Central Methodist University’s new director of the Career Development Center, Cindy Rogan ’25, has only been a part of the CMU community for two and a half years, but she’s already seen the University from more angles than most ever get to experience.
She arrived in Fayette as the administrative assistant for the office of advancement and alumni relations in 2023 and has since earned her bachelor’s degree online and begun work towards a Master of Business Administration. She’s experienced the convenience of a CMU online education while still being on campus, has gotten to know the ins and outs of the College of Graduate and Extended Studies (CGES) firsthand, and can claim her place among the very alumni with whom she used to work.
Put all these perspectives together, along with her experience in the non-profit business sector, and a perfect candidate for the career development director begins to take shape.
“Earning my communications degree through our CGES program was an invaluable experience. It allowed me to navigate Central’s online student experience while still being on campus every day, really the best of both worlds,” said Rogan, who took over as director of the James C. Denneny Jr. Career Development Center in January, following the retirement of former director Mary Lay. “I was able to build strong working relationships with my professors while completing coursework that fit around my schedule.”
Rogan says she didn’t come to Central with the intention of entering the realm of career services, but the opportunity to utilize her connections on campus and work more with students was an enticing one which happened to line up with the completion of her degree last December.
“I was very excited to step into my new role, which combines my experience in training, recruitment, and management with cross-campus, student focused initiatives,” she said. “I’m passionate about helping students prepare for and navigate a future that will look very different from what we knew at their age.”
In her first few months in the position, Rogan has indeed had plenty of opportunities to teach and guide CMU students through the steps of applying for their own jobs, and it’s been no easy task thanks to a rapidly changing, newly AI-powered hiring process. While the Career Center’s resume guidelines had already been thoroughly revised by previous staff, the team is now working on additional updates to ensure it remains compatible with evolving AI recruitment tools. At the same time, Rogan and the Career Center are enhancing implementation of AI-readiness resources into upcoming workshops, one of several ways the office is continuing to adapt its services to meet the demands of today’s job market.
“The hiring and interview landscape our students are entering now looks very different from how it did five years ago,” said Rogan. “I’m excited about the way we are expanding access for our students, both on campus and for our CGES students and alumni.”
That emphasis to include alumni and CGES in their efforts will extend to next month’s Business Week, during which the Career Development Center team and the business faculty will put on multiple events each day from April 12 through the 17th. The week will begin with a presentation by 1994 graduate John Brown, who will speak on “Finding Direction When Plans Change.” Brown, a 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, graduated with a plan to enter the medical field but has worked as a news anchor for most of his career.
Throughout the week, the Career Center will host sessions on “Building Your Brand,” as well as a virtual coffee chat, professional headshot sessions, a tie-tying tutorial, and a networking hour during which students will have the chance to interface with alumni while practicing their networking skills. The Career Closet will be open all week as well, for students who need to borrow professional clothing for interviews or other events.
The week will culminate in a four-hour campus career fair, with the addition of virtual appointment times available for CGES students to speak with recruiters in their chosen fields.
“The whole week is designed to really make sure that all of Central’s students, both on campus and online, are prepared and ready for their future career,” said Rogan. “It is focused on business, but we are expecting students from all degree programs to participate. All our students, freshmen through seniors, in Fayette and online, can benefit from these events.”
Overall, Rogan is happy to take over an office that has been running smoothly and providing great service to the CMU community, and ready to keep pushing it even further to provide even more benefits in a new era.
“I think a lot of what has been done over the past few years has been done exceptionally well, and it’s time to move it forward into the future that our students are entering,” she said.
For more information on the Career Center, email career@centralmethodist.edu or visit the Career Services web page.