Inspire, Summer 2011

Reaching Far and Wide Because networking is the name of the game when it comes to looking for an internship or job, our TPC alumni are ready to help students make valuable connections. Kristen Recupero ’10 and Jonathan Miller ’00 work at Compunetix in Pittsburgh and were instrumental in helping Apryl Sniffen ’12, a TPC student, land an internship there this summer. This past spring, Matt Petrie ’11, a TPC senior, was looking for a job in Indianapolis. I contacted Adam Evans ’09, who works at ExactTarget in Indianapolis, and asked if he could help. “I was more than willing to do whatever I could,” Adam said, “because I really believe in Cedarville’s TPC program. I’ve found a fulfilling career in technical writing, and I want to help others achieve that same satisfaction. I e-mailed Matt’s résumé to a few colleagues I’ve come to know in the industry, and I posted his résumé on a LinkedIn group called Technical Communicators of Indiana — one of the primary resources I go to for local tech comm resources.” Within days, Matt had several phone interviews. Just before graduation, he accepted a job offer. That’s how it works — over and over again. It is common practice for me to receive a call or an e-mail from a TPC grad asking for résumés of current students who are looking for internships or jobs. The alumni network reaches far and wide and benefits our students each year. I can give my students good career advice, but for some reason it is more meaningful when graduates tell them the same things. Each spring semester, I invite several TPC alumni back to campus for a grad panel. The room is packed with TPC majors — from freshmen to seniors. (Of course, it doesn’t hurt that I tell students it is a required meeting.) But I know from more than 20 years of doing this that the information and encouragement alumni share that night is invaluable. They intersperse funny memories of their time at Cedarville, but mostly they assure students, “I felt just like you do now — worried about the future, nervous about the job market. But I’m here to tell you that your studies in this program prepare you for a great career in TPC.” Reinforcing the Cedarville Family Scott says it well: “I think I speak for the entire board when I say that our passionate investment in these students is both professional and personal. In addition to ‘talking shop’ with the students, we talk at length about our past experiences building relationships, living out our faith, and persevering through difficult situations in the workplace. Our giving back goes much deeper than giving career advice.” In the uncertain future that faces today’s college seniors and the daily news stories about a bleak job market, anything we can do to ease their way into a career reinforces their place in the Cedarville family. I have found there is so much potential for student/ alumni partnerships. It simply wouldn’t make sense to do this job without the help of our TPC alumni. Sandi (Welch) Harner ’64 serves as senior professor of technical and professional communication in a program she developed at Cedarville in 1984. In 2001, Sandi was named a Fellow of the Society for Technical Communication (STC), where she also served on the board of directors from 1998 until 2006. She has been at Cedarville since 1981 and serves on the alumni council. You may contact her at harners@cedarville.edu. “I was more than willing to do whatever I could ... I’ve found a fulfilling career in technical writing, and I want to help others achieve that same satisfaction.” — Adam Evans ’09, Documentation Writer at ExactTarget Where Are They Now? A Career of Service Dave Gaffner’s ’69 career path was anything but traditional. After working as an associate pastor, high school guidance counselor, and varsity basketball coach, he came back to Cedarville in 1981 to develop the University’s first career placement office. Dave was hired by Don Rickard ’58 to build this new department from the ground up and serve as its director. At that time, there were no “career days,” and most companies had no idea there was a quality institution of higher education in the cornfields of Cedarville, Ohio. But through creative networking, Dave soon convinced Big Eight accounting firms and national corporations, including General Mills, to recruit students for jobs and internships. Before long, the career fairs outgrew the dining hall, spilling out into the hallways and lobby. So Dave began offering smaller, more specialized events. Counseling is one of Dave’s great passions, and he poured himself into helping students create résumés, write cover letters, and participate in mock interviews. After leaving Cedarville in 1995, Dave pursued his doctorate in counseling at Ohio University while advising undeclared students part time. He worked a few years in behavioral health, but his heart to guide young people in their future pursuits drew him to Washington Court House, Ohio, where he now works as a guidance counselor at Washington High School. He still does some individual and marriage counseling on the side. Dave and his wife, Marlene (Schonscheck) ’68, have three married children, Michelle ’92, Matthew ’96, and Bethany ’98. You may contact Dave at david.gaffner@wchcs.org. facul ty voi ce