The O’Brien Centerfor Student Success

ANNUAL REPORT

2013-2014

Merrimack College

EXECUTIVESUMMARY

Greetings! Merrimack College’s O’Brien Center continues to provide vital services to the campus and community by linking our internal and external partners to all we do, and I am pleased to share our 2013-2014 progress with you in this Annual Report. This past year we continued to advance our efforts in six key areas of growth:

• Engaging and educating students: early and often.• Expanding career education and experiential learning to our growing student population.• Partnering with and equipping key influencers: faculty, parents, advisors, alumni and employers.• Generating accessible internships, co-ops, volunteer, and employment opportunities nationally and internationally.• Increasing measurement and reporting capacity.• Building a corporate engagement strategy.

As a result, we experienced growth in both student and employer engagement. Notable 2013-2014 highlights include: • 61% increase in students using individual advising appointments.• 56% increase in employers interviewing on campus.• 15 new employer partnerships.• Created a Mobile Career Lab, resulting in a 48% increase in walk-in advising.• Developed an Employer-in-Residence program.

The O’Brien Center continues to strengthen post-graduate preparation by delivering targeted personal, professional, and career development to our students, as well as expanding opportunities for industry connections regionally and nationally. As a result, the college realized the following positive post-graduate outcomes for the Class of 2013:

• 98% of the class of 2013 were employed, in graduate school, or completing a year of service within nine months of graduation.• 61% of graduates participated in at least one co-op or internship.• 29% received full-time job offers as a result of their co-op or internship.• Median salary was $42,500.

The coming year will be a transition year reflecting the forward trajectory of the college and the need to provide more deliberate programming to ensure all students are well equipped for the 21st century workforce. The implementation of key initiatives to support the O’Brien Center’s strategic goals is central to our objectives. As in the past, these new measures will rely on continued intentional planning and collaborative engagement. Anticipated highlights for 2014-2015, in alignment with the Agenda for Distinction, Merrimack College’s strategic plan for growth, include:

• Advancing our corporate relations model to promote employer partnerships across campus.• Advancing career development programming embedded in credit bearing coursework allowing us to capture a wider body of students.• Advancing student success through increased participation in cooperative education and internships.• Deeper engagement with graduate students to achieve anticipated post-graduate outcomes.• Increased sophistication in managing data and analyzing outcomes.• Expanding our physical space to accommodate our student growth.

Whatever your connection to the O’Brien Center and the wider Merrimack community, we encourage you to partner with us in achieving the goals we have set for the coming year.

Sincerely,Dr. Heather N. Maietta Associate Vice President

1. Create a modern, academic enterprise grounded in innovative teaching, learning, and scholarship.

2. Develop a contemporary Catholic mission.3. Create an intellectually vibrant, engaged, entrepreneurial student experience.4. Inspire and engage our people, culture, and community.5. Strengthen our value proposition and competitive position.

2013-2014 Measures of Success The O’Brien Center for Student Success created operational goals in direct alignment with the Agenda for Distinction. Progress towards our 2013-2014 goals, as compared to the previous year, are as follows:

Conceive and launch a corporate engagement strategy whereby corporations consider themselves to be investors and business partners of Merrimack College, and where Merrimack provides holistic value to our partners. Corporate Engagement, with the O’Brien Center for Student Success as its vehicle, will act as a single point of entry for university/industry collaborations.

• Researched, benchmarked and interviewed colleges with successful corporate relations programs. Created and presented proposal and executive summary.

• Early corporate engagement partners include: Pfizer, Fidelity Investments, Hewlett Packard, Bach Pharma, Putnam Investments, Whittier Health Network, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and CLASS, Inc., resulting in increased employer involvement on campus and with students.

Create professional and career-related curricular programming for second year students, building on the First Year Experience course.

• Career Passport is designed to support students in early career preparation. In its third year, a total of 16 faculty partners and 690 students participated representing a 9.7% increase.

• Piloted this year with Biology and Health Science students, the Six Week Career Development Program is a comprehensive series designed to prepare students going into internships and co-ops.

