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.

Internship Coordinator

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

I am originally from Lubbock, Texas, and received my bachelor’s degree in music performance from Texas Tech University. Realizing I was looking for something more than just playing the violin as my full-time job, I explored various opportunities in arts administration, which resulted in moving to Bloomington and getting my master’s degree in Arts Administration from the O’Neill School. After completing graduate school, I was the first program & operations coordinator for the IU Arts and Humanities Council, developing large culture festivals for Indiana University students and the larger Bloomington community. Through this role (where I was able to supervise some fantastic graduate students and undergraduate O’Neill students), I found I wanted to work in student services more directly, and support students’ career exploration as they navigated unexpected twists and turns like I had in my own professional journey. The Career Hub has been the perfect place to do this, and I am so thankful that my career path has been so variable – I wish when I was an undergraduate student that I’d known it was normal and okay to explore multiple opportunities and career paths. I try to bring that encouragement to students in this role every day.

2. What part do you enjoy the most working in the Career Hub?

I love the variety of interests that O’Neill students have, and how they go about making a difference in the world and their communities during their degrees and after graduation. I enjoy getting to be part of their career exploration process as they figure out how they want to lead for the greater good.

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

In my free time, I utilize my music degree to play Argentine tango music with local band Tamango. Additionally, I enjoy reading & writing fiction, baking bread, and cuddling with my cat Ida. On the weekend, I recharge my creative energy through playing board games or Dungeons & Dragons. (Collaborative story-telling? Sign me up!)

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

I’m inspired by the Leslie Knope quote “We need to remember what’s important in life: friends, waffles, work.” If you’ve seen Parks & Rec, you know how incredible Leslie is at her job, and how hard she works for her community. This quote isn’t an excuse to de-prioritize work; it’s motivation to find balance – because you can’t be your best self at work if you don’t also focus on the other things you need in life, such as friendship and great food. Also, waffles are the best!

5. Favorite album of all time?
Panic! at the Disco’s A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out

6. Advice for students?
Learn when to say yes to opportunities, and learn when to say no. There’s a lot of push in college and in your early career to say “YES!” to as many opportunities as you possibly can. And it is incredibly important to volunteer, intern, collaborate, and explore new projects and skills. But you also have to understand balance. It can be okay to say “no” to something if your plate is already full, or if you don’t have the actual capacity to take something on, because it’s better to say “yes” to things you can balance and do well instead of “yes” to every possible thing but only doing them at 50% capacity.

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

Originally from West Michigan, I graduated from Hope College 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 from Grand Valley State University! During my graduate degree, I worked as a graduate assistant for the GVSU Career Center. I also had experiences working in career services for Muskegon Community College and the Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise at the University of 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!

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

I know this is a cliché answer… but 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.

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

I have a young Goldendoodle and he is the light of my life! Any free time outside of work is spent with him. His name is Ebby, after Ebenezer Scrooge. Stop by the Career Hub and I’ll give you the backstory to that!

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

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

5. Favorite album of all time?

Taylor Swift, 1989. Don’t judge me.

6. Advice for students?

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

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

Originally from Indianapolis, I graduated from University of Southern Indiana with a Bachelors of Science degree in History. I was involved on campus with my fraternity, Lambda Chi Alpha, and other various student organizations that made me decide to pursue higher education rather continue with my old plan of being a history teacher. I served as an Educational Leadership Consultant for Lambda Chi Alpha getting to visit 60+ college campuses. I then worked at the Civic Engagement and Volunteerism office at Eastern Illinois University while earning my Master of Science in College Student Affairs. Upon graduating, I served as a Freshman Admissions Counselor at EIU. As a beloved Hoosier, I couldn’t wait to come back to Indiana and I am now excited to serve Indiana University.

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

I truly enjoy helping students, and making a difference in their needs.

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

I love traveling! I’ve been to 24 state capitals. I also love hiking, cars, photography, and taking my two puppies on walks.

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

“Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.” – JL

5. Favorite album of all time?

The Black Keys, El Camino, is by far one of the best albums of all time!

6. Advice for students?

Get Involved! Whether it’s volunteering, joining a student organization, or Greek life, enjoy your time at IU by getting involved. It’ll go by quick!