Student Affairs to hire executive director for Career Services
Aim is to work with students, faculty for jobs
By Nyshicka Jordan
Staff Reporter

Student Affairs is creating a new executive director position in University Career Services to ensure students searching for jobs are getting the most help possible, university officials say.

The decision to create an executive director was not made because of any problems in Career Services, but because expectations of the department are being expanded significantly, said Don Mills, vice chancellor for Student Affairs.

“We have identified the career center as a component of the student experience that needs to be enhanced,” Mills said.

Mills said the main reasons for creating the new position are having a Career Services professional working more closely with faculty in each college and getting as many different companies interviewing and hiring TCU students as possible.

He said he is not sure how the executive director will complete these goals, but that the executive director’s role will be that of overall supervisor of Career Services and will serve as the leader in how to enact new organization, Mills said.

The search for an executive director began late last summer, but was then being conducted by a TCU search committee, Mills said. However, he said the search was closed in November after receiving 50 resumes and interviewing two candidates, including current Career Services Director Carolyn Ulrickson.

Ulrickson declined to comment on the new position and her application status.
Mills said the committee decided they had not seen what they were looking for in the candidates they interviewed. He said he decided to look outside the university because they wanted to hire someone who would be a leader in terms of the goals Student Affairs hopes to achieve.

University officials hired the search firm Spelman and Johnson Group because they have better connections, resources, experience and more time to dedicate in searching for candidates, Mills said. Characteristics such as creativity, experience and someone who has high energy are desirable in a candidate, Mills said.

A packet with candidates names could arrive as early as the end of this week, Mills said. The former committee that did the initial search will then begin the process of reviewing candidates, he said.

Bill Stowe, associate director with Career Services, said the department was surprised by the decision to create an executive director position, but that it is a good step to get “fresh eyes on things.”

However, Stowe said he is unsure about changes that will result after the executive director has been named.

“It’s kind of like the new chancellor coming in,” Stowe said. “Everybody has no idea where his priorities are going to be, what changes he might want. I think the same thing applies here.”

Shawnie Smith, a senior food management major, said her experiences with Career Services have always been helpful. She said she agrees with changes to develop stronger relationships with the colleges.

“I think it will be helpful for the different departments to work with Career Services because different colleges understand more about specific fields,” Smith said.

Through marketing and creating better relationships with the academic programs, Mills said, he hopes students will begin to look at Career Services as their first option when they begin their job search.

“We need to be certain that our graduates are competing better than other schools graduates,” Mills said. “It is crucial now that students have guidance and as much help possible to get a job because it is so competitive.”

Nyshicka Jordan
n.d.jordan@tcu.edu