by Congratulations to the 2020 Professional Development Scholarship and Research Fellowship Winners!
Professional Development Scholarship Recipients
Each year we award two scholarships (up to $2000 each) to support professional development opportunities for SoACE members. This year we have the opportunity to offer an additional partial Scholarship ($1000) as well.
Mason Murphy, Career Counselor
Texas State University PACE Career Exploration
Mason Murphy is a Career Counselor at Texas State University. He has requested to attend the
American Foundation for the Blind’s Leadership Conference in April 2021. Mason’s application was very
well-written and outlined how attending this conference would help him both in personal and
professional growth and provide mentorship to his students and other visually impaired professionals. Mason has presented at previous SoACE conferences, chaired the Career Advising Knowledge Group in the past and received the Champion of Diversity Award in 2015.
Cheryl Hicks, Associate Director
Wake Forest University Office of Personal and Career Development
Cheryl Hicks is the Associate Director of the Office of Personal and Career Development at Wake Forest University. She has requested funding for the NACE Management Leadership Institute for 2021. Cheryl shared how attending either of these conferences would help her grow professionally at her institution. She has served SoACE as the Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Panel Moderator for 5@5 and presented at previous SoACE conferences. She is the upcoming Director of College Knowledge Groups.
Employer Relations Summit Scholarship Recipient
We are excited to offer a $1000 scholarship to support a SoACE Member’s Attendance at the Employer Relations Summit.
Megan Simpson, Employer Relations Manager
Austin Peay State University Office of Career Services
Megan Simpson is the Employer Relations Manager at Austin Peay State University. Megan assists students with the job and internship search process, and oversees the on-campus recruiting program, including coordination of on-campus interviews and hosting information sessions. She has planned to utilize the scholarship to attend the upcoming Employer Relations Summit. Megan was recently promoted into her position and attending this conference would help her advance her knowledge and experience in the field.
Research Fellowship
The SoACE Research Fellowship (up to $1500) promotes and supports research and study projects for SoACE members.
Kertesha Riley, STEM Career Coach
University of Tennessee Center for Career Development
Kertesha Riley serves as the STEM Career Coach at the University of Tennessee Center for Career
Development. Kertesha Riley serves select majors from Arts & Sciences, Engineering, Education, Health & Human Sciences and Nursing. Her research project, “When Dreams Are Deferred: A Mixed Methods Study on Understanding Career Change through the Lens of Grief and Loss,” was recommended by all four reviewers. The topic is novel and commonly considered in the practice of career counseling. The goal of conducting such research is stated as, “We aim to build on this conceptual framework and begin constructing an intervention that addresses the transitional career needs of college students experiencing career-related grief.” This work may inform best practices in the future that would allow career development professionals to better serve their students.
