April 2019 – Page 2 – SoACE Connections

PD Scholarship Winners

Professional Development Scholarship Recipient: Elizabeth Enck

April 19, 2019

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This December, I was able to attend the SoACE 2018 Conference in Atlanta, GA thanks to the Professional Development Scholarship provided by SoACE. I was unable to attend previously due to budget cuts to higher education in our state and it felt like I was missing out on seeing family! This year’s conference did not disappoint and I had a great experience learning new things and seeing old friends.

Walking into the conference hotel, you could already feel the energy. (Granted, some of that could have come from a little football game that was being played down the road.) I have been a part of the Membership Committee helping with the New Member/First Time Attendee Session for the past several years and this year I was actually able to be there for it on Sunday night! We had a lot of fun meeting new people and getting to introduce them to SoACE and the conference. It’s a great way to set the tone and energy for the conference.

One of my favorite things about this field is the willingness of others to share their resources, best practices, new ideas, and challenges. Not only does this happen at the conference, but it is so nice to know I can reach out to other schools across the country and people are open to sharing their experiences. That’s definitely not something you find in every field and I think it’s what makes this community so special. We all have the same goals and many of the same challenges. I think ultimately that’s why the SoACE conference is so special to me. There is nothing quite like the feeling of being in the same room with people who “get it” and “get you.” We speak the same language and we are passionate about the work we do to help students find meaningful career paths.

I am so excited to continue to learn about the new ways we are helping students succeed. I think we are at a pivotal time in the field and it is exciting. What I continued to hear about are all of the ways departments are collaborating across, and outside, of the campus. We can’t do it alone and it’s great to see some of the shifts on campuses to implement career development and competency building into a variety of areas. While it may take time to see a shift in cultures, it’s promising to hear of the many ways this is already happening. I thank SoACE for offering a venue to meet face-to-face to continue to build relationships as well as the many ways we can all connect throughout the year to maintain them. I hope to see you all next year!

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Elizabeth Enck is the Director of the Career Development Center at the University of Central Oklahoma. In this role, she oversees the delivery of career development and readiness education for students as they navigate and complete college. She joined the Career Development Center at UCO in 2014 after relocating to Oklahoma. Prior to this, Elizabeth worked in Career Services at the University of Tennessee.

Elizabeth is a member of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the Southern Association of Colleges and Employers (SoACE) where she is also on the new member committee, and the Oklahoma chapter, OkACE. She also serves on the InternOKC planning committee with the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber.

She is originally from St. Charles, Missouri and is a graduate of the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Education in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis on career counseling. During graduate school, she worked at the MU Career Center.

Award Recipients

Myrna Hoover, 2018 Southern Star Award Recipient

April 12, 2019

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The Southern Star Award may be presented to a person to recognize significant and outstanding contributions to the profession, to society, or to SoACE. The Southern Star Award is a prestigious recognition of service and contributions exceeded only in significance within SoACE by the Founders Award. SoACE was very proud to present Myrna Hoover, Director of the Florida State University Career Center, with the 2018 Southern Star Award at the Annual Conference in December.

When Past President, Ray Rogers, presented Myrna’s award in December, he shared the following statement from one of her nominators, Alicia Smyth from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University:

When I think about the number of people that she has touched in her 30+ year career at Florida State University, I am overcome. She is the epitome of leadership, mentorship, professionalism, and grace – and those characteristics rub off on everyone lucky enough to know her. The year I graduated from college, she was President of FloridaACE. When I joined the association in 2000, she was someone to look up to, admire, and want to be like. I was in awe of her positivity, energy, and ability to connect with others in a way that made them feel important and valued. Fast-forward nearly 20 years later and she is still mentoring, guiding, and helping professionals be successful – whether it be at FSU or within the professional associations of which she is such a vital part. Of all her outstanding qualities, and there are many, the one that stands out most to me is her humility. She is neither prideful nor boastful. She has won many professional awards and has been featured in syndicated newspapers as a person to know. But you won’t hear about it from her. It is her team that shares her successes and accolades because they are so proud of their fearless leader.

And speaking of her team, the Florida State University Program Director for Employer Relations and of one of the 2017 SoACE Honorary Lifetime Membership Award Recipients, Scott Maynard, shared the following:

I don’t know anyone more deserving of the Southern Star Award. She has dedicated her career to making our profession better and showing others how to position their career centers to be viewed as a pivotal part of the campus environment. She has demonstrated how to integrate career advising, experiential education, employer relations, and career development technology into a centralized model serving all students and alumni. She has spent her career giving back to the profession and sharing ideas and resources with others. Her kind demeanor and gentle nature make her approachable to everyone and she is always willing to jump in to make a project, an organization, or an individual – successful.

