As the new director of the Career Center at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, Stephanie Jeffers knows students can benefit from the Career Center as soon as they start college.
“The foundation of the Career Center is preparing students for the next phase of life. It could be grad school, full-time employment — whatever that next step is.” She says primary student services include resume reviews, cover letter reviews, mock interviewing, internships, job search and writing essays for grad school applications. The Career Center’s relationships with employers within the local community and region create important connections for students and alumni.
Jeffers, who started at SMWC during the summer, has ten years of experience in higher education with areas of expertise in career development, academic advising, teaching, marketing, events and outreach.
The services she supplies to the traditional student body are available to online students, graduate students and even alumni.
Jeffers believes she can be helpful before a students’ senior year — when the anxiety of finding a job sets in — by working with students to help evaluate decisions during their time at the College. She is excited about career exploration with students, considering the job opportunities available within their major and assisting students to evaluate minors that could be complimentary, which can expand opportunities when they are ready to join the workforce.
The assistant director of the Career Center, Martha Reed, MS, is even newer to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods than Jeffers and comes to The Woods with more than 20 years of experience in higher education. She is a certified coach and trainer in emotional intelligence. Her mother worked at The Woods, and her daughter finished her education at SMWC. “My dream job was always to come back to career services. I wanted to help students find their purpose and their passion, and this job has called to me,” Reed said.
“A student’s resume starts when they are a freshman,” Reed points out. As students join organizations and do internships, they need to continue to add to their resumes rather than wait until their last semester and try to remember all the high points of their entire college career. Waiting can be detrimental to their resume, Reed says. “We want to show students that we are not just a senior-walking-out-the-door-service.” One of the Career Center objectives is to help students highlight skills and activities acquired and accomplished during their college years to present to potential employers.
Both Jeffers and Reed are excited to be at SMWC and look forward to meeting more people. “We are here to support all levels here at the College. We can assist students, faculty, staff and alumni. We hope people will stop in and find out more,” says Jeffers.
Jeffers and Reed’s offices are located on the first floor of Le Fer Hall.