WFU receives ‘Career Service Excellence Award’ & ‘Mentor of the Year’ recognition

Wake Forest University has been awarded a “Career Service Excellence Award” from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)  for “Your First Five: Supporting the College to Career Transition and Beyond.” The programming is run through the Alumni Personal & Career Development Center and led by Associate Director Lauren Beam, Assistant Director Megan Hoyt, and Assistant Vice President Allison McWilliams. Additionally, McWilliams was named “Mentor of the Year.”

In this Q&A on creating a mentoring culture in the post-pandemic world, McWilliams shares mentoring advice for both organizations and their employees.

In 2017, Wake Forest University’s Office of Personal & Career Development created the Alumni Personal & Career Development Center to provide ongoing support, guidance, and resources for alumni, extending the personal and career development resources that are so critical to the college experience throughout an individual’s lifetime. In particular, the transition from college student to young professional is one of the biggest, and most universal, pain points for alumni. The “Your First Five” competency model was created to address this need and provide the information, guidance, and support to navigate these early years of work and life, reaching thousands of alumni annually.

Established in 1956, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) connects 13,800+ career services and university relations and recruiting professionals, as well as the business solution providers that serve this community.