Career Chronicles

Bryan Davis is the Executive Director of the Hill Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Furman. He says the institute functions like a clubhouse -- a place to bounce ideas off of one another, explore new types of work, and become comfortable with just trying things out. On the podcast, he discusses how to get involved with the Hill Institute and entrepreneurship as a college student!

CliftonStrengths offers a way for students to understand what they're best at and market themselves using helpful language. Career adviser Kristin Irwin gives practical tips for how to use strengths in the job interview process as well as throughout your career.

To aid freshmen in their career exploration, the Malone Center hosted a panel of upperclassmen to discuss what they are doing in college to set them up for success career-wise. Lousia Brown '24, Colin Brake '24, TJ Robertson '25, Esmie Fernandez '25, and Abby Kandare '26 talked internships, Linkedin strategies, and how to make the most out of co-curricular experiences at Furman.

Dr. Randolph Hutchison is a health sciences professor at Furman, but he’s also a dad, husband, avid runner, and musician. We discussed work-life balance and how he makes his wellness a priority alongside work and family using tools like mindfulness, reflecting on the “perfect day”, and adding a social component to exercise habits. 

Esmie Fernandez is a junior Business and Communications double major with a minor in Data Analytics. She joins us to discuss her recent semester in Edinburgh, Scotland and how it is shaping her career! She shared tips for students hoping to study abroad and what aspects of the experience changed her the most.

Rolyn Rollins from the Cothran Center speaks with us about callings: what they are, how you find yours, and how the Cothran Center can help by providing three key questions for reflection. She also shares how she came upon her own calling: working with college students. 

Dr. Brad Harmon, Assistant Dean for the first and second-year experience, is known for helping students thrive in college, not just survive. He shares tips for students that are struggling to make this jump, and provides an inside look at the goals of the Pathways program and how this aligns with his motto.

Nancy Cooper is a well-known face around Furman as the Coordinator of Volunteer Services with Heller Service Corps. On this episode, she shares the story of how Heller came to be, the journey that landed her at Furman, and how students can get involved in service even after college.

Not everyone has what one might consider a "traditional" career path. Whether you get a later start on building your career, or you find out that your college degree wasn't the right fit, there are lots of ways that you might end up in an unconventional job. Michael Mace, the Malone Center's Operations and Employer Engagement Coordinator, joins us to discuss his path and the stigma surrounding non-traditional jobs and not doing what's "expected" of you, and how to overcome it.

Dr. Franklin Ellis, the Director of the Center for Inclusive Communities, joins us this week to discuss how we can find and contribute to inclusion in the workplace. We talked about how to go beyond just talking about diversity, and how Franklin's work involves helping students "be better people by being better to people."