Just Off College Avenue

Life is journey and so is your career! The idea of climbing the career ladder is outdated and doesn’t apply to most roles in our ever-changing work landscape. Tabitha knows this all too well as she has naturally navigated multiple career pivots throughout her career.

This episode is intended to relieve some stress students and recent graduates may have about entering the world of work. Embrace the squiggle of your career! For more in-depth information on how to do this with confidence, check out Squiggly Careers by Helen Tubber and Sarah Ellis!

Today’s curiosity suggestion: Learn more about how differently abled people move through the world and ways we can influence positive social changes to make their life experiences easier. Check out articles such as this one about the real reason we have speech-to-text on our devices. https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/everyday-innovations/items-invented-people-with-disabilities.htm

Connect with Tabitha Grieger on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tabithahibbitts),through her company’s Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianRisingVentures/), or the company’s YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@AppalachianRisingVentures)!

Managing mental health, and deciding whether the field is a good fit for your career, can be tricky. Today we talk with Stephanie Strouth, owner of Anchoring Hope Counseling in Wise, VA, about her choice to pivot her career goals as well as some advice on creating boundaries and cultivating happiness in your daily life.

Interested in connecting with Stephanie? Check out her LinkedIn page (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahchope) or reach out to her counseling office at (276) 298-5034. If you are considering counseling as a profession, check out these resources: https://www.counselingpsychology.org/counseling-career-is-right/, https://www.counseling.org/resources/career-central/choosing-a-career-in-counseling, https://www.counseling.org/publications/counseling-today-magazine/article-archive/article/counseling-today-mar-2025-articles/how-to-find-the-right-career-path

Want to talk with someone and start your mental health journey? Reach out to Anchoring Hope Counseling or utilize these resources tojump start your journey: on-campus counseling center, Anchoring Hope (app in your app store) https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/caring-for-your-mental-health, https://mentalhealthfirstaid.org/news/thinking-about-professional-help-heres-where-to-start/or https://headway.co/ .

We love being curious! If you want to learn moreabout the cultural views of work that has captivated Stephanie, check out this resource: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225435950_Europeans_Work_to_Live_and_Americans_Live_to_Work_Who_is_Happy_to_Work_More_Americans_or_Europeanor https://www.talaera.com/culture/us-vs-europe-work-culture/

In today’s episode we talk aboutfood insecurity research with Karina Rufino, a graduate student at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and the Assistant Director of Multicultural Affairs and Recruiting at UVA Wise. From facts to resources available on- campus, we cover it all! If you are interested in getting involved with reducing hunger on campus, email [email protected],stop by Karina’s office to share ideas for bettering campus hunger initiatives, or talk with leaders at your university.

Still curious? Check out Karina’s reading recommendation Food Insecurity on Campus: Action and Intervention by Katharine M. Broton and Clare L. Cady at your local library or digital audio store.

Have career related questions, particularly about grad school? Reach out to Career Discovery and Planning via email at [email protected] or your university's career center!

Blake Salyers is a UVA Wise alum who has dedicated his time to the economic growth of SWVA. In this episode, we talk with him about his first endeavor, Winze Company, as well as his work as the Innovation and Ecosystem Manager at UVA Wise. Blake has been recognized in several articles in recent years for his work, including: https://www.uvawise.edu/strategic-engagement-government-relations/news/2025/07/costarters-hatch-accelerator-cultivates  & https://virginiabusiness.com/u-va-wise-helps-founders-build-community-confidence/

 If you would like to follow along with the efforts that Blake is pushing forward in SWVA, check out the NEST on Instagram and Facebook, visit hatchaccelerator.com, or visit Opportunity SWVA’s webpage. In the spring, his team will host two diversity panels including black entrepreneurs & women leading the way at UVA Wise.

Be sure to check out Blake’s curiosity recommendations, The Best One Yet (TBOY) podcast and the most recent season of Stranger Things. If you would like to connect with Blake, his LinkedIn is a great place to start!