Myrna Hoover is the Director of the Florida State University Career Center and has over 32 years of career services experience. In this role, she leads a team of 39 professionals and 30 paraprofessionals who provide comprehensive career services to both students and alumni and coordinate university wide recruitment and employer relations programs. She has presented at national, regional and state conferences on best practices for both career services and employer relations, and has served as a program reviewer of university career centers at the national level. Myrna co-authored, the National Career Development Association published monograph, Employer Relations and Recruitment: An Essential Part of the Postsecondary Career Services. She has served on the NACE First-Destination Survey Standards and Protocols Taskforce and NACE Graduate Student Membership Taskforce. She is a Lifetime Honorary Member and past president of the Florida Association of Colleges and Employers and the recipient of that association’s 2002 Brownlee Award for outstanding service and excellence in the field of career services. Myrna served on the Product Development team for the Career Services Manager software developed by NACE and Direct Employers and served for three years as one of the seven “Go Team” consultants for NACE. During her career, she also taught Public Speaking and Business Communication at Valdosta State College and Florida State University. Prior to her work in the career services Myrna was an Instructor and the Director of Forensics at Manatee Community College. Myrna was recently named one of the 2018 25 Women you need to know in Tallahassee. Myrna also serves on the Board of Trustees for Capital Regional Medical Center and FSU Human Resources Management Center. Myrna has a Master’s degree in Communication from Florida State University.

Member Spotlights

Member Spotlight: Erica Lake

April 5, 2019

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Erica Lake serves SoACE as the Director of Targeted Knowledge Groups. She is the Director of Corporate Engagement in the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management at the University of South Carolina. Throughout her 15 years in higher education, her career has spanned Career Services, Greek Life and University Housing. Erica has been involved in SoACE since 2011 and was the 2012 New Professional of the Year. She is a two-time graduate of Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and a Master of Science in Counselor Education and Student Affairs. In her free time, she loves to read, travel, and spend time with her husband, Dietrich, and two sons, Sebastian and Austin. You can connect with her on LinkedIn @EricaJamesLake.

How did you get into the Career Services profession?
I became intrigued and passionate about the job search process after obtaining my undergraduate degree. Like many of our students, I did not take full advantage of my university Career Center. As graduation approached, I was not able to find a desirable position, so I decided to pursue graduate school.

Fortunately, I obtained a graduate assistantship and later a full-time internship at Millsaps College. The experiential education positions that I held in Career Services, University Housing and Greek Life helped to direct my professional career. I found a home in Career Services because of the tremendous support that I received from former supervisors and mentors who invested their time and resources into me. In addition, the relationships that I have developed through SoACE and NACE have been extremely rewarding. Currently, I have the pleasure of facilitating career and corporate connections between students, faculty, and employers for the University of South Carolina’s College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management.

Describe your SoACE Experience. How did you get involved?
I began my SoACE volunteer journey in the Employer Relations Knowledge Group, after meeting current president, Mark Colvenbach, at the 2012 conference in St. Petersburg, FL. He invited me to volunteer with the Employer Relations Knowledge Group as a Program Coordinator. I was involved with the Knowledge Groups for about three years and eventually progressed to the Chair role. Then I ran for a board position, but did not win. However, I stayed involved and volunteered on the 2016 conference committee in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. After that experience, I moved into my current board position, Director, Targeted Knowledge Groups. This position has allowed me to work closely with some of the most involved members of our association. I am eager to serve as President-Elect beginning in July 2019 and to continue our legacy of excellence.

What advice do you have for new professionals who aspire to get more involved in the profession?
Get involved. Just do it. We are always looking for good people to serve. Remember, we are all professionals with many responsibilities. We appreciate any time you can dedicate to SoACE. Involvement is very rewarding. We have a special community of members and volunteers. The relationships that you develop through our association are priceless.

What is your favorite quote?
“People will forget what you said; people will forget what you did; but they’ll never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

This quote resonates with me because I always strive to uplift others. Encouragement goes a long way in building strong relationships.

What has been your greatest accomplishment to date?
Being chosen as president-elect of SoACE is a huge honor. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to serve this amazing association of my peers and employers. I look forward to working with our members and the board of directors to prepare the leaders of the next generation. SoACE has given me so much professionally and personally. I am eager to contribute in a larger capacity.

What are some of your hobbies when not working?
I love to read and am always seeking ways to make a positive impact on the community. Additionally, I like doing Zumba exercise classes and working out. My family and I enjoy traveling and attending Gamecock football and women’s basketball games.

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