• Staff conducted 28 classroom presentations as part of the Don’t Cancel That Class program. Topics included: Introduction to O’Brien Center & Career Jeopardy, Interviewing and Negotiating Job Offers & Salary, and Resume Workshops.

Strengthen existing programs and deliver new student services to encourage career-related exploration early and often. Through active marketing and outreach, the O’Brien Center’s signature programs realized increased student involvement or met selective target numbers:

• Destination Exploration, 78% student increase.• Generation Merr1mack, 42% student increase.• Career Passport, 9.7% student increase.• Professional Mentor Exchange: Reached set goal of 16 selective mentor/mentee matches.• Externship Program: 29 students and 14 employers participated during winter and spring breaks.

Merrimack College’sAGENDA FOR DISTINCTION

Expand mobile career services to target non-represented areas of campus with career presence. • Created a Mobile Career Lab in McQuade Library, expanding walk-in advising by 12 hours/week.• Conducted evening career workshops in the residence halls.

Recruit 15 new employers and assist 75 students in obtaining co-op and internship opportunities.• Created 15 new employer partnerships: All Care VNA & Hospice, Bach Pharma, EMARC, Gamma Medica,

Inc., Genzyme Corporation, Hittite Microwave, HNTB Corporation, Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, MITRE Corporation, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, NESN, NITCO, Parker Hannifin Corporation, TD Bank, N.A., Waters Corporation.

• 63% increase in co-ops, internships and full-time employment opportunities posted on Advantage.• 56% increase in employers interviewing on campus.• Exceeded target goal for full-time co-op and internship participation by 65%.

Conceive and launch a co-op awards program in collaboration with Enrollment Management and faculty to increase awareness and education of current and prospective students engaging in cooperative education.

• Experiential learning task force provided recommendations for campus-wide enhancement of experiential learning to include co-op and internship program incentives.

• Created the eMpower Career and Professional Development Plan, a four year career action plan which serves as a blueprint for important career growth, linked to all the O’Brien Center resources and services available over the continuum of the undergraduate experience. eMpower lays preliminary groundwork to develop a structured internship/co-op program for incoming students.

Launch new recruiting database.• To better enhance how information is shared and processed within the college, students and employers, the

O’Brien Center upgraded its content management system to NACElink-Symplicity, branded as Advantage. Student data from the Registrar’s Office is automatically synced to Advantage allowing for more accurate reporting.

(MEASURES OF SUCCESS, CONTINUED)

First Destination DataAll data is self-reported by the Merrimack College Class of 2013 based on the O’Brien Center for Student Success’ First Destination Survey administered nine months post-graduation with a knowledge rate of 85% for Bachelor’s Degree holders and 70% for Master’s Degree holders.

Number of GraduatesNumber of Responses

Knowledge Rate

Graduate SchoolEmployed Full-Time

Employed Part-TimeOther

Seeking EmploymentCompleted Internship

Average Salary

Class of 2013 Class of 2012 Class of 2011

46239385%

20%66%10%2%2%

61%$42.5k

54547788%

24%60%7%2%7%

61%$41k

40524360%

27%54%0%3%

16%67%$42k

Bachelor’s Degree Recipients: Class of 2013 First Destination Data and 3-year Comparison

Master’s Degree Recipients: Class of 2013 First Destination Data

Number of Graduates Number of Responses

Knowledge Rate

Employed Full-TimeEmployed Part-Time

Seeking EmploymentDelayed Employment

14098

70%

77%5%

17%3%

Engagement Efforts

in students

using individual advising appointments

in resume/ cover letter

critiques

in students using

Career Lab

in students

participating in on-campus recruiting

in classroom

presentations

ONE ON ONE INTERACTIONS

433first yearstudents

155 juniors

192seniors

47alumni

ACTIVITY FLOW BY SEMESTER• 84% increase in student interactions during the fall semester.• 34% increase in student interactions during the spring semester.

POPULATION SPECIFICS• 309 interactions with 34% of enrolled student athletes.• 450 interactions with 42% of enrolled first generation college students.• 221 interactions with 32% of enrolled international students.

CLASSROOM PRESENTATIONSDon’t Cancel that Class: At faculty request, a total of 28 career-related educational sessions were delivered by the O’Brien Center.

First Year Experience (FYE): Course instructors in 11 class sections delivered two presentations on topics including: self-exploration, an introduction to the O’Brien Center, and an understanding of experiential learning.

Undergraduate StudentsSUMMARYAll data was collected from July 2013 to June 2014

146 sophomores

61%increase

33%increase

49%increase

38%increase

23%increase

Graduate StudentsSUMMARYAs graduate student populations grow, so too does the need for specialized career services. A newly created Graduate and International Career Advisor was hired with three main goals for year one:

• To understand the needs of graduate and international student populations and establish relationships with key stakeholders.

• To introduce, integrate, and promote the O’Brien Center through presentations, events, and the use of resources.

• To prioritize career preparation and planning needs and execute specialized programming to graduate populations.

The O’Brien Center interacted with 42% of the graduate students enrolled during the 2013-2014 academic year. STUDENT TRAFFIC

299 individual advising appointments.46 walk-in advising sessions.186 participants in special programming.

PresentationsUncomfortable Issues in Hiring: Sponsored by the O’Brien Center and Graduate Student Senate, the Vice President of Human Resources at Merrimack College discussed salary and benefits, the application and interview process, and on-the-job expectations.

Executive Leadership Development: In collaboration with Girard School of Business and Alumni Relations, students participated in mock interviews, speed networking sessions, and a networking reception.

Mock Interview Day & Networking and Personal Branding Workshop: Sponsored by the O’Brien Center and the School of Education and Social Policy. Community Engagement and Higher Education students participated in mock interviews followed by a classroom workshop to further their networking skills.

Community Engagement and Education Career Series: Sponsored by the O’Brien Center and the School of Education and Social Policy, this two part series focused on resumes, cover letters, and personal branding and networking to prepare students to present in an intentional and professional manner.

ExternshipLaunched during the 2013-2014 academic year, an externship is a short-term experiential learning opportunity designed to give students hands-on practical exposure to their field of study. This new initiative yielded 29 student and 14 employer participants.

Career PassportCareer Passport is an innovative program designed to support first and second year students in their career preparation by providing an introduction to career development and decision-making as an undergraduate. Through Career Passport, students gain academic credit to participate in a series of career-related events and activities such as creating a basic freshman resume and meeting with their Career Advisor. In its third year, a total of 16 faculty partners and 690 students took advantage of Career Passport. This is a 9.7% increase in student participation from the previous year.

Destination ExplorationDesigned to support all undeclared students through a three-tiered advising system—faculty advisor, career advisor, and student ambassador—Destination Exploration helps students navigate major and career decision making by engaging in active conversation about their exploration process. In year two of the program, Destination Exploration increased participation by 78%, engaging approximately 15% of the total undergraduate population. A total of 48% of all undeclared students declared a major during the academic year.

Generation Merr1mackGeneration Merr1mack helps first generation college students acclimate to the Merrimack community; works to support and increase education and participation in experiential learning; and challenges students to build professional networks. 40% of Merrimack’s student body is first generation. Generation Merr1mack supported 85% more students in its second year than its first. Throughout the year, student use of their Peer Mentor increased by 106%. Of the students supported by Generation Merr1mack, 42% used the O’Brien Center.

Professional Mentor ExchangeIn collaboration with the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, this selective initiative connects highly motivated students to Merrimack Alumni who are industry leaders for the purpose of increasing students’ social capital, relationship-building and networking skills. 16 mentors and student mentees participated in the year long exchange.

Signature Programs

DID YOU KNOW?

of Merrimack’s student body is comprised of first generation college students.

