Denison has raised the bar for liberal arts career centers across the country, formally dedicating the Knowlton Center for Career Exploration and establishing the new Denison@Work program, which is bold, ambitious, and like nothing else in higher education today.
“The goal for college students should not be just to find a job, but to build a life. We help our students explore the kinds of lives people lead — and the ways they develop their careers to support those lives,” says President Adam Weinberg.
We help our students explore the kinds of lives people lead…
The president was joined at the dedication ceremony in the Atrium of the Burton D. Morgan Center by members of the Board of Trustees and a large group of students, faculty and staff, along with Eric Lindberg ’93, trustee of the Austin E. Knowlton Foundation, which provided $9.3 million to create the benchmark program for helping liberal arts students transition into the professions.
In expressing his gratitude to the trustees of the Knowlton Foundation, Denison’s Board of Trustees Chair and retired chairman/CEO of International Paper John Faraci ’72 said, “The Knowlton Center is already doing the important work of connecting students, during their entire four years here, with significant opportunities and with Denison alumni all over the world. It is leveraging relationships and personal achievement, both hallmarks of a Denison education, and it is employing technology in ways that we could not have foreseen just a few years ago.”
Denison@Work is replacing the traditional stand-alone career service office with a new paradigm that puts students at the center of a network of relationships, increasing their awareness of self, exploring professional interests through hands-on experiences, and pursuing opportunities through personalized plans.
Trustees, faculty, staff and friends – good afternoon! My name is Haley Jones.
I am a senior from Portland, Oregon, and I’m double majoring in Communication and Spanish. I first became introduced to the Knowlton Center for Career Exploration, before it was the Knowlton Center, as a first year student, which now feels like a lifetime ago.
At the time, I sought out advising in order to make the professional transition from high school to college. Individual appointments and quick advising hours served as an excellent introduction to not only the staff in the center, but also to the plethora of resources available to our students.
As a senior looking back, I’m really glad that I took advantage early on of the resources available, as each year the Center has aided in the development of my professional foundation. I’m glad to see the Center amping up its efforts to not only engage students, but to also expose us to opportunities like OnBoard modules, the Radius Internship Program, and the Denison Internship Program.
During the past two summers, I have experienced two internships that have changed the trajectory of my professional career and life. The first was as a Social Media Marketing Intern and Project Lead at Flashstarts in Cleveland, Ohio, as a part of the Summer on the Cuyahoga Program. I spent the summer with interns from seven other colleges and universities participating in a plethora of civic, social, and professional engagements outside of working hours.
This past summer, I had the opportunity to intern at the Amazon headquarters in Seattle in the Global Communications department as a Public Relations Intern. I initially learned about this opportunity from Susan Leithauser '90, Parent and Family Philanthropy, and very shortly thereafter from my friends in the Admission Office, as well as on Handshake.
Knowlton was my primary resource in preparation for this internship. My summer at Amazon concluded with a full-time offer to return after graduation as a Publicity Assistant with their Consumer team. I accepted. Before, during, and after both internships, the Center played an instrumental part in my preparation and overall experience. I sought counsel for resume and cover letter review, interview practice, and just recently for seeking information on reviewing job contracts.
The gift to the Knowlton Center provides an opportunity for its immense expansion and capabilities to provide resources that will benefit not only current students, but also prospective students and Denison graduates. What resonates most with me about the Knowlton Center is the genuine care and interest displayed by each member of its staff. They are a group of passionate individuals who sincerely desire to enrich the professional experience and trajectory of each Denison student. I feel lucky that Denison’s commitment to our careers and lives after Denison won’t end when we walk across the stage for graduation.
On behalf of all Denison students, and myself, thank you for your demonstrated commitment and investment in our futures. It’s looking pretty great.
- Adam Weinberg in The Huffington Post: Rethinking the Career Service Center
- Adam Weinberg in The Huffington Post: Preparing Students for the World of Work
- Career Exploration Receives $9.3 Million Gift from Knowlton Foundation
- Life After Denison: Knowlton Center for Career Exploration Web Page