Student Affairs and Career Services Broaden Resources

This past calendar year, Student Affairs and Career Services expanded the scope of their services to benefit the more than 1,000 students who attend HSPH.

HPH NOW caught up with the invigorated staffs to see what they are working on - and what's next on deck.

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Andrew Eisenmann joined HSPH as Director for Student Affairs in the fall and brought with him extensive experience working with students from MIT. There, he served in the offices of Academic Services, the Dean of Students and Undergraduate Education, and Residential and Student Life. Eisenmann said that he was able to "hit the ground running" at HSPH because he inherited a good foundation from previous Student Affairs' staff, including former Director Jim Glover and former Assistant Director Michael LaFarr.

"The mission of the School permeates everything that we do because our work reflects the goals and needs of a wonderfully diverse, motivated, and passionate student body," said Eisenmann. "It's been a true pleasure getting to know the students, staff, and faculty at HSPH these past few months."

From left to right, Amy Wooldridge, Andrew Eisenmann, Heather Curtin, and Brittany Marshall

Heather Curtin was promoted to the role of Assistant Director for Student Affairs in June, after serving as Program Coordinator. Her primary responsibility is providing support for student programming and additional personal support for students. This fall, she managed the orientation program at HSPH for new students. Dozens of sessions were offered, including two brand-new sessions intended to encourage students to share their thoughts on the definition and scope of public health and to lead them through a disaster preparedness thought exercise.

In August, Amy Wooldridge joined the team as Program Coordinator. She works primarily with international students, who constitute about one-third of the HSPH student body. She serves as the Student Affairs liaison to Shattuck International House on Park Drive. Recently, she and Eisenmann aided several student groups involved in planning events to mark World AIDS Day, providing meeting space and other School resources. As part of these events, two HSPH student groups organized the creation of an AIDS quilt unveiled on December 3. See related article in this issue for more information.

Brittany Marshall joined the office as Program Assistant. She is experienced in managing large events and, in her role in Student Affairs, applies that expertise to planning special events at HSPH, including Commencement. She also helps new students acclimate to Boston. For example, she arranged tickets to a Red Sox game, plays, and tours of the city in recent months.

The work of Student Affairs has not gone unappreciated. Student Maggie Parks, MS2, has worked closely with the office in her role on Student Government as a student representative of the Department of Environmental Health. "They've been a great resource for us and have helped us get what we needed," she said.

CAREER SERVICES

Career Services provides a full range of resources for students, postdoctoral fellows, and alumni, from their first day of classes at HSPH to the launch and nurturing of their post-School career.

From left to right, Katie Vedova, Peter Crudele, Maria Ramos (sitting), and Meri Cayem

"We have worked with students to identify their needs when it comes to being well-prepared, confident, and competitive during job searches," said Peter Crudele, Director of Career Services. "To achieve those goals, the Office's resources have become even more robust in recent months."

In addition to Career Fairs, the Office regularly brings representatives of companies and organizations to the School to meet students. The Office launched an Alumni Career Coaching Program that helps students meet alumni who provide advice and networking suggestions. And the team works with Alumni Programs to organize panel discussions about experiences in the field.

In spring 2007, Crudele was joined by Meri Cayem, a seasoned career counselor from Simmons College. Cayem came to HSPH Career Services in the newly created position of Assistant Director. Over the past six months, among other tasks, she has set up a web portal that provides sample cover letters and CVs, links to job search resources and periodicals, and information about major employers. Cayem also administers various assessment tools to help students understand their strengths and weaknesses. She counsels them individually and guides them when they are ready to develop CVs or do informational or job interviews. She role-plays interviewing scenarios with students and leads the development of job-search skills at workshops throughout the year.

Employer Relations Coordinator Katie Vedova helps to contact and organize potential employers who come to the School every spring for a large Career Fair. She aims to have more than 80 companies represented this March. Vedova organizes other events, including an International Networking Event that took place in the fall. Participating organizations included Management Scientists for Health, UNICEF, Oxfam America, The William J. Clinton Foundation, and Pan American Health Organization.

Program Coordinator Maria Ramos said that she really enjoys working with students. Not only is she the initial point person for students seeking Career Services, but she also has helped line up organizations for campus events, produced brochures, and developed an informational bulletin board near the student mailboxes in the Kresge Building. She also has worked to cultivate relationships with alumni who are willing to spend time at the School to speak about their career paths.

MS2 student Shalu Shelat of the Department of Environmental Health has attended a number of Career Services programs and found them very useful. She especially appreciated resume-writing workshops and other programs held during lunchtime, when she could squeeze the talks into her busy schedule.

"They bring in a lot of good companies and opportunities for networking," she said.

—PHC