40%

The O’Brien Center partners with faculty and staff to deliver career programming targeted toward specific industries and topics. 2013-2014 events included:

URIC Life Sciences Symposium: A joint partnership with Life Sciences, this event allowed students to present their summer research or internship experience to the Merrimack community.

Career Kickoff: This event raised awareness and provided education around the O’Brien Center’s services, resources and calendar of events.

English Career Night: A panel of alumni from the English department discussed career tracks.

Internship and Co-op Presentation: This event gave students an overview of internships and co-ops, and how they can benefit from engaging in such experiences.

Sports Management Night: In collaboration with the Sports Management Club, students gained an insider’s perspective into the field of sports management by hearing from panelists who currently work in industry.

Etiquette in The Workplace presented by Enterprise Rent-A-Car: A professional etiquette workshop delineating proper first impressions, body language, professional attire, cell phone, and email communication.

Social Media and Your Online Reputation (Fall and Spring): A workshop outlining the changing world of social media and how employers are using social networking sites to recruit candidates.

Health Sciences Internship Symposium (Fall): In collaboration with the Health Sciences Department, senior Health Science and Sports Medicine students presented work from their fall internships to the college community and employer partners.

CAREER EVENTS

(CAREER EVENTS, CONTINUED)

Majors/Minors Fair: This event assisted students exploring major or minor options. Students met with faculty and student representatives to learn major/minor-specific information and post-graduate options.

Internship and Co-op Student Panel: A panel of current students and recent alumni presented their internship experiences, and discussed the value it had on their professional goals and careers.

Psychology Department Career Event: In conjunction with the Psychology Department, this round table event allowed Psychology majors to learn more about career options and resources.

Life Sciences and Health Sciences Six Week Career Development Program: Students in health and life science majors participated in a comprehensive career development workshop series in preparation for internships.

Working in the United States: In collaboration with the Office of International Programs, students heard success stories from international student panelists who worked on campus, completed internships and obtained full-time employment, and discussed the specifics of Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT).

Health Sciences Internship Symposium (Spring): Senior Health Science and Sports Medicine students presented their work from their spring internships to the Merrimack community.

Residence Hall Career Education: Conducted mobile career workshops facilitated by O’Brien Center staff in the residence halls.

Beers and Careers: Graduating seniors attended this event during Senior Week to have resumes and cover letters checked while discussing job search strategies over a cold beer.

Internships, Cooperative Education, and PracticumsThe O’Brien Center continues promoting and advancing experiential learning opportunities for students as a primary mechanism for connecting academics to the world of work. To that end, a 68% increase in student participation in experiential learning in the form of internships, co-ops and practicums occurred over last year.

A Zero Credit Internship Program was launched, providing transcript notation to students completing internships not attached to academic credit. This year, 40% of full-time co-ops and zero credit internship experiences received transcript notation.

ORGANIZATIONS WHERE MERRIMACK STUDENTS COMPLETED INTERNSHIPS• Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital• Putnam Investments• Kraft Sports Group• State Street Corporation• UTC Aerospace Systems• Kiss 108 FM• Massachusetts State House• American Cancer Society• Vicor Corporation• TJX Companies• Department of Homeland Security• Pfizer• Bach Pharma• Mercedes Benz• ESPN• BAE Systems• Dana Farber Cancer Institute• SunGard• Boston Children’s Hospital• Internet and Telephone• New England Revolution• Nexcelom Bioscience• HubSpot

Full-Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23%

Part-Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75%

Did Not Disclose . . . . . . . . . 2%

By Status

By Class Year

Freshman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2%

Sophomore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11%

Junior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29%

Senior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58%

By Type

Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4%

Pre-Practicum.. . . . . . . . . . . 4%

Zero-Credit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5%

Unregistered. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26%

Academic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61%

By CollegeSchool of Science/Engineering. . . . . . . . . . 34%

School of Education/Social Policy. . . . . . . 27%

Girard School of Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23%

School of Liberal Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16%

This internship data is from three semesters: Summer 2013, Fall 2013 and Spring 2014. Total internships, co-ops and practicums reported were 484. Data was student reported or collected through registrar's office and transcript notation.

