The Career Impact Awards was established in 2018 in order to recognize and celebrate the many career partners and career advocates across our campus and community. This event was created because we recognize that having career infused into all aspects of the student experience correlates to overall student success during and after college. It takes great collaboration on and off campus to help shape post graduate success stories for all students who come from diverse backgrounds, identities, and dreams. Through this event, we wanted to raise awareness around the importance of the ‘career work’ that we all do with students and alumni and recognize the efforts and contributions of those who advocate career for all.
Nominations for 2019 will open in January. Nominations will be accepted in the following categories:
- Student of the Year
- Student Group of the Year
- Distinguished Administrator
- Distinguished Staff Member
- Distinguished Faculty
- Employer of the Year
- Recruiter of the Year
- Alum of the Year
- Student Employee of the Year
- Student Employer of the Year
- Career Impact Award- Outstanding Career Advocate
Save the Date:
The 2019 Career Impact Awards ceremony will take place on April 9, 2019 from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm in the Lory Student Center Ballroom C&D.
2018 Award Winners
Student of the Year
Senior forestry major Marley Smith for setting an example among her peers by showcasing leadership in career exploratory experiences and introducing her peers to career options within their field.
Student Group of the Year
Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS) for actively encouraging professional development around career growth.
Distinguished Staff Member
Senior Academic Advisor Brett Beal in the School of Biomedical Engineering for weaving career into all of her conversations with fellow staff, faculty and students.
Alumnus of the Year
Area Wildlife Manager Ty Petersburg of Colorado Parks & Wildlife, a 2001 graduate, has been helping current students find careers.
Growing Colorado Business of the Year
Waypoint Real Estate, a commercial real estate company, has invested time and energy into CSU programs such as the Everitt Real Estate Center and Ramstrength Foundation and has hired several CSU graduates.
Recruiter of the Year
Lokana Reed, Target’s lead executive recruiter, for connecting students to meaningful careers in leadership.
Alumnus Entrepreneur of the Year
Janay Deloach-Soukup, a two-time Olympian and 2012 Olympic bronze medalist in the long jump, for founding Podium Performance, a speed and agility camp aimed to provide premiere coaching and training to Northern Colorado youth.
The Employer of the Year
Keysight Technologies, a company that provides innovative software solutions. Keysight has made systemic changes in its recruiting and hiring process to better serve underrepresented groups and identities.
Distinguished Administrator
Bridgette Johnson, director of the Black/African American Cultural Center at CSU, for stimulating the career ecosystem throughout her office and among her peers.
Distinguished Faculty
Dr. Kevin Lear, director of the School of Biomedical Engineering’s undergraduate program, who was recognized for successfully integrating career into his classroom, working individually with students and connecting students to career preparedness and readiness opportunities.
Career Impact Award
Jody Drager, school district liaison and career development coordinator in the School of Education, for her ability to integrate the idea of education as a career in multiple forms, especially in the area of opportunities in the education industry for historically marginalized populations.