Students in the Plattsburgh State Career Development Center may have noticed a new face.
Julia Overton-Healy joined the PSUC faculty this summer after serving as senior administrative director for career and leadership development centers, as well as a corporate recruiter providing team leadership for a company-wide internship program.
“I came to Plattsburgh because I wanted to return to my first love in student affairs, which is career development,” Overton-Healy said. “I was looking for change and growth and a larger campus.”
Overton-Healy said since arriving at PSUC in July, the center has created a new mission statement, tagline, logo, and launched CardinalConnect, which is the online career services system available to students, alumni, and in the near future, employers.
During her interview, Overton-Healy said she learned about the center’s recent move from Kehoe to the Angell College Center.
“This told me the commitment was real and not just words on paper,” she said.
Overton-Healy said she was even more convinced of the center’s mission after hearing about StrengthsQuest initiative and model of student well-being, engagement and development.
The PSUC Student Association has been very vocal in support of the center’s recent developments.
SA President Priscilla Burke said she believes the move was a great thing, and she appreciated the effort the center’s staff has put into being more transparent and available to students.
As a senior, Burke said she has been visiting the center since her junior year to work on her resume, and will continue to head to the office for that reason.
Overton-Healy said many people have asked her what she plans to change, but she only hopes to build on the great foundation that has already been set.
“I’m building on that to add some high-power tech with CardinalConnect, making contacts with Plattsburgh alumni as mentors and career coaches, and expanding our employer relations with Employer-in-Residences days, on-campus interviewing, and more,” she said.
The Career Development Center now has expanded hours to be more student-accessible, which also includes daily walk-in hours from noon to 2 p.m.
The career lab, located in room 204 in the ACC, is also open Monday through Wednesday from 5 to 9 p.m.
The center also has 42 different sessions covering 13 topics planned, which is their most expansive schedule to date.
As for the adjustment, Overton-Healy said she is glad to be at Plattsburgh.
“Our office is wonderfully busy. Students are using the CDC every day in exactly the way they should be. I think the word is getting out there — the CDC is the place for you to figure out how to get from now to next,” she said.