Corporate RelationsWith a focus on sustaining existing and cultivating new partnerships, the O’Brien Center serves as a single point of entry for its corporate partners and links employers to resources across campus: from developing a pipeline of new hires, to partnering in research, to engaging in philanthropic endeavors.

This structure enables Merrimack to significantly enhance the employer experience by leveraging campus resources, directly addressing employers’ workforce needs, while at the same time, providing students with direct access to leading employers and opportunities. Early adopters of this innovative model include: Pfizer, Fidelity Investments, Hewlett- Packard, Bach Pharma, Putnam Investments, Whittier Health Network, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and CLASS, Inc.

Implementation of Career Recruitment Technology The O’Brien Center upgraded its delivery system of online resources for employers and students to the NACElink-Symplicity platform branded as Advantage. The Advantage system is a portal that manages on/off-campus jobs, co-ops, internships, student resumes, employer registrations, career events and student advising appointments. It is fully integrated and allows the Center to track all career-related activities. • 4,500 students and alumni.• 4,100 employers.• 168 faculty members.• Over 1,750 full-time, co-op, internship, part-time and on-

campus job opportunities were posted to Advantage during the past academic year and represents a 63% increase in the prior year’s postings.

Employment opportunitiesOn Advantage by type

Career and Employer Relations

Full-Time Employment 50%

Internship 26%

Part-Time Employment 13%

Co-Op 7%

On-Campus Student Employment4%

CareerFairs

The O’Brien Center targeted specific industries through-out the academic year for its career fairs while timing each event with the industry’s recruiting cycle. There was a 28% increase from last year in the number of employers participating in career fairs. First-time employers partici-pating in a Merrimack College career fair represent 30% of the vendors.

Students had the opportu- nity to meet with employers and network to learn about full-time and internship/co-op opportunities.

Finance Fair: Industries represented: corporate finance, insurance, and financial services. Select employer partners included ING Financial Partners, Fidelity Investments and Liberty Mutual.

Accounting Fair: Industries represented: accounting. Select employer partners included DiCicco, Gulman & Co. LLP, MFA-Moody, Famiglietti & Andronico LLP and Kirkland Albrecht & Fredrickson LLC.

STEM Fair: Industries represented: science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Select employer partners included Axis Communications Inc., Cumberland Gulf Group and Mitre Corporation.

Life Sciences & Technology Career Fair: Industries represented: life sciences and technology. Select employer partners included MEDITECH, Gilbane Building Co. and Nexcelom Bioscience.

Careers for the Common Good Career Fair: Hosted in partnership with the O’Brien Center; the School of Education and Social Policy; the Northeast Regional Readiness Center; and the Region 3 Educator and Provider Support Grant (R3P). This event was open to all students and the general public. Industries represented: education, non-profit, government and public sectors. Select partners included Andover Public Schools, City Year Inc, CLASS Inc, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Lahey Hospital & Medical Center.

Sales, Marketing, PR, Media, and Communications Career Fair: Industries represented: marketing, media, public relations, communications, and sales. Select employer partners included Aflac, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Liberty Mutual Group and Partners Medical Staffing.

On-Campus RecruitingThis year Merrimack saw a 56% increase in the number of employers coming to interview students. 25 students were hired into internships, co-ops, or full-time opportunities as a result of their on-campus interview. Employers participating in on-campus interviews for the first time represented 66% of interviewers. Select employers interviewing on-campus with resulting new hires include the following:

• BAE Systems• EdTrips• Kelmar Associates, LLC• Kirkland Albrecht & Fredrickson, PC• Lahey Health and Medical Center• Lynx, Inc• Parent, McLaughlin & Nagle• Partners eCare• Putnam Investments• Sentinel Benefits & Financial Group• Sullivan Bille, PC• Wachusett Dirt Dawgs• Whittier Health Network• WinnCompanies

