Next school year, Ohio University students seeking leadership skills and career advice can go to one place in Baker University Center.
The Office of Career Services and the Amanda J. Cunningham Leadership Center will merge next year to become the Career and Leadership Development Center.
OU Dean of Students Ryan Lombardi said he hopes this collaboration will encourage students to begin working toward forming career plans sooner.
“Bringing these two offices together is bringing more opportunities for students to engage at an earlier stage in college and think about what they’re going to do when they finish,” Lombardi said. “Thinking about careers and life after college after two or three years is too late.”
The merged entities will be housed where Career Services is located, 533 Baker University Center. Each will use the Leadership Center’s space on Baker’s third floor for student outreach, Lombardi said.
The centers will pool resources and will not hire new faculty members immediately. If additional hires are made later, the combined center will request additional funds from the General Fee budget, Lombardi said.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for these two offices to merge,” said Thomas Korvas, current director of Career Services. “It will just be a tremendous opportunity for us to be able to help students professionally. Students will definitely benefit from the two offices.”
The new center will have a new leader, as Korvas is retiring at the end of this school year. His replacement will also have a new title: assistant dean of students for the Career and Leadership Development Center.
“Dr. Korvas has been a great director for us,” Lombardi said. “I’ve been extremely appreciative for all that he’s done. He’s brought us into the 21st century of career services. We wish him all the best in his retired life.”
Though Korvas said he is unsure what he will do after retiring, he’s evaluating several opportunities.
Lombardi is in the process of finding search committee members to find Korvas’ replacement. The committee will be in place in late March or early April, he said.
Kevin Smith, current assistant director for leadership in the Campus Involvement Center, declined to comment. He will keep his position in the new center, Lombardi said.
sj950610@ohiou.edu
