Our office is celebrating the work of one of our Graduate Assistants, Carmen Rudd, who recently earned her Master of Social Work. Carmen has worked at the Career Center for a few years now, assisting with the management of our Peer Professional program and working as a Career Coach.
Carmen’s approach to career exploration was simple. She took general education courses that allowed her to explore different social science careers. On top of that, experiential learning was key to discovering career options. During undergrad she participated in internships, on-campus jobs, and research labs. She wasn’t quite ready to settle on a particular graduate program though.
After receiving her undergraduate degree in Education from UNC Chapel Hill in 2021, she took a gap year and joined AmeriCorps based in Washington, D.C. Carmen mentioned that, “It was during this program where I decided to pursue my MSW and apply to UNC Charlotte. I knew I wanted to support youth, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds, and social work was the right avenue for me to do this as it is broad in scope and I am able to become a therapist with this degree.”
She continued to capitalize on experiential learning opportunities during her master's program. While the UNC Charlotte program does require students to complete an internship each year of the program, Carmen decided to participate in a few other opportunities too. Her first internship was with a local nonprofit and the most recent internship was with a private practice. Additionally, she volunteers as a Crisis Text Line crisis counselor to give back to her community. She is also writing two research papers. One has been submitted and one is in progress. And of course, she works in our office in a dual role.
With this list of experiences, Carmen has grown significantly and gained many relevant skills to take into her professional career. She mentioned that managing the Peer Professional team in the Career Center was a new experience in that she had not previously managed people. A skill she believes helps her stand out to employers. Carmen did not just manage this team though, she provided this group of student workers with a safe place to work in, she cared for them, and led them in their own growth.
Carmen would like to leave the following to her team and her supervisor, Elona:
“To Elona and the Peer Pro team, I want to pass along a sprinkle of confidence and motivation. Being a Peer Pro, and managing them, is not for the faint of heart. It takes strength, courage, compassion, and hard work to accomplish what you do every single day. I believe in this team, and I want you all to remember that you are amazing at what you do for the Career Center, in school, and in life. We certainly made the right choice in bringing you in. Great things lie ahead of you, you just have to keep going! Find ways to motivate yourself, have confidence, and own your successes. And remember, I am always on your team, and you all will forever be in my heart.”
We hope that these encouraging words also offer you encouragement. Great things do indeed lie ahead. As for Carmen’s job search process? She is currently applying for clinician positions in higher education, hospitals, and behavioral health agencies. She seeks out applications through LinkedIn, Indeed, and HigherEdJobs and uses networking as a supplemental component of the search. After submitting many applications, she has a huge piece of advice: be patient. “I’ve gotten follow-up emails and calls for positions I forgot I even applied to!” She adds, “... recognize your accomplishments. If you believe you are the best candidate, others will too.”