Career services leadership and advocacy

Hi Reader, My daughter is a junior in college now, which means that not long ago I sat through an impressive number of virtual campus visits. I became very familiar with stock footage of students laughing under trees and phrases like “transformational experience” and “supportive community.” If enthusiasm alone were a differentiator, every institution would win. Honestly, if drone footage were destiny, we’d all retire. What surprised me wasn’t the polish. It was the sameness. Small classes....

Hey there Reader, When Susi Gomez Kennedy stepped into her role at UW-Milwaukee (UWM), she didn’t inherit a polished program. She inherited potential. UWM is an access institution serving 23,000+ residential and commuter students. Building community, belonging, and professional networks in that environment isn’t just helpful, it’s essential. Many students are balancing work, family, and school. Social capital isn’t automatic. Retention issues aren’t abstract. And sitting quietly in the middle...

Hi Reader, My daughter is a junior in college now, which means that not long ago I sat through an impressive number of virtual campus visits. I became very familiar with stock footage of students laughing under trees and phrases like “transformational experience” and “supportive community.” If enthusiasm alone were a differentiator, every institution would win. Honestly, if drone footage were destiny, we’d all retire. What surprised me wasn’t the polish. It was the sameness. Small classes....

Hi Reader, One of the most vulnerable moments in my work happens before I ever facilitate a meeting or make a recommendation. It’s the moment a campus says, “Okay. We’re ready. We’ll send everything.” And by everything, they mean everything — strategic plans, internal reports, assessment dashboards, marketing materials, org charts, student survey data… sometimes even the drafts that never made it out of Google Docs. This review process is a foundational part of my consulting work. Before I...

Hi Reader, Something interesting is happening in our field right now. What should feel like validation… doesn’t. Career has moved into the spotlight. Presidents are talking about outcomes. Boards are asking sharper questions about ROI. Legislators are scrutinizing value. Families are looking for evidence that degrees translate into meaningful work. On paper, this is the moment career services leaders have been waiting for. And yet, in coaching conversations, I’m hearing something else...

Hi Reader, This has come up repeatedly over the past few weeks—in a workshop I led with career services leaders, and again in coaching conversations this past week. “How do I connect my work to what leadership is actually prioritizing?” If you’re deep in the semester, this probably sounds familiar. You’re collecting real student stories.Students leaving clearer, calmer, more confident.Decisions made. Anxiety reduced. Direction restored. And yet—when our conversations with leadership turn to...

Hi Reader, I want to start this edition with a moment from recent client work—because it captures exactly why 2026 feels different. The meeting had been on the calendar for weeks. By the time we got there, the work was done: nearly 100 interviews across campus, dozens of perspectives synthesized and pressure-tested. What students were experiencing. What faculty were trying to do. Where experiential learning lived — and where it didn’t. How career development actually functioned when you...

Hello Reader, As I look back on 2025, what stands out most isn’t the pace or the scale of the work—it’s the responsibility of it. This past year reinforced why I do this work: to help leaders rise in their roles, build confidence, regain a sense of control, and move their campuses toward meaningful student outcomes—together. 2025 was my second full year in business, and it was a year of depth. The work expanded—but more importantly, it became clearer, more grounded, and more consequential....

Hello Reader, Happy New Year! As we head into a new semester, I’ll be sharing a few very easy-to-use opportunities you can pass along to students—especially if you’re looking for simple ways to expand work-based learning without adding to your team’s workload. Many of you know I’m working with Podium Education, and one part of that partnership I really like is their Early Talent Competitions. These are short, virtual, employer-led case competitions that give students real-world experience in...