,” Petruszak.

Cassie Shuemaker, senior communication disorders and sciences major, said that there are two different programs audiology and speech pathology. The program offered here at Eastern is an undergrad program that prepares communication disorder majors for graduate school.

Shuemaker said the major involves classes in physics, neurology, psychology and special education. Schuemaker is going to begin grad school in the fall here in the fall.

Mike Comiskey, who presented on physical education-sports management, started with an accounting major and then his sophomore year changed over to sports management. Comiskey said the major involves core classes in physiology and kinesiology as well as courses in business and athletics. Also required for this major is a six-hour internship.

“I found it helpful because I have no idea what I’m going to do; it opened up my mind,” said freshman Katie Daly.

Another method for students to discover or choose a major is an externship. Externships are offered through Career Services and allow students to spend a few hours to a day with a person in their field of interest. More information on externships can be found at http://www.jobsrv.eiu.edu or by calling Career Services at 581-2412.