The inaugural Career Symposium at Cal State San Bernardino, featuring keynote speaker Richard Montañez, the inventor of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, will empower students to develop as professionals by leveraging CSUSB’s leading services and programs offered through the university’s Career Center and campus-wide partners. The event will be held Thursday, Jan. 24, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Santos Manuel Student Union Events Center. Students must register for the symposium via Handshake. Faculty and staff can register for the event by visiting event webpage. Montañez, who grew up in a migrant labor camp in Southern California with Mexican immigrant parents and 10 siblings, was working at a Frito-Lay plant as a janitor when he came up with the idea of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. When one of the machines in the assembly line failed to sprinkle a batch of Cheetos with the orange cheesy dust, Montañez wondered how they would taste with chili powder. He took some home to experiment. After his friends and family expressed how much they enjoyed the snack, Montañez decided to pitch the idea to the chief executive officer. Two weeks later, in a $3 tie, Montañez presented his idea to company executives and his career took off, moving his way up the corporate ladder within PepsiCo to the executive level. Today, Montañez gives motivational speeches and presents to companies on the importance of diversity in businesses. The Career Symposium will also include breakout sessions for both students and faculty/staff. Student workshops include:What can we do for you?In this session, students will learn about the free services, resources, tools, workshops, events and career readiness programs the Career Center offers to achieve personal and professional goals. Internships that PayStudents will learn how to begin acquiring experience in their field of study and how relevant work experience enhances an application. Dissecting Careers and Majors at CSUSB (two sessions)Students will explore strategies on choosing a major and career options using their major.   Why Mentors MatterIn this session, students will learn why mentors are beneficial and how they can strategically identify one that will help them reach their career goals. Staff and faculty workshops include:Overview of Services/Handshake ExplorationIn this session, staff and faculty will be able to better understand the career readiness services and resources that are offered to students through CSUSB’s premier programs. Attendees will learn the basics of navigating Handshake from the staff/faculty side and how to access the website through the career services account, and the importance of using Handshake as a centralized job board for all CSUSB student positions. Behind the Scenes of Career/Major ExplorationParticipants will learn valuable information about how career counseling helps students with major-related questions, including how to connect majors to careers, choosing or changing a major. Participants will also learn how to leverage campus partnerships to empower student success. The Impact of InternshipsParticipants will learn about the internship opportunities, resources and tools offered at the Career Center to prepare students for the fast-changing job market. Partnering for Career ReadinessFaculty and staff will discover opportunities to align department efforts and goals in support of student career readiness. Participants will learn how the Career Center can partner with their department to help – from networking events to counseling appointments. The Career Symposium will also include breakfast, networking opportunities, complimentary lunch for CSUSB students and a fashion show. If you are in need of a reasonable accommodation for the event, call (909) 537-5250 (72-hour notice required). Visit the CSUSB Career Center website to learn more.