I arrived at Muhlenberg College during a time of great transition. The Career Center had been moved under Advancement and our office was charged with a new mission: connect alumni to students in dynamic and more powerful ways. This has been achieved in a 3 prong approach.
1. Create new programs connecting students off/on campus to create more powerful and marketable experiences.
2. Design a course for first year students that exposes them to Muhlenberg, alumni and creates an environment where they can reflect and develop their personal story.
3. Create an online platform where the Muhlenberg community can easily connect.
Working with our Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement we began to build the foundation creating www.themuhlenbergnetwork.com (Powered by Graduway), which now has almost 2000+ students/alumni/parents actively building connections. Building off of my work at Susquehanna University and their professional development curriculum I designed PED 180: Professional Identity and Networking, a selective career education course for first year students.
I also developed a career road trip program now in its second year, which travels to major metro areas such as New York City, Washington DC and Philadelphia visiting alumni connected companies.
Our office has been recognized by our campus community during our first few years together with our Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement, Pat Fligge and myself being awarded the Julie Hamre '72 & John Hamre prize for outstanding contributions to the College and our Executive Director Tom Dowd being awarded manager of the year.
We've had a lot of success, due in large part to an amazing team and senior administration that has given us the ability to be bold in our vision, agile in our approach and dynamic in the way we connect with students, alumni/parents, and employers. Muhlenberg College is a special community of students, faculty, staff and I'm thrilled be a part of building its future.