Overview

Brief Biography

For the last number of years the Messiah College Internship Center has been recognized by our professional peers as offering one of the most comprehensive, well-run centers in the nation. Numerous colleges and universities (over 360 since 2001) have consulted with our staff to improve their own programs or have requested our materials. I have been interviewed for major articles in U.S. News and World Report, Business Week and the Wall Street Journal.  Other coverage has included a chapter in a 2001 AAHE publication and articles by local news organizations.

Presentations are made regularly at professional conferences, such as the National Society for Experiential Education and the Cooperative Education & Internship Association, and to diverse groups such as the faculty and administrators of the U.S. Army War College.  I started, and continue to manage, an internet listserv for internship professionals in education, non-profit and for-profit organizations in the U.S. and abroad.

Beyond the above-mentioned presentations, I have been a keynote speaker at Kansas State University's first Internship Summit (April 2006) and at the 26th annual conference of the New England Association for Cooperative Education and Field Experience (NEACEFE) (Fall 2002).   Other presentations include a multiple hour workshop on creativity at a regional drive-in for NEACEFE ("Cooking Up Great Ideas" - May 2006) and for Bloomsburg University (April 2007).  A workshop entitled "A Planned Premonition: Seeing Trends and Applying Them to Your Office" was presented in April 2007 at the National Career Conference in Baltimore, MD and in 2008 at the CEIA conference in Myrtle Beach, SC.

A manual I compiled and edited entitled "Starting and Maintaining A Quality Internship Program" is designed for employers who wish to start a new internship program, or who wish to improve the one they already run.  It is currently being used by colleges and universities across the country, and several Chambers of Commerce are making it available to their members as well.  The Governor's Office of Economic Development of the state of South Dakota, the Atlanta Regional Consortium for Higher Education, the New York Library Association, and the World Business Community (12,000 members in 150 countries) have requested to use it or to place it on their website for use by others.

Coordination of the information management needs of our office cluster is another area of responsibility. The Internship Center, EpiCenter and Career Center use a wonderfully easy, yet powerful database called FileMaker Pro to manage all sorts of information including employer files, student interns, job fairs, career counseling appointments, etc.

Service to Professional Associations

National Society for Experiential Education (NSEE)
October 2004 to Present - Serve as Chair of the Internship/Co-op Special Interest Group
October 2002 - Received the "Higher Education Leader of the Year" Award
October 1998 - Received the first "Exemplary Leader Award" for outstanding contributions to experiential education
1994-96 - Served as Chair of the Internship Coordinator's Special Interest Group

Cooperative Education and Internship Association, Inc. (CEIA)
2007 - Serve on Communications Committee

2002-2003 - Served on the national board as Vice President for the Internship Program Network.

National Association for Colleges and Employers (NACE)
Conducted a national survey of internship professionals in the Spring of 2002, with my colleague at the University of Southern California, Janette Brown.  We published the results in the Journal of the National Association of Colleges and Employers - Fall 2002 issue.  A second survey was concluded in May 2004 and results published in the Winter 2005 NACE Journal.

PA Drive-In for Internship Professionals

I started this one-day, drive-in conference in 2003.  About thirty colleagues from central Pennsylvania, and beyond, meet at the Hilton Garden Express in Hershey, PA.  We discuss issues, brainstorm marketing ideas, and present the latest in programs and services.

Pennsylvania Association for Colleges and Employers (PennACE)
June 2007 - Received the Doona Dentler Service Award.  I served on the board, when it was the Pennsylvania Association for Internships and Cooperative Education (PAICE), and continue to assist with conferences and workshops, such as one on "Innovative Thinking: Creativity for the Rest of Us."

Mid-Atlantic Conference
This regional group organizes a conference each year for the professional development of its constituency - anyone associated with internships or cooperative education in schools, colleges, businesses or non-profit organizations. I have assisted with publicity and registration.  I created, and, until Summer 2004, maintained the website for this conference.

Central Pennsylvania Employment Consortium (CPEC)
An organization of 16 colleges/universities and several employer members, CPEC organizes a job and internship fair held each year in the Spring. Upwards of 140 employers and 700+ students are brought together to fill entry-level professional positions. I served as Publicity Chair for two years, Employer Registrar for three years, Vice President during 1996-97, and President for 1997-98.

Get information on our Job Fair Orientation Video . It has already been purchased by over 300 colleges and universities. It is the Winner of the 1999 Award of Excellence given by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

New England Association for Cooperative Education and Field Experience (NEACEFE)
I was the keynote speaker at their 26th annual conference held at The Stage Neck Inn in Maine, November 2002.

May 2006 - half-day workshop on developing creativity using a food theme-

'Cooking Up Great Ideas'

Service In The Community

Keystone Innovation Zone - Harrisburg Market
Since January 2005 - serve on the steering committee for the Harrisburg Market KIZ Partnership. I also serve as our campus liaison to this regional partnership involving other educational institutions and businesses.

Capital Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC) Job Fair
Since January 2005 - serve on the Planning Committee for this regional event, which is held each Spring  at the Hilton Hotel in Harrisburg.

Since 2004 - serve on the planning committee for "Experience Harrisburg", which is an event where college students from the central PA region come to Harrisburg to interview with employers for internships and jobs.  This is done in the context of various cultural venues and restaurants.  Its purpose is to encourage college students to remain in central PA after graduation.

Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania (TCCP)
I served on the Board of Directors for eight years and chaired the Education and Workforce Development Committee from May 2002 - November 2004.  In June 2004 this committee released the TechQuest CD and its companion website for 8th - 12th grade students.  It is designed to encourage students to consider a career in technology.  We have developed manuals for college students to start technology chapters on campus and have planned and executed Technology Career Days for 10th and 11th grade students throughout central Pennsylvania. The first event, with over 600 students, was held at the Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts in Harrisburg, PA.  

Stay...Invent the Future - Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Initiative
Woven into my involvement with the Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania is working with the state in developing programs to attract students to live, work, and play in the central PA region. One of the programs was Interns 2002.

YMCA Black Achievers Program
In the fall of 2003, I was approached to assist with the creation of an internship training curriculum for The Black Achievers Program of the Harrisburg YMCA.  The purpose was to better prepare their summer interns.  I led the design of the curriculum and helped conduct three Saturday training sessions for a select number of their junior and senior high school students. Other partnering organizations for the spring 2004 training were Commerce Bank, Highmark, and WITF, Inc. (local public broadcasting station)

Service On Campus

Administrative Technology Committee
March 2005 - Appointed Chair.
We work on issues/concerns related to the administrative offices on campus.

College Council - 2002-2003

Community of Educators Senate - 2001-2004
This representative body seeks to streamline the campus deliberation and decision making process.

Administrative Affairs Council - 2001-2003
Representing the Academic Administrators on campus, I sought to bring their questions and concerns to this group, which works in conjunction with the Personnel Subcommittee and the College Council. I chaired this Council in 2002-2003.