#uvawise #careerchat #entrepreneur

This episode is a live recorded session from the SWVA Internship Summit that was held on November 3, 2025. Kevin McGrail, KAM, talks to students about resumes as well as other tips based on his career knowledge. KAM started Peregrine Computer Consultants Corporation, PCCC, in 1993 with Khuja “Kyle” Rajimi and Richard “Rich” Choi. Since then, the company has worked alongside Google, government entities, and more for cybersecurity needs. To learn more about PCCC, check out the weblink below.

PCCC: ⁠https://pccc.com/⁠

KAM’s LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/kmcgrail/⁠Career Discovery and Planning LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/uva-wise-office-of-career-discovery-and-planning⁠Career Discovery and Planning Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/uvawise_careers

In this episode, CDP reviews some of the basic tips for starting an internship or job search and navigating the application process. If you would like to read more about different aspects of the process, check out this link for Brian Kruger’s College Grad Job Hunter website. If you are more of an interactive and visual learner, we recommend using the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership’s Student Internship Toolkit which can be found here.

Looking for more ways to connect with us? Check out social media platforms and webpage!

Instagram: @uvawise_careers

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uva-wise-office-of-career-discovery-and-planning

Website: https://www.uvawise.edu/after-graduation/careers/students

Mentoring through the Academic Success Center (ASC) has become an important element of UVA Wise within the last 5 years. To gain a better understanding of their program, CDP spoke with Will, Kendra, and Caitlyn about the inception of the Peer Mentor program as well as the significance of having a mentor through college and beyond. Interested in connecting with the ASC? Check them out through this link: https://www.uvawise.edu/academics/advising-support/academic-success-center

Stay Curious episode suggestions:

·      Don’t stop learning. Find something interesting on YouTube and broaden your understanding. -Will

·      The Dating Detective Podcast- Kendra

·      True Crime podcasts or videos- Caitlyn

In this episode of Just Off College Avenue, we talk networking with long time Ballad HR Director, Valeri Coyler, and UVA Wise’s Director of Alumni Engagement, Corey Shanchez. Both guests offer valuable advice and insights into the world of networking.

Want to connect with the Alumni Association to start making connections? Email Corey Shanchez or Katie Pridemore at [email protected].

You can also follow the UVA Wise Alumni Association on Facebook and Instagram for updates on events as well as join their in-person meetings that happen on the 1st Tuesday every other month at 6pm.

Be sure to get involved through volunteer opportunities a the college, join a professional membership, and use LinkedIn to connect withyour professional network. **UVA Wise uses GivePulse for community engagement opportunities, so be sure to sign in with your college email to find local volunteer needs.

You can connect with Valeri and Corey via LinkedIn orthrough the Alumni Relations Board.

Curiosity Suggestions:

Corey- Listen to a podcast such as TedTalk or something in sports. You could also try your hand at using IMbD to learn more about the cast of films or tv shows.

Valeri- Podcasts from NPR offer an array of topics,especially in career, that students will find beneficial as they are navigating their career journey.

Bonus!- Listen to Ologies with Alie Ward to hear about interesting jobs and research being done in various fields while opening your mind to career possibilities.

#careerready #networking #career #uvawise

In this episode, Tonya and Josh give helpful information regarding resumes and CVs (Curriculum Vitae) to help put you on the right track for your job search! Many resources are mentioned and they offer insightful advice to make updating your document a no brainer. Find their contact information below and the UVA Wise website with several of the mentioned resources.

UPike Optometry- https://www.upike.edu/optometry/

Contact Josh- [email protected]

UVA Wise CDP (CollegeGrad, Handshake, and Global MentorInitiative links embedded)- https://www.uvawise.edu/after-graduation/careers/students

Contact Tonya- [email protected]

Stay Curious suggestions- Buy herbs and try your hand atkeeping something alive! – Tonya

Wednesday- Season 2, or Untamed. – Josh

In our Career Chats series we talk with alumni and professionals about their career pathways.

Our first guest for this series is Jess Mullins Fullen! We are excited to have them talk about their work with Appalachia Funders Network as well as how their theater degree set the stage for their career lens during this episode.

Appalachia Funders Network Report- https://www.appalachiafunders.org/state-of-funding-in-appalachia

Jess Mullins Fullen- [email protected] or https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessmullinsfullen/

Curiously suggestion! - Storming Heaