About 100 MSU students learned the right fork to use for their appetizer, salad, main course and dessert when they were given a number of utensils to choose from Tuesday at the Kellogg Center.

The MSU Alumni Association and the Senior Class Council sponsored a manners and etiquette dinner at which speaker Pattie McNiel showed students step by step how to eat properly at formal dinners.

"We're doing this so hopefully they'll be ready to go out in the real world," said McNiel, coordinator of the Distance Learning Program in the National Food Safety and Toxicology Center.

This is the third year of the dinner, for which McNiel said she personally knows of someone who's benefited from it - her son.

"Shortly after he went to it, he started his job interviews," she said. Her son went on a dinner interview with his employer and then came home and thanked his mom for encouraging him to attend the manners dinner.

"He called me up that night and said 'Mom, you don't know how lost I would've been without your workshop.' And he got the job."

Sixty students attended the first year of the dinner. In 2002, 90 attended. This year, McNiel said she was glad more students - mainly seniors interviewing for jobs - came out for it.

McNiel said the training could help students find a job easier, especially during tough economic times.

"It's going to help put them a step ahead of the competition," she said. "It's something that'll set them apart from the rest of the pack."

And that's exactly what some students who attended the dinner were hoping for.

"It's good to learn about," economics and international relations senior Chris Ryan said. "I have a lunch interview with a company in Chicago, so it's kind of appropriate for me right now."

Nutrition science senior Meredith Barnes said she wanted to come because she, like Ryan, had never really had any formal etiquette training.

"I'm confident with my manners, but as far as what utensils to use and who eats first, I'm unsure on," she said.

McNiel also gave tips on dress and appearance as well as eating.

"First impressions take place in the first five minutes," she said to the students. "That doesn't even get you to the how-do-you-do."

Perri Pearson, Senior Class Council co-director of career development, said hopefully students who take what they learned to interviews will put themselves in a good light.

"I hope students will kind of reflect MSU in a better way when they go on interviews," she said.