MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

It is an honor to lead the Office of Career Exploration and Success (CES) as its second Executive Director. FY22 continued to be a challenging year of more pivots, budget reductions, and vacancies; however, the CES staff remained adaptable and committed to student success.

Eighty percent of current students accessed our resources this year, most preferring virtual interactions through virtual career tools, appointments, employer information sessions, and workshops. We launched a new job shadowing program with primarily virtual opportunities for students to explore occupations. The team connected nearly 100 students with public service internships through the inaugural Rutgers Summer Service Internship Initiative. We revamped our Road to Industry program with a more prominent focus on first-generation students. And our First-Year Interest Group Seminars returned to in-person instruction, introducing a sizeable cohort of first-year students to the campus while setting their paths toward future career success. With the return to campus, CES has embraced a hybrid service delivery model, onboarded seven new staff members, and embarked on an ambitious strategic planning process inclusive of campus feedback at all levels.

As an organization within the Chancellor-Provost Office, CES remains well-positioned to bring partners together for a common purpose across various silos, and our role as convener remains central. Five councils and 17 career community advisory boards comprised of campus partners, students, and employers (see page 17) work together to navigate evolving trends, plan programs, and strengthen communication channels within the Rutgers career community ecosystem. Through a collaborative effort, CES works with partners to navigate the large and often challenging campus to promote positive postgraduation outcomes for all students.

Staff within CES have further elevated our office in prominence nationally and locally through arduous work under less-than-ideal circumstances. And with the assistance of the entire Rutgers community, I can report that student career outcomes are again heading in a positive direction.

William Jones, Executive Director