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Mary Karen Rogers, Executive Director of Career Development By Teresa Cajot Mary Karen Rogers has dedicated the past 20 years to serving the counseling, career development, and employment needs of students and alumni at Suffolk University Law School in Boston, Massachusetts.
As the Executive Director of Career Development, she is responsible for overseeing the operations of the law school’s Career Development Office (CDO) and its staff, which includes five other career counselors and three career staff employees.
appointments. Additionally, the CDO initiated the Lunch & Learn Series, which addresses career issues of importance to alumni. The CDO also offers recordings of many of its programs and seminars for easy access and reference.
In addition to providing individualized career assistance, the CDO also coordinates on- and off-campus interviews, resume collections, employee outreach services, panels, and workshops. The office also releases Spotlight, a weekly newsletter that provides information on upcoming workshops, seminars, fellowship opportunities, internship opportunities, and job postings.
Through her past experience, Rogers is equipped to meet the needs of both students and alumni in this troubled economy. She initially joined Suffolk University Law School in 1980, as the Assistant Registrar. From 1986 until 2007, she served as the Associate Director of Career Services and from 1999 until 2002 she also functioned as the Budget and Program Coordinator for the Rappaport Honors Program in Law and Public Service. She has served in her current position since 2007.
Like so many in career services, the CDO at Suffolk University Law School has experienced an increased demand for its services as a result of the tight job market. In a 2011 article in the Alumni Magazine, Rogers and CDO Associate Director, Christopher Teague addressed the issue and how it is being handled by law schools across the country. While some law schools are dealing with the matter by minimizing access to career services, Suffolk University School of Law has taken a different route. Rather than discouraging those in need of assistance, Rogers has expanded the office’s services. In an effort to reach out to the community, the office has offered extended hours, as well as phone and email
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She is a member The Association for Legal Career Professionals, the American Counseling Association, the Massachusetts Law School Consortium, the Boston Lawyers Group, and The Northeastern Law Consortium. In the past she has been involved in the career-related panels for the Massachusetts Bar Association, the Massachusetts Legal Recruitment Association, and the Boston Bar Association. Rogers holds a Master’s in Counseling and Human Resource Development from Suffolk University.
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