Professional Development

Applications are open for the Southern Association of Colleges and Employer’s Research Fellowship and Professional Development Scholarships. The applications close Friday, February 26, 2021. To submit an application for either of these opportunities, please visit: https://www.soace.org/research-fellowships-scholarships

Research Fellowship

SoACE provides a $1500 Research Fellowship to promote and support research and study projects that will further the stated professional purposes of SoACE and its members. Research proposals should fall within the SoACE mission which states:

SoACE is organized exclusively to create a common understanding between individuals in career services and college relations focused on the career development and employment of the college-educated to promote and foster relationship among the constituents; serve as the voice of the profession for the southern region of the United States; create and retain leaders in the profession by facilitating the exchange of knowledge and insight; provide professional development and promote high professional standards; and identify trends, issues, challenges, opportunities in the profession.

Last year’s recipient, Kertesha Riley from University of Tennessee Knoxville, gave us a little bit of a glimpse into her upcoming research and how this fellowship has been impactful. “When I started in career services almost 9 years ago, I would have laughed if you told me I’d be designing and implementing a research study on students’ experiences when changing majors or careers. But here we are! In working with STEM and pre-health students, I noticed that – when a student came to me when changing a major or needing to choose a new career path, the focus was on their decision-making but their emotional, social, and psychological responses often took a backseat. After shifting how I engaged with students in career transitions, and anecdotally seeing increases in self-efficacy, I wanted to know more about what those students were experiencing and what tools, resources, or actions helped them process this phase of their career journey. This level of research is new to me, but the SoACE Research Fellowship is making my entry into the research world be as smooth as possible. So, if you have questions you’re curious about answering, this fellowship is a great way for you to test the research waters!”

Professional Development Scholarships

In addition to awarding one research fellowship, SoACE will be offering three scholarships to career service professionals and employer members. Two of the three are Professional Development Scholarships that will provide a maximum of $2000 to be used for a professional development program, event, resource, or certification toward a related activity of the member’s choice. The third is a SoACE Employer Relations Summit Scholarship that will provide a maximum of $1000 to be used for the Employer Relations Summit.

One of last year’s winners, Mason Murphy, from Texas State University had this to say about the scholarship: “I was thrilled to receive one of the 2020 SoACE scholarships earlier this year.  I will be using the funds to attend the American Foundation for the Blind’s Leadership Conference in April 2021.  The American Foundation for the Blind is one of the largest advocacy organizations in the country for blind and visually impaired adults.  For me, being visually impaired this organization holds a special importance.  The purpose of the Leadership Conference is to begin highlighting more of the work that blind and visually impaired leaders are doing around the country.  Furthermore, to demonstrate to a younger generation of blind and visually impaired adults that many career opportunities are possible and clearly within reach. Thank you SoACE!”

Questions? Contact the Professional Development Scholarship & Research Fellowships Chair: Valerie Mandel, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, at KIELMOVV@erau.edu

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.