Elizabethtown College’s Career Development Center celebrated a successful 2025-26 academic year defined by increased engagement and collaboration, and is preparing to introduce new initiatives aimed at building on the momentum of career readiness at Etown.
“I’m so proud of what our Career Development Center team accomplished this past year and of the incredible partnerships across campus that helped make it possible,” Elizabethtown College Senior Director of the Career Development Center, Maureen Brown said. “Our goal is for career development to be part of a student’s entire Etown experience, not something they begin thinking about right before graduation.”
The Career Development Center’s 2025-26 career programs and events, which included networking opportunities with alumni and local employers, industry-specific meet-and-greets, and professional development workshops, drew more than 1,206 student attendees. Career Development Center staff conducted 542 one-on-one appointments — a 7.5% increase over the previous year — providing personalized support for students at every stage of their career journey.
The Career Development Center also connected students with 155 unique employers throughout the previous academic year, giving Blue Jays from all disciplines the opportunity to take part in meaningful networking.
“It is largely thanks to the Career Development Center that I have my new job as a Behavioral Health Technician,” Jonah McDonald ’28, a Psychology major, said. “I first connected with the company at the Center’s Health Sciences Career Fair. I eventually got an interview, received a job offer, and that initial connection ultimately led to my new job.”
The Center’s impact also reached the classroom through 11 distinct types of faculty-requested presentations ranging from resume writing and job search strategies to sessions featuring employer guest speakers. The Career Development Center’s expert staff delivered a total of 43 classroom presentations, reaching 645 students.
Beyond engaging events and classroom sessions, students had 24/7, on-demand access to career resources through Etown’s Virtual Career Development Center, which attracted more than 1,000 unique viewers and generated nearly 60,000 page views.
The 2025-26 academic year saw a significant expansion of the Career Development Center’s Career Action Plan, a four-year framework launched in the fall of 2024. Designed to keep students on track with career readiness development throughout their undergraduate experience, elements of the plan have begun to be incorporated directly into various Etown courses.
Building on that momentum, the Career Development Center is launching the Career Champion Program during the 2026-27 academic year. The new initiative is designed to equip faculty and staff with tools and strategies to integrate career readiness into their everyday interactions with students. Beginning with a pilot partnership in Etown’s School of Sciences and Health, program participants will learn about career development resources, employer expectations, and ways to connect students’ academic experiences with future career opportunities.
“There is a lot to be excited about as we look ahead — from launching our Career Champion Program to continuing to grow our faculty, alumni, and employer partnerships and creating even more opportunities for students to build career readiness throughout their time at Etown,” Brown said. “We have tremendous momentum and excitement around career readiness at Etown, and I’m excited to continue building on it for our students.”
Discover more highlights from the Career Development Center’s successful academic year by viewing the 2025-26 Impact Report.
