Alumni & Professional Engagement 2024-25 Annual Report

ANNUAL REPORT From college student to confident professional

2024-2025

A&PE 24-25 Annual Report

OUR THANKS

The impact demonstrated in this report was driven by many people with a single desire: To ensure that all students at Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania graduate as confident professionals ready to impact their communities.

Concentrating the depth of professional wisdom required to accomplish this and weaving the vast professional network necessary to see our graduates hired has been a concerted effort among university administrators, faculty, staff, alumni, employer partners, and donors. We thank them for their commitment on behalf of our students.

Professional U was launched to support our students along their career path, and remains a university-wide and community effort without which this initiative would not be successful.

Alumni & Professional Engagement

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A&PE 24-25 Annual Report

OUR ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONS The three alumni associations of Commonwealth University preserve the life-changing experiences and relationships formed on campus while working to ensure current students are as successful as they have been since our foundings.

As a recognized constituency within the Office of Alumni and Professional Engagement, our alumni associations work to: Promote and advance the mission and goals of Commonwealth University with programs and services that engage alumni Collaborate to generate resources for Commonwealth University as ambassadors and advocates Facilitate relationships through inclusive programs and volunteer opportunities Provide strategic counsel to university leadership, staff, and faculty

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A&PE 24-25 Annual Report

INTRODUCTION At Commonwealth University, we combined career and professional development with alumni relations to create the Department of Alumni & Professional Engagement (A&PE) within the Division of University Advancement.

As part of the Professional U Career Community, A&PE acts as a resource and partner for students navigating the transition to the professional world, for parents and supporters seeking how best to guide their student, for faculty members interested in integrating career development into their academic expertise, for alumni looking to reconnect and give back, and for employers excited to recruit our grads and provide experiential learning opportunities.

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A&PE 24-25 Annual Report

VISION By combining a career center focused on campus and community partnerships with a modern alumni association reshaped as a catalyst for volunteerism and philanthropy, Commonwealth University created Professional U: the aspiration that our students have at least one career or professional experience per year. Such opportunities include workplace wisdom from alumni, professional connections, career experiences, and philanthropic support woven within the academic context. Professional U acts as a supportive career community that, when utilized by students, helps them transition into confident, professionally competent alumni dedicated to lifelong engagement.

MISSION The A&PE team champions the Professional U Career Community by providing consultation and programming that acts as a hub to support faculty and staff collaborators, guides students with professional development, and engages alumni volunteers and employer partners who provide career-building experiences and philanthropic support.

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A&PE 24-25 Annual Report

PROFESSIONAL U And our role within the career community FACULTY/STAFF

ALUMNI

Career Coaching Work-Study Supervisor Research/Internship/ Clinical/Field Work Supervisor

Workshops

COLLEGE STUDENT

Donors Mentors Internship Host

CONFIDENT PROFESSIONAL

Speaker/Panelist

Career Road Trips Programs

College Conferences Competitions

Recruiter

Career Expos

EMPLOYERS

Most universities have a career center. We do things differently.

Commonwealth University doesn’t just have a career center – our unique career community provides students with opportunities for alumni and employer connections, professional development, and financial support for the career and professional experiences that transform our college students into confident professionals.

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PROFESSIONAL U And our role in support of students

A&PE 24-25 Annual Report

One goal of Professional U is for every student to engage in at least one career or professional experience each year. Opportunities range from alumni networking, speakers and panels to Career Connections Expos and Road Trips, study abroad and internships.

Students Engaged in Professional U Activities CAHESS

ZCOB

COHST

Undeclared/Multidisciplinary 700 639 600

660

400

491

478

500 352

303

300

363

329

199

200 100 0

445 316 196

237

45

First Year

Sophomores

17

11

Juniors

Seniors

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PROFESSIONAL U And our role with our students

FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE MATTERS In the 2024-25 academic year, 1,668 first-year students had at least one Professional U experience. That means 69% of the Class of 2029 got a great start on their career journey.

BIG EXPERIENCES = HIGH IMPACT During the 2024-25 academic year, 3,541 students earned a big boost for their resume and their confidence through a high impact practice (HIP) such as an internship, study abroad, research, field work, or creative activity.

Event Attendance by Type Speaker/Panel

3421

Workshop

3318

Career Expo

1440

Class Presentation

1783

Networking

617

Employer On-site

362

Info Session

457

Other

305

Mock Interview

163 0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

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A&PE 24-25 Annual Report

CAREER COACHING + ACADEMIC CONNECTION = TAILORED EXPERIENCES Each college is supported by at least one career coach who specializes in the industries connected to that college’s programs and serves as its liaison. Through these partnerships, students receive tailored career guidance aligned with their majors, interests, and long term goals. Career coach liaisons also assist faculty with organizing and recruiting volunteers for college conferences, Career Road Trips, in-class programming, and industry specific Career Connections Expos.

