Hiring Local for Work that is Global: BU and Crayola maintain close partnership

Rachel Jerant has been part of the talent acquisition team for Crayola for about four years and has seen quite a few Huskies cross her path in that time.

As a recruiter, Jerant has experience with many schools and has always loved the relationship with Bloomsburg, citing the support they receive when coming to campus and the fact that the students she sees at BU campus expos, conferences, and information sessions are prepared and eager to learn. In fact, it was a BU Business Management program grad and VP of Manufacturing, Gary Wapinski, who began the formal partnership with BU.

"Anytime we come to campus to share our brand and recruit, faculty and staff are always supportive and make sure the students coming to the expos are well prepared. The students ask questions, are dressed professionally, and present themselves well. [BU students] always stand out in my mind."

Although Crayola is a global brand, their headquarters are located in the Lehigh Valley, making them local to quite a few Pennsylvanians and, by default, Huskies. There are quite a few BU grads at Crayola in all areas of the company, and Jerant believes that the close-knit company culture melds well with what BU students experience on campus.
 

"There is a lot of company collaboration and team-based work, and I think that is attractive for students coming from the BU environment of close relationships with faculty and staff.” 

Jerant adds that BU students typically come with the type of mindset that Crayola values in their employees, making them attractive candidates.

"BU students have a desire to learn, and that is important. At Crayola, we have a creative mindset to keep an open mind and problem solve. Coming out of school, it's important."

Another way to stand out at Crayola is to have practical experience on one's resume, and Jerant says that an internship, especially with Crayola, can provide that experience. Supply Chain interns, for example, work closely with those on the manufacturing floor, but they also present in front of company leaders.

"It's one thing to learn in a classroom, but having that hands-on experience is so crucial. From a recruiting standpoint, we look for candidates who have those prior work and team leadership experiences. "

"BU has always been among the top schools in terms of how they treat their partners and prepare their students. We’re very appreciative of our partnership and hope to continue working with the university longer term.”