The Career Hub Team

Jennifer is the Director of Career Services at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. She has supported students’ career journeys in both public and private institutions, working with students and alumni from diverse backgrounds and a wide variety of career interests. As a first-generation college graduate, Jennifer believes career education should be a transformative experience for students and works to develop new approaches to engage, educate, and empower them as they create visions and strategies for fulfilling personal and professional lives.

Jennifer holds a BA in French from Indiana University and an MA in French Literature from the University of Texas in Austin.

1. How did you get to your position at O’Neill?

My career path has been varied but always grouped around service and management.  While earning my anthropology degree, I worked for a national bookstore and I decided to shift my career path to retail management, then into hospitality management, and finally to student career services where I have truly found my home.

2. What part do you enjoy the most about working in the Career Hub at O’Neill?

For me this is a tie between watching students discover how they can “Lead for the Greater Good” in their own authentic way, and connecting with an organization or company who hired one of our students/alumni and they can’t wait to hire another one!

3. What are some of your favorite things outside of work?

I love to read, cook, watch movies, and swim!

4. What is a quote or saying that you live by?

“There is no story that is not true.” ― Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart

5. Favorite album of all time?

I can’t answer this, give me a mix tape! Anyone know what that is now?

6. Advice for students?

Your first destination after your degree program is not your final destination.  Choose what you want to do next, not forever, it’s much less intimidating.

How did you get to your position at O’Neill?

I have wanted to work at IU and really love the work of the O’Neill School. I thought that the position sounded like a really fun opportunity and gave it a shot.

What part do you enjoy the most about working in the Career Hub at O’Neill?

Getting to work with all kinds of different employers to get more opportunities for our students.

What are some of your favorite things outside of work?

I’m a big fan of Arsenal Football Club and the St Louis Cardinals. I spend most of my time with our two kids and my wife Makayla.

What is a quote or saying that you live by?

Treat others the way you want to be treated

Favorite album of all time?

Hard to pick one, I would have to say the Hamilton soundtrack. There is a little bit of everything and it fits any mood

Advice for students?

Work hard and take chances. Go after the things you want

How did you get to your position at O’Neill?

Originally from West Michigan, I graduated in 2016 with a BA in Communication. From there, I went on to work in Talent Acquisition for almost four years until I decided to go back for my Master’s Degree in the Fall of 2019. In April 2021, I was awarded my Master’s of Education with an emphasis in College Student Affairs Leadership! During my graduate degree, I worked as a graduate assistant for the Career Center. I also had experiences working in career services for two other colleges throughout Michigan. I believe that the combination of skills I gained from my talent acquisition experiences and my higher education experiences led me to this wonderful career consultant position at the O’Neill School!

What part do you enjoy the most about working in the Career Hub at O’Neill?

Connecting with students is truly my favorite part! Career can be an overwhelming topic, so I enjoy providing students with resources that turn an overwhelming feeling into a feeling of confidence.

What are some of your favorite things outside of work?

My partner and I have a Goldendoodle, and we spend most of our time outside of work with him! We love to go on long walks around Bloomington and explore new trails. We also enjoy visiting family in Michigan and in Georgia!

What is a quote or saying that you live by?

You can’t achieve what you don’t dare to dream.

Favorite album of all time?

Taylor Swift, 1989.

Advice for students?

Take care of yourself first. You can’t pour from an empty cup!

How did you get to your position at O’Neill?

I grew up in central Nebraska and completed a Music Education degree at the University of Nebraska. During college, I worked for several non-profit fine arts organizations as a music director and loved this work.  After college, I served as recruiter for a nonprofit summer fine arts camp, then moved over to recruit at the University of Nebraska.  I loved promoting educational experiences to students and families, particularly first generation and low income families.  Admissions introduced me to the world of Student Affairs and higher education and I knew the college environment was a great fit for me.  Next, I completed a Master’s degree in College Student Personnel from the University of Wisconsin and completed an internship with the Career Center at Luther College.  Since graduation, I’ve worked in the areas of Career Services and Student Activities and Leadership at Bethany College and Emporia State University in Kansas, and now the Career Hub in the O’Neill School.  As I was relocating to Indy, my Kansas buddies reached out to Pat Donahue and Jennifer Schepers and introduced us.  Little did I know the O’Neill School had such a great commitment to the greater good!

What part do you enjoy the most about working in the Career Hub at O’Neill?

O’Neill students and alumni are incredibly talented and motivated to do great things.  The Career Hub is focused on guiding students into career paths and to build and market out those professional skills.

What are some of your favorite things outside of work?

I love running, boating, and hanging with my four kids who are all in college and beyond.  I’m also a Lionel Richie superfan and love college football.  I have a chihuahua and a chiweenie at home that my kids conveniently forgot to take with them….

What is a quote or saying that you live by?

Show up, be seen, answer the call.  

   -Brene Brown

Favorite album of all time?

Hands down:  Rumours by Fleetwood Mac

Advice for students?

Make every connection count, treat each professional relationship with care, and never underestimate the significance of every single experience.  Even that part-time summer job that just pays the bills builds skills and knowledge that may come around later.  You never know!

How did you get to your position at O’Neill?

I am excited to start this journey with the O’Neill School. I bring a blended background combining experience in business and education over the past twenty-five years. The two fields have allowed me to stay current with topics and practices in both career areas. These professions continue to evolve as we learn more by studying researched practices.

I originally graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Science from the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. I continued my education to attain a teaching license at Regis University in Denver, and then went on to Mississippi State University to accomplish my Master of Science in Geosciences. Recently, I continued to build on breadth of knowledge in business and education trends by studying specific education graduate courses through Ball State and University of Indianapolis.

I believe working closely with individuals to build relationships leads to huge gains toward success. I feel fortunate to have had various careers in my past and look forward to sharing my knowledge from these life experiences with Indiana University O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs students. By joining the O’Neill Team as Assistant Director of Career Services, I look forward to creating engaging opportunities and communicating clearly the options available for the variety of career paths O’Neill offers.

What part do you enjoy the most about working in the Career Hub at O’Neill?

I enjoy working and learning with students in the Career Studio. Every student’s background is different and helping them find ways to reach their career goals is very rewarding. I have spent years researching and developing impactful systems and gained practical knowledge to share. I take pride in my ability to bring my experiences, working in public, private and virtual settings in the multiple career areas, to promote change in these students and help them “Lead for the Greater Good.”

What are some of your favorite things outside of work?

I enjoy music, tennis, hiking, spending time with my family and friends as well as any aquatic adventure.

What is a quote or saying that you live by?

“Shoot for the moon and if you miss you will still be among the stars” Les Brown

Favorite album of all time?

I enjoy all music genres, so it really depends on my mood, or I let music create my mood.

Pink “Beautiful Trauma” album; Cher “Heart of Stone” album; Andy Grammar “Naive” album

Advice for students?

Get up and TRY, TRY, TRY… Take opportunities, create life experiences and never give up. I also recommend visiting the O’Neill Career Hub for guidance with resources, internships, and current employment options that align with your major.

How did you get to your position at O’Neill?

I have a strong background in customer service and management from both in and out of the corporate world.  I have worked as a flight attendant and a B2B sales & marketing rep for the print and radio industries.  I’ve been in retail management with Macy’s, earning Sales Manager of the Year for two consecutive years (2014 and 2015).  And I worked as an Assistant Director at IU’s Student Central. Throughout my 30+ years of career experience, I can highlight three key themes, which are Relationships, Community, and Confidence.  These themes fit in well at the O’Neill School.

Throughout my various careers, I have found that I’m good at cultivating relationships.  This is because I enjoy meeting people and taking a genuine interest in them, asking them questions and finding out what they’re passionate about.  If I find out what matters to them, then I’ll know how to connect with them more deeply.

I have also discovered that I come alive when I feel invested in something that extends beyond myself.  This is where being involved in community, and contributing to worthwhile things within my community, comes into play. I have found a sense of community with different colleagues while on my career path, and I have contributed to the community of Bloomington through my involvement with NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness).  My passion for mental health and wellness has motivated me to make connections and contribute to the communities I am involved in.

Finally, I have found that I enjoy and am good at building people up, coaching them to help them reach their potential.  Building confidence in others is incredibly rewarding and something I enjoy through coaching.

The themes that have emerged throughout my career choices seem like a natural fit for the O’Neill School, where we seek to “Lead for the Greater Good.”  I’m passionate about creating relationships, contributing to the community, and building confidence in others.  For all of these reasons, I sought out a position in Career Services with the O’Neill School.

What part do you enjoy the most about working in the Career Hub at O’Neill?

I enjoy meeting students where they are, and finding ways to bridge the distance between where they are and where they want to be.

What are some of your favorite things outside of work?

My two favorite hobbies are cooking and photography.  I also enjoy traveling and visiting with family & friends.

What is a quote or saying that you live by?

Do better than yesterday.

Favorite album of all time?

I like a lot of different types of music, and I don’t have one favorite album.  I really enjoy singing and trying to play guitar, and country music speaks to me more than most other types of music.

Advice for students?

I’m a firm believer in baby steps.  You don’t usually get from Here to There in one or two giant steps.  You have to know there are baby steps along the way, and you get to count them as part of your overall success.

1. How did you get to your position at O’Neill?

While I’m not originally from Bloomington, I have lived here for the past 28 years. I graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences in Political Science. My junior year, I worked as an intern for the Indiana General Assembly (an internship I heard of through SPEA!). During that internship I worked for two senators who served on the Senate Education Committee. Each day I researched issues on education and attended the committee hearings. It was that experience that led me to pursue credentials in education so that I could teach about government. My teaching career spanned more than 30 years. Once I retired from teaching, I knew that I wasn’t done working. During my time teaching in Bloomington, I worked with IU students in the School of Education as they completed their early field experience and student teaching requirements, so I knew I wanted to continue working with college level students. I was fortunate to work a short time with IU athletes as a learning specialist and then I found my way to the O’Neill School and career services.

2. What part do you enjoy the most about working in the Career Hub at O’Neill?

Life is exciting and especially at that point in the journey where you can partner your hard work of the college experience with the hopes and dreams of a potential career. It’s the curiosity, the experimentation and the hope of the students that energizes me. I love that vibe and I love being able to support their journey.

3. What are some of your favorite things outside of work?

Spending time with my family. My husband loves to golf, so I’ve learned to golf, and we spend time together doing that. My daughter and her husband live on wooded land, and I like to take my dog, Coal, to their property to play with their dogs and walk the trails. My son is a student at IU, and he still enjoys coming home on Sunday evenings. I like to cook a family dinner on those nights and, if there are no sports on TV, sometimes he and I will watch a movie together.

4. What is a quote or saying that you live by?

“Life is difficult.” The first three words of Chapter 1 from M. Scott Peck’s book, The Road Less Traveled. This is a fabulous book. As you read, you learn that you don’t give up just because life is difficult.

5. Favorite album of all time?

Probably my first album. It was a Partridge Family album. I got it from my parents as a Christmas gift. I’m not sure anyone probably even knows who the Partridge Family was. But I would play it in my bedroom and sing into my sister’s curling iron like it was a microphone. “Come on, get happy.”

6. Advice for students?

Read books. Real books. Books that have pages that you turn. It will change your life and open your mind and heart to more possibilities than you ever thought you could imagine. And it will give you a great conversation topic when you interview!