Internship Assist Grad School 2% 8% Job Search/Interview Prep 8%

Networking 2%

Career Closet 43%

Resources 9%

Document Assist 21%

Major Exploration 7%

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PROFESSIONAL U And our role in support of students

STUDENTS NEED CA$H TO MAKE THE CLIMB Career experiences are vital to getting a student’s foot on the professional ladder. They foster growth, build confidence, and help students hone their career competencies, as well as provide an opportunity to practice what they’ve learned, navigate unfamiliar places, and build a professional network. But these experiences can also be expensive. Rather than see our students be at a disadvantage, Professional Experience Grants (PEGs) offset some of the costs.

2024-2025 PEG Experiences by Type Creative/Performance 8.4% Faculty Led Research 5% Field Experience 4.5% Field Experience

Internships 30.3%

4.5%

Student Teaching 10.3%

Professional Conferences 20%

Study Abroad 23.2%

“To get a grant for the internship...took a weight off my shoulders for sure, but it also made me proud that I belong to a school that can offer such a thing to their students.” – Emma Scheimer ’24 Alumni & Professional Engagement

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A&PE 24-25 Annual Report

PEGS BY THE NUMBERS:

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Of the $165,000 awarded in Professional Experience Grants in 2024-25, $72,000 was raised through alumni donors, with the rest provided by Commonwealth University.

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PROFESSIONAL U And our role with our students

EXPLORE - DECIDE - EXPERIENCE - ACHIEVE More than 90% of 2024 grads responded that they were employed or enrolled in graduate school or service within 6 months of graduation.

Handshake is our career navigation platform where students find career coaching, alumni and employer networking events, professional development opportunities and other professional support. There are over 60k employers and 570k jobs/internships accessible and customized to CU students.

Handshake Activation Rate (%) by College and Year (AY 2024-25) CAHESS

ZCOB

COHST

Undeclared/multidisciplinary 80 73

64 67 66

60

64

70

66

77 69

52

52

40 20 0

41 26

30

24

First Year

18 Sophomore

Junior

Senior

A&PE 24-25 Annual Report

DANIEL TEETER ’25 Daniel Teeter ’25 originally thought his career would involve music, but he found a calling as a political science major at Mansfield with the intention of becoming a lawyer.

As his adviser, Dr. Jonathan Rothermel guided Daniel through coursework and the career experiences needed to solidify his career choice. One of the ways in which he did this was by recruiting alumni for the Careers in Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities Conference (CASSH CON) and encouraging students to attend.

At CASSH Con, Teeter connected with Mansfield alumna and Assistant District Attorney for Tioga County, New York, Lillian Reardon ’14. Teeter interned with Reardon and not only received practical career experience, but also recognized that he would prefer defense litigation over prosecution.

Watch Daniel Teeter’s career journey:

Learn about the many different ways in which the Professional U Career Community comes together to help students.

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PROFESSIONAL U And our role with alumni

A&PE 24-25 Annual Report

As students prepare to enter the workforce, they learn a great deal about professionalism and day-to-day life in their chosen industry from alumni who work in those spaces.

Regardless of major, industry, position, or class year, alumni are vital in passing along their wisdom as resume reviewers, mock interviewers, classroom speakers, panelists, mentors, career experience hosts, and job recruiters. In return, volunteers get the satisfaction of giving back while reconnecting with professors, getting to know students, and networking with other alumni.

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PROFESSIONAL U And our role with alumni

1,127 alumni volunteers recruited in 2024-25 on behalf of Professional U

Out of those, 477 had graduated in the past 15 years.

43,883 total hours were spent in service to student career and professional development.

2024-25 Alumni Volunteer Roles Presenter/Panelist

522

Experience Host

218

Career Assistant

213

Campus Recruiter

112

Mentor

101

Judge

117

Board Member

280

Advisory/Philanthropic

309

Reunion/Event Volunteer

82

Admissions

20 0

100

200 300 400 Number of Volunteers

500

600

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A&PE 24-25 Annual Report

“The fact that PEGs are funded by donors who don't necessarily know the students they’re giving to really hit me when I was on the plane...That donor had made my experience possible. I have no idea if they knew that I was on a plane to Germany or not, but I hope they at least knew they had made a really big impact on a student.”

– Matt Yurkunas’25

IT STARTS WITH US Professional U is not only a strategic alumni engagement model, but also acts as a fundraising vehicle for Commonwealth University in support of our students’ professional development. Money raised in support of Professional U includes funding for PEGs, professional centers of excellence like the Diehl Law Center, and mentorship programs like the Bill ’83 and Elizabeth Bent Boot Camp for Aspiring Leaders.

More than one million dollars was raised in support of student professional development during the 2024-25 school year alone, while nearly $15 million has been raised in support of student professional development since the inception of Professional U.

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PROFESSIONAL U And our role with alumni

ALUMNI VOLUNTEER, MATT QUINN ‘02 Matt Quinn became an alumni volunteer when a former professor invited him to participate on a computer science alumni panel. The interaction left him not only feeling good about the kinds of grads that Commonwealth produces, but also with new professional connections of fellow alumni, and a better idea of how the industry can adjust to a generation of digital natives.

As his professional wisdom grew, his volunteer role evolved, and he accepted a position on the Commonwealth University College of Health, Science and Technology (COHST) Advisory Board, serving as the inaugural chair. The board launched a mentorship initiative in Spring 2025.

