Felecia Pittman named new director for the Office of Career Services
Committed to helping Alcorn State University students chart their career paths is the goal of the new leader for the university office focused on building the pipeline of success through coaching, training, and placement.
Felecia Pittman, a Society for Human Resources Management Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP), recently joined the university as the new director for the Office of Career Services. In her role, Pittman will be responsible for putting initiatives in place that will aid students in professional development and ultimately, finding a job shortly after they graduate.
In her career, Pittman has managed career services for a coding boot camp that covered Dallas, Texas and Tulsa, Oklahoma. She served as a Shell oil chemist/quality control lab manager and educational leader and also as a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) consultant that provided support to K-16 STEM programs helping to bridge the gap between corporate partner needs and educational programs. Her background also includes stints as a high school science teacher and a college pre-service STEM teacher at the University of Texas. In 2018, the National Society of Black Engineers recognized her as a TOP STEM Influencer in Dallas.
Pittman earned a bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in chemistry from Grambling State University. She later received a master’s degree in educational leadership from Lamar University, and currently, she’s in the final stages of pursuing a doctorate from Texas A&M University-Commerce.
The students that Pittman has encountered have already impressed her with their hospitality and will to succeed. She looks forward to putting them in a position to be outstanding professionals.
“I’m so excited,” said Pittman. “Everyone has been so welcoming, and I love the students. So far, they seem willing to learn and grow. I believe everyone deserves the opportunity to be successful, and it’s my goal to help show them how.”
With her training in education and career services, Pittman has gained valuable experience that allows her to develop students professionally. With her expertise, she plans to use her knowledge to provide resources that will enable students to reach their career goals.
“This role aligns with my aspiration to advance, empower, and inspire people through education, information, and opportunities. The hardest thing to see is an unsuccessful person because they didn’t have access to the resources they needed to be successful. The students at Alcorn will have what they need.”
One tool that Pittman plans to utilize is Handshake, an online professional networking platform for college students and graduates. Handshake lets universities and employers connect with a single click, leading to more diverse, high-quality networking opportunities for students and employers. Because Handshake connects over 300,000 unique employers from every industry and region, most schools see a significant increase in relevant job opportunities within the first six months of switching to Handshake.
“We will be using this service as the main communication point for our office. We plan to send updates to academic leads and university administrators on student usage by classification level and department.”
The usage of this job-seeking service will give Pittman and the Office insight into the students’ progress as they search for and find internship and employment opportunities.
“Not only can students find internships and jobs from thousands of employers on the site, but staff and faculty can also document and track career and internship experiences.”
Pittman said the office will also host workshops and provide mentors to help students get started on their career path.
Students looking to get a head start of pursuing their career can visit https://alcorn.joinhandshake.com. For more information about the Office of Career Services, visit their page on Alcorn’s website or call the office at 601-877-6380.
