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On this episode of Discover Lafayette, we sit down with two leaders deeply involved in shaping student career readiness at University of Louisiana at Lafayette: Brandi Hollier, Director of the B.I. Moody College of Business Internship Program, and Kim Billeaudeau, Director of the Office of Career Services.
Together, they share how internships, professional preparation, and employer partnerships come together to help students transition confidently from the classroom into the workforce — while also supporting local businesses looking to grow talent.
Kim Billeaudeau: A Career Built on Mentorship
Kim Billeaudeau has served in Career Services for 25 years, including nearly 19 years as director. A Louisiana native from Opelousas, Kim’s journey began close to home.
“I grew up right down the street in Opelousas, and I taught high school,” she shared. After earning her degree from UL and teaching high school for two years, she realized her passion was helping students navigate life beyond graduation.
“I remembered mentors that I had as a student at UL Lafayette; professional staff members who saw something in me as a student leader,” Kim said. “When Career Services came available, it was perfect.”
Over the years, Kim has helped students with résumés, interviewing, dining etiquette, career fairs, and professional presence. She still sees the long-term impact today.
“They’ll say, ‘Miss Kim, you taught me dining etiquette’ or ‘you helped me with my résumé.’ What I do is amazing, and I’m so blessed to be able to help students each and every day, to graduate and be successful from our institution.”
Professional Skills Beyond the Classroom
Kim emphasized that many students simply haven’t had exposure to professional environments before.
“Sometimes students don’t have an opportunity to put on professional clothing or go through a four or five course meal,” she explained. “The more we can provide them that hands-on experience, that’s part of the education experience.”
Career Services offers mock interviews, interview preparation, and coaching on everything from researching employers to follow-up thank-you notes.
“We do a lot of mock interviews with students. Everything from preparing for the interview, not only choosing what to wear, but researching the company, getting notes together, thinking of what questions you can ask in the interview and getting them to understand that it’s a two way street. Everything to giving a good firm handshake, introducing yourself, when to sit, where to sit, looking the employer in the eye, smiling, and then answering interview questions. And then the follow up with thank you, and online applications. We coach students all through the process.”
Kim is also a certified etiquette consultant through The Etiquette Institute and completed refresher training on post-COVID etiquette, which she now incorporates into student preparation.
Brandi Guidry Hollier: From Student to Professor to Internship Director
Brandi Hollier is an associate professor in the Department of Management and has served as Director of the Moody College of Business Internship Program for more than 12 years. A Lafayette native, her career path has come full circle. She’s currently the recipient of two endowed professorships.
“I was born and raised here in Lafayette, Louisiana. I kind of grew up at UL,” Brandi said. She earned both her undergraduate degree and MBA from UL before starting as an adjunct instructor, later becoming full-time faculty and earning her doctorate.
“There are professors at the university that have taught me that I now work with, which is a beautiful thing.”
Brandi also oversees internship programming that connects students with real-world experience before graduation.
“There are opportunities to go out into an organization and get some professional experience prior to entering the workforce,” she said. “It’s my honor and it’s a blessing to be able to help students in doing that.”
Research, Technology, and the Changing Business Landscape
Brandi’s research focuses on technology adoption, including telemedicine, artificial intelligence, and personality in human-computer interaction, work that directly influences how she teaches.
“Artificial intelligence is here to stay,” she noted. “We have to allow students the opportunity to engage with that, and teach them how to properly do so within ethical realms.”
She emphasized that curriculum is evolving to reflect rapid changes in technology and business practices.
Internships: Events, Employers, and Real Connections
Through collaboration with Career Services, the Moody College of Business offers internship panels, employer seminars, networking receptions, and career fair prep seminars.
One standout event is the business internship networking reception held at the UL Lafayette Alumni Center.
“Resumes are not brought in. We discourage that,” Brandi explained. “We just want them to have a conversation.”
Employers often leave these events already knowing who they intend to hire or having significantly narrowed their candidate pool.
“Small, medium, large sized enterprises — we welcome any and all,” she said.
Handshake: A Central Portal for Students and Employers
Both offices rely on Handshake, a centralized online portal where employers can post internships, part-time, and full-time positions at no cost.
“It’s all online,” Kim said. “Handshake is really a powerful tool.”
All UL Lafayette students automatically have access and can build profiles with résumés, cover letters, and skills. Alumni also retain access.
Paid vs. Unpaid Internships and Academic Credit
Brandi explained that guidance comes from the National Association of Colleges and Employers, which encourages compensated internships whenever possible.
Students may also earn academic credit if the internship aligns with their major and is approved through a multi-step process involving the employer, department coordinator, and internship office.
“It’s a three-hour credit,” Brandi noted, often taken as an elective, though required in some programs.
Preparing Students — and Employers
Both Kim and Brandi emphasized that their offices support not only students, but also employers who may not know where to begin.
“We never want it to be frustrating for a company to hire a student,” Kim said. “We can help make the connections.”
They also encourage employers to think ahead, create clear job descriptions, provide orientation, mentorship, and regular feedback.
“That feedback loop is so very important,” Brandi stressed.
Confidence, Clothing, and the Career Closet
One of the most impactful resources discussed was the Career Closet, which provides free professional clothing to students.
“We had over 700 students take items out of the closet last semester,” Kim shared. Students keep the clothing, helping ease financial barriers to professional attire.
UL Lafayette students can shop for up to 16 free professional clothing items per semester to prepare for events such as interviews, banquets, student organization events, and much more.
Career Services also offers free professional headshots at career fairs. “They’ll say, ‘I can’t wait to send this to my mom,’” Kim said. “They get so much pride seeing themselves in that professional photo.”
Donations of gently used professional clothing and accessories are encouraged and much needed. For more information on how you can contribute, please visit https://louisiana.edu/career/students-alumni/career-closet
Advice for Students
Brandi Holllier shared, “One of my favorite questions, and I do share this with students to ask at the end of the interview is, ‘How would I get feedback on my job performance if hired?’ That shows the company you want their feedback. You want to learn, you want to grow. You know, that’s the experience. It’s about learning and growing. I feel that’s a really great question for students to pose in an interview.”
Both Kim and Brandi strongly encourage students to maintain a professional online presence. “Employers will search you online,” Brandi noted, emphasizing the importance of LinkedIn and being mindful of social media and what photos you share online.
Life Outside of Work
Outside of campus, Brandi enjoys reading and occasionally playing piano alongside her daughter. TV is not a part of her life, and her quiet, beautifully serene nature is reflected in her wise choices as to how she spends her free time.
Kim, meanwhile, is currently actively wearing the hat of wedding planner as her daughter prepares for an April 2026 wedding. “Every moment I have outside of my job is spent on wedding planning,” she said with a big smile.
This conversation offers a valuable look at how UL Lafayette prepares students for professional success — and how local employers can engage meaningfully with the next generation of talent.