Read Matt’s full story.

See all the ways in which our alumni help students.

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A&PE 24-25 Annual Report

JACK HEROUX-SKIRBST ’24 Jack began their college career during the COVID-19 pandemic, and was recruited into the Performing Arts Facilities (PAF) program, where they gained practical career experience running the backstage logistics during live theater performances. Abby Manns, director of performing arts, used her alumni connections to arrange a headline act, which included two Bloomsburg alumni, to spend the entire day before their performance mentoring the students on audio and lighting setup. The band also invited Jack to participate firsthand in the evening performance. Jack is currently a graduate student at Temple University.

Watch Jack's full story:

Learn about the many different ways a student can “do” Professional U.

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PROFESSIONAL U And our role with employers

A&PE 24-25 Annual Report

OUR STUDENTS GET HIRED! There are over 61 thousand employers and nearly 200k jobs and internships from companies and organizations connected with Commonwealth University on Handshake.

42% of job-seeking members of the Class of 2024 indicated they had a job before graduation.

2024-25 CAREER CONNECTIONS EXPOS We engaged 306 employers during 14 expos, reaching 1,259 students. In addition to expos, we regularly engage employers through on-campus tabling, classroom visits, Career Road Trips and College Conferences.

Accounting and Financial Services Management, Supply Chain, Marketing, Technology, and Analytics Education and ASL/English Interpreting Physician Associate Government, Non-Profit, and Human Services Marketing/Management, Entertainment, and Communication Designing Inclusive Careers Health Professions

PROFESSIONAL U And our role with employers

C.A.T.C.H.ing Teachers for Caesar Rodney School District As Director of Human Resources for the Caesar Rodney School District, Roger Holt says one of the things he looks for the most in potential candidates is professional confidence and communication, and the students he spoke with during the expo exemplified those characteristics. Holt recalls being impressed with how well students advocated for themselves and were able to articulate the vision they had for their professional careers, including one student who immediately accepted his invitation to visit the school and the community to see if it was a good fit before moving forward with the application process.

Read the whole story.

See the many employers, representing a wide variety of industries, that recruit our students.

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PROFESSIONAL U And our role with faculty/staff

A&PE 24-25 Annual Report

PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMMING Partnerships among the Professional U Career Community are vital. Faculty are the most influential members of the campus community and on whom student success is most dependent. Our partnerships with faculty lead to program development that directly ties professionalism to academic and athletic goals.

Networking events like Baseball Career Night allow students to connect with alumni in a supportive setting.

Career coaches regularly share opportunities available under the Professional U umbrella through classroom presentations .

College conferences are large, sometimes multiday events that include alumni speakers and panels who provide professional wisdom and career opportunities in a student’s major.

Career Road Trips enable students to get a firsthand look at the day-to-day experience of various professions within their chosen industry.

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PROFESSIONAL U And our role with faculty/staff

Faculty Partnerships are Vital to Professional Success Dr. Tiffany Welch brought her Honors Human Rights and Social Justice class to the Government, Non-Profit, and Human Services Career Expo; providing her students with an immersive, hands-on learning experience that connected classroom concepts to real-world career opportunities.

As part of their experience, students interviewed at least five different employers at the Expo and explored how human rights and issues are considered in the work of each participating organization. The goal was to understand how their future career paths might intersect, even if their major is not traditionally associated with government or human service industries.

Read the whole story.

See more stories about faculty and staff connecting with alumni and employers to launch students into their professions:

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A&PE PROFILES Our Team A - Z

Ashley Conrad

Nathan Conroy

David Donlick

Administrative Assistant Mansfield

Director of Alumni & Employer Engagement Lock Haven

Director of Alumni & Employer Engagement - Bloomsburg

Director of Alumni & Employer Engagement - Mansfield

Cortney Force

Wren Fritsky

Melissa Gioglio

Christine Bomboy

Clerical Assistant - Lock Haven Director of Career & Professional Development - Bloomsburg

Nichole Lefelhoc Director of Career & Professional Development Mansfield

April Long Asst. Director of Career & Professional Development Lock Haven

Administrative Assistant Lock Haven

Darwin Kysor Dir. of Employer Engagement and Career & Professional Development - Lock Haven

Lynda Michaels

Lisa Olander

AVP, Alumni & Professional Engagement

Student Engagement Coordinator Bloomsburg

Andrea O’Neill

Rashmika Ramlall

Gay Anne Spezialetti

Communications Coordinator Bloomsburg

Asst. Director of Career & Professional Development Bloomsburg

Events & Services Coordinator Bloomsburg

Graham Zeckman Asst. Director of Career & Professional Development Mansfield

A&PE 24-25 Annual Report

CONTACT Dr. Lynda Fedor Michaels ’87/’88M, Associate V.P. 570-389-4061 professionalu@commonwealthu.edu

Bloomsburg

Lock Haven

Mansfield

570-389-4070

570-484-2181

570-662-4133

3F Greenly Ctr.

212 DACC

212 South Hall