EMPLOYER IN RESIDENCEIn its second year, Employer in Residence has proven to be a successful opportunity for students to schedule individual appointments with recruiters in an informal setting. During the meeting, students receive professional advice in a variety of areas including: resume critiques, the job search process, and interviewing techniques. Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Putnam Investments participated during the fall semester and Putnam Investments returned to campus during the spring semester. A total of 31 students participated, resulting in four students receiving co-op positions

NOTABLE EMPLOYER RELATIONS ACTIVITYPfizer Pharma Day: Sponsored by the Department of Biology, the Center for Biotechnology and Biomedical Sciences, and the O’Brien Center. Pfizer presented a series of discussions on careers and internships in biomedical science and pharmaceuticals. A totalof 85 students attended, resulting in four students obtaining the competitive Pfizer Summer Fellowship.

Gamma Medica Classroom Presentation: Gamma Medica’s Senior Director of Marketing presented on opportunities and career preparation in the marketing industry. A total of 25 business students attended, resulting in one internship hire.

Bach Pharma Appreciation Dinner: A reception and dinner was hosted on Merrimack’s campus by the Board of Directors of Bach Pharma. Four biology and chemistry interns were in attendance, two of which were selected to showcase their work.

BAE Systems Classroom Presentation: A senior member of BAE presented to 25 business students on careers in corporate finance. BAE’s campus involvement resulted in three full-time hires.

NESN Careers in Media Discussion: NESN hosted an onsite discussion on communications and media careers with 30 undergraduates interested in careers ranging from marketing to television and subsequently hired a Merrimack student intern.

Young Alumni Networking Event: In conjunction with the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, the O’Brien Center presented to a group of 25 young alumni on Social Media and LinkedIn at the Boston offices of Standard Life Investments.

72nd Eastern New England Biology Conference (ENEBC): Hosted by Merrimack College and attended by 110 students from various regional colleges. Global pharmaceutical company, Pfizer delivered Keynote, and Pfizer scientists answered questions about their industry and daily work in biotechnology. The O’Brien Center and the Department of Biology collaborated to host the Pfizer Student Biotechnology/Pharmaceutical Forum as part of the conference.

We would like to thank our Employer Partners for

their continued interest in our students and for

selecting Merrimack as a school of choice for their

recruiting endeavors.

AWARDS AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIONSEnterprise Foundation awarded Merrimack College $1,500 for the purpose of growing the campus recruiting program.

Hewlett Packard Education Fair: Through a newly formed relationship with Hewlett Packard, the O’Brien Center participated in an inaugural event providing the opportunity for over 600 employees to explore continuing education options.

EMARC Job Skills Workshops: To further expand the partnership with EMARC, the O’Brien Center presented basic job skills to developmentally disabled individuals currently enrolled in EMARC’s workplace readiness program.

Employer Relations Day: An O’Brien event designed to build and strengthen corporate relationships and raise awareness for the Center’s employer initiatives and strategies available to recruit students. This event was attended by 27 representatives from 20 companies.

Campus Involvement The O’Brien Center is heavily involved in the student recruitment process for the college. This year staff presented at all Admissions’ Open Houses, Accepted Students Days, and Orientations to graduate, international, transfer, and incoming first-year students.

The O’Brien Center worked in various capacities with Service Learning, Academic Enrichment, Office of International Programs, and the Summer Transportation Institute to provide career development and work-force readiness. O’BRIEN CENTER ADVISORY BOARDA newly created O’Brien Center Advisory Board was designed to act as a sounding board and guide on the forward movement of the Center; to serve as a faculty voice; and act as a bridge between O’Brien and the faculty and student community. The board is comprised of eight faculty and two O’Brien representatives:

• Dr. Kerry Johnson, Associate Dean, Liberal Arts• Dr. Christine Hardway, Psychology• Dr. Steve Scherwatzky, English• Dr. Vance Poteat, Computer Science• Dr. Matt Isbel, Communications• Dr. Jane Parent, Business• Dr. Kevin Finn, Health Sciences• Dr. Jon Lyon, Biology• Dr. Heather Maietta, O’Brien Center• Lori Dameron, O’Brien Center

(ON-CAMPUS RECRUITING, CONTINUED)

STUDENT STAFFThe O’Brien Center employed five Career Peer Advisors, two interns and two graduate fellows in 2013-2014.• Career Peer Advisors greet all Center visitors and event attendees; manage the appointment calendar,; host resume review walk-in

hours; and research industry specific topics. This year’s Career Peer Advisors include Sabrina Boggio ‘14, Casey Duggan ‘15, Tia Roy ‘15, Kristin MacLellan ‘16, Jessica Tavares DeAlmeida ‘17.

