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Career development in liberal arts higher education has been my life’s work. I’ve spent more than 25 years helping college students think about what comes next—and, more importantly, what they want their lives to be about. For the past couple decades, I’ve had the privilege of doing that work at St. Olaf College, where I currently serve as Director of the Harry C. Piper Center for Vocation and Career. I never grow tired of the big questions: Who am I? What am I good at? What do I care about? What gives me energy? And where am I going?

I believe the liberal arts are especially powerful preparation for navigating those questions. A college education is about much more than choosing a major or finding a first job. It is an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of yourself and the world, to try things, to change your mind, to discover unexpected interests, and to begin imagining the kind of life and work that might be meaningful to you. My role is to help students make connections among their interests, strengths, experiences, values, and aspirations—and to remind them that they do not need to have everything figured out by the time they graduate.

Over the years, I’ve worked with students in many different settings and stages of their college journeys. Before joining St. Olaf, I worked at Macalester College, Colby College and St. John’s University, and I have taught undergraduate career courses at the University of Minnesota. The Piper Center's work takes place within the College’s Advancement Division, which has given me a wonderful opportunity to bring together two things I care deeply about: helping students find their direction and helping them build relationships with the people who can help them get there.

One of the things I enjoy most—and, I think, do best—is connecting students with St. Olaf alumni and friends who can open doors, share their experiences, offer encouragement, and help students imagine what might be possible. I’ve come to believe that career development is at its best when it is deeply relational. Students don’t have to navigate the big questions alone, and I’ve been fortunate to spend my career helping them connect with the people, experiences, and opportunities that can propel them forward.