Member Spotlight: Elizabeth Boggs

Elizabeth Boggs serves as Director of Career and Professional Development at Stetson University where she provides leadership for three professional staff members, sets strategy for campus-wide internship practices and policies, facilitates a Peace Corps Prep Program, advises students on major and career exploration, and partners with Academic Advising to support undecided students in the Discovery Program. Previously, she worked at Rollins College, both as an Associate and Assistant Director, where she developed her passion for students’ participation in internships. She received her Doctorate in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Higher Education from the University of Central Florida, her Master of Science in Child and Family Development from the University of Georgia, and her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Furman University. Related to SoACE, she currently serves on the Board as Director of Member Services, and she has held past leadership roles as the Chair of the Scholarship Committee and Founding Chair of the Experiential Education Knowledge Group (KG). In 2013, she received the President’s Award for her work on behalf of this KG. She has also served as a member of the Professional Development and Program Review Committees. Outside of SoACE, she is currently serving as a member of the NACE Honors and Awards Committee and has held past leadership roles within FloridaACE and NASPA. You can connect with Elizabeth at eboggs@stetson.edu or linkedin.com/in/elizabethboggs1.

How did you get into the Career Services profession?

Well, it’s been a little bit of a winding road. I suppose career services is my fourth career after Child Life Specialist, Assistant Innkeeper, and Photo Archivist. In 2003, I realized I wanted to work in higher education, but I didn’t know in what capacity. That fall I started a new GA position at UCF, where my time was split between Career Services and a First-Year Experience Program, and I have been in Career Services, typically working with students early in their college careers ever since. I realized I loved being on a college campus working with students to help them choose their majors, explore careers, and search for internship positions. I struggled to find my own career fit and being able to help students discover their own career paths is extremely rewarding.

Describe your SoACE experience. How did you get involved and how has that experience influenced you?

My first SoACE conference was in 2008 at Walt Disney World. I presented at the conference with one of my colleagues, and as she and I, and our current supervisor, Ray Rogers, all had December birthdays, we treated ourselves to dinner at Victoria and Albert’s at the Grand Floridian Hotel! I skipped 2009, but returned to the SoACE conference in 2010 in Dallas, and haven’t missed a conference since. I got involved with SoACE through one of my mentors, Tim Harding, who asked me to serve as the Chair of the Scholarship Committee. The next year, Tim shared an idea with me about wanting to create Knowledge Groups within SoACE and then asked me to Chair the Experiential Education KG. KGs didn’t exist yet, so I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into, but I trusted Tim and his vision for SoACE, so I agreed, and as it turned out, that was one the best professional decisions I ever made. I was able to connect with internship colleagues across the region to share challenges and brainstorm solutions that enabled me to become more effective in my role at Rollins College. As I have continued to be involved in SoACE through additional committee roles, and now as a member of the Board, I am thankful for the ability to give back to my profession and for the lasting friendships I have developed.

What advice do you have for new professionals who aspire to leadership roles?

Take a risk, ask for help—don’t opt yourself out of an opportunity to grow and develop both as a person and as a professional because you aren’t sure if you can be a leader. Seek out and listen to the advice of current leaders, and if someone else believes in you, and asks you to take on a leadership role, learn to believe in yourself.

What is your favorite quote?

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” African Proverb.

This quote represents my philosophy related to career services in higher education. If we are truly going to impact students, we have to collaborate with other parts of higher education, both within student affairs and academic affairs. Of course, this approach takes more time, but the results in terms of the success of our students is absolutely worth it.

What is your favorite book?

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

I love this book for its title alone, but the story of how a small group of people sustain each other during the German-occupation of the one of the Channel Islands during WWII through books and friendship, brought to life through letter writing is a delight to read again and again.

What are some of your hobbies when not working?

Reading historical fiction, traveling, tennis, college football (Go Dawgs!), hiking, kayaking, visiting and photographing lighthouses, and genealogy research—I love to travel and take photographs of lighthouses (usually they are in beautiful locations!). My most recent lighthouse trip was to Maine and my favorite international trip so far was to Peru, where I was able to visit Machu Picchu.