• Maria Russo ’14 served as the Senior Communications Intern and Rachel DeYoung ’15 served as the Marketing Intern. • Alexandra Finney, M.Ed ’14 served as the Career Advisor Fellow managing Destination Exploration. Tara Strong, M.Ed ‘14

worked closely with Generation Merr1mack’s second year.

Around the CenterMEET THE STAFF

Dr. Heather Maietta Associate Vice President for Career and Corporate Engagement and O’Brien Center Director

Lori Dameron Associate Director

Samantha Medina Student Success Manager

Stephen Maser Assistant Director, Employer Relations

Laura Thibodeau Career Advisor, Girard School of Business and School of Science & Engineering

Sarah Mackler Career Advisor, School of Education & Social Policy and School of Liberal Arts

Kate Chroust Career Advisor, Graduate and International Students

Amanda Brian Program Coordinator

SUMMARYProfessional development is critical to the mission of the O’Brien Center. Staff participated in a wide variety of professional development to conceive and deliver state of the art programing and competitive, competent services.

CONFERENCE PARTICIPATION• National Association of Colleges and Employers Management Leadership Institute, Scottsdale, AZ, July 2013. • National Career Development Association Global Conference, Boston, MA, July 2013.• Network of Academic Corporate Relations Officers Annual Conference, Boston, MA, July 2013.• Employer Relations Consortium, Boston University, August 2013.• Preparing College Students for the 21st Century Economy: What Employers Want, Babson College,

September 2013.• Training for New and Aspiring Career Counselors, Northeastern University, October 2013.• New England Student Success Conference, University of Massachusetts Amherst, October 2013.• Finding Employment that Works for Individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome, Regis College, November 2013.• Teaching Academic Survival Skills, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, February, 2014.• T-Summit 2014: Cultivating Tomorrow’s Talent Today, San Jose, CA, March 2014.• National Association of Colleges and Employers Annual Conference, San Antonio, TX, June 2014.• Career Director’s Summit, Babson College, June 2014.• Symplicity Symposium, Washington, DC, June 2014.• National Career Development Association Career Development Facilitator Training, North Andover, MA.

One staff earning formal credential as a Global Career Development Facilitator.• Career Counselors Consortium Northeast General Meetings, Northeastern University, 2013-2014.

LEADERSHIP, BOARD & COMMITTEE INVOLVEMENTThe O’Brien Center staff actively participates in various committees, boards, and leadership opportunities on the Merrimack campus and within the career professionals industry.

• CARE Committee.• Graduate Marketing Committee.• Internationalization Leadership Team.• First Year Experience Committee.• American Disability Act (ADA) Committee.• First Destination Survey Committee, National Association of Colleges and Employers.• New England Association for Cooperative Education and Field Experience (NEACEFE), Incoming Vice-President.• Massachusetts Educational Recruiting Consortium (MERC), Registration Co-Chair.

PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT

REGIONAL CONFERENCE HOSTSThe O’Brien Center hosted the Merrimack Valley Career Professionals Group Drive-in in August 2013 and May 2014, attracting 64 career professionals from 18 regional colleges and universities.

• August Drive-in: Dr. Lauren Bent, Director of International Programs at Merrimack College presented the topic Hiring International Students: Trends, Benefits, Regulations, and Best Practices and Megan Houlker, Director, Undergraduate Center for Career Development at Babson College presented the topic Marketing The Entrepreneur’s Edge to Job Seeking.

