From hooking students up with internships to helping them plot their future work life, Metropolitan State University of Denver instructors are known for their willingness and ability to help students plot their future working lives.
This month, four “highlighted career catalysts” who went above and beyond were recognized at the fifth annual Career Catalyst awards ceremony presented by MSU Denver’s Faculty Engagement & Experiential Learning center.
“We are highlighting faculty members who have made significant impact on a student’s career,” said Codi Whittington, assistant director of Operations and Events for the C2 Hub, who helps coordinate the awards.
Students submitted written nominations highlighting the ways instructors guided and helped them as they prepare for careers. It’s gratifying, Whittington said, to see the number of nominations growing every year.
The Faculty Engagement & Experiential Learning team received 114 Career Catalyst nominations. Of the four who were honored, each represented a specific career-guidance category.
The categories and instructors are:
Internship Support
Nominator William Murdock called Deborah Harding, an instructor in the Computer Sciences Department, a dedicated teacher, mentor and an incredible supporter. “With her guidance, I successfully created a multirole web app, which solidified my technical skills and gave me hands-on experience in the field,” Murdock said.
Career Opportunity Support
Her nominator, Lorien Dancer, called Suree Towfighnia, an assistant professor of Video Production in the Journalism and Media Production Department, her greatest “encourager.” Dancer said, “Whether it is reviewing applications and résumés or writing recommendation letters or helping to seek out the opportunities in the first place, Suree has been my greatest support.” Dancer credited Towfighnia with nurturing her passion for filmmaking.
Graduate School Support
Nominator Krista Richards said Lisa Shaw, a licensed clinical social worker and affiliate faculty member in the Department of Social Work, had offered unwavering support. Richards said that as a first-generation and Native American student, she had doubts about graduate school. But Shaw helped her navigate the application process and “made me feel seen in ways that I had not experienced before,” Richards said.
Field of Study Support
Nominator Raelyn Begay called Erin Bissell, Ph.D., associate professor in the Biology Department, “my science auntie.” Begay said Bissell provided guidance with everything from personal life goals to struggles with coursework. “Dr. Bissell sees the potential in me as a scientist and has encouraged me to pursue graduate-level work,” Begay wrote.
For faculty members who would like to join that list of recognized Career Catalysts next year or who would simply like to learn more about helping students plot their futures, the C2 Hub is there to offer guidance.
“Our team has workshops and opportunities throughout the year” that offer tips for incorporating experiential learning, hunting down relevant internships and other strategies to help students prepare to put their degrees to work, Whittington said.
The number and frequency of those learning opportunities for faculty members are increasing, she said. “There are more and more opportunities for faculty members to come get more information from us,” Whittington said.