• May Drive-in brought presenters Heather O’Leary, Principal Analyst for Enrollment Management at Eduventures and John N. Gardner, President of the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education to discuss retention, marketing, and the student experience.

AWARDSGeneration Merr1mack was a finalist competing for the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) 2014 Diversity and Inclusion Award. Pool of finalists included New York University, Syracuse University, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and University of Florida.

Heather Maietta was a presenter at the 11th Annual Tolle Lege Awards reception, where her scholarly research was also recognized.

PUBLICATIONSMaietta, H. (2013). The four year experience: Career search self-efficacy of new graduates. Journal for Workforce and Development. v6, (2).

Maietta, H. (2013). Career Passport: An introduction to career planning for first-year students and beyond. Supporting Student Diversity in Higher Education: A Practical Guide. New York: Routledge.

PRESENTATIONSHeather Maietta and Alexandra Finney presented Destination Exploration: Discovery and Decision-Making Support for Undeclared Students at the 4th Annual Student Success Conference at UMASS Amherst in October 2013.

Heather Maietta and Tia Roy presented Transitional Support for First Generation College Students: Generation Merr1mack at the Teaching Academic Survival Skills (TASS) Conference in Fort Lauderdale, FL in March 2014.

Heather Maietta and Tia Roy presented Career Counseling for New Americans and First Generation College Students at the Career Counselor’s Consortium Conference at Northeastern University in May 2014.

Heather Maietta presented the Keynote: First Destination Surveys: Best Practices for Tracking Postgraduate Data at the Career Resource Manager’s Association Conference at Fisher College in June 2014.

(PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, CONTINUED)

2014-2015O’BRIEN CENTER GOALSInvest in and continue to build a robust corporate relations and recruitment program

• Hire essential recruiting positions.• Build 25 new employer relationships.• Set long-term recruiting strategy for the college in collaboration with key departments.• Continue to build corporate engagement across campus in collaboration with stakeholders.

Deliver professional and curriculum development programming and new student success services• Execute strong foundation of personal, professional, and career growth in the First Year Experience course.• Expand the 6-week Career Series and pilot credit-bearing pre-internship course for Health Science majors.• Advance the college towards student success initiatives in the second year as a build on the First Year

Experience.• Expand services with the growing master’s student population to realize stronger post-graduate outcomes.

Expand physical space for the O’Brien Center for Student Success• Continue to build on the Mobile Career Lab by expanding presence in the library, residence halls,

and academic buildings.• Execute the Career Lab space as a working hub for all students engaged in personal, professional, and

career development.• Investigate and realize long-term strategy for meeting physical space needs as a result of Center growth.

Define, educate on and expand experiential learning at Merrimack• Work with Provost’s Office and General Education Committee to determine ways internships and

cooperative education experiences fulfill the general education requirements of the college.• Define parameters of paid and unpaid internships, and educate the campus on the impact of both for

students and for the college.• Expand internal internship opportunities for students by creating a formal College Internship Program

targeting key campus departments.• Assist 150 students in obtaining full-time internship and co-op opportunities.

Increase data collection, reporting, and dissemination of O’Brien Center activity• Hire a data specialist focused solely on assessing, analyzing, and reporting on Center activity, including

recruiting, experiential learning, and first destination outcomes.• Expand assessment of key programming and outreach to ensure staff and resources are utilized wisely

for their intended purpose; ensure programs meet targets.• Assess special initiatives, such as Destination Exploration and Generation Merr1mack to determine short

and long-term retention impact.• Improve and expand our external message. Use collected data to tell a broader story about the success

of the O’Brien Center as a hub for the college – to employers, parents and prospective students.

O’Brien Center for Student Success315 Turnpike Street, North Andover, MA 01845(978) 837-5480 | merrimack.edu/obriencenter

Designed by Kathryn Mariano ‘12

Merrimack College would

like to offer our sincere

gratitude to the James W. O’Brien

Foundation for their generous support of the

O’Brien Center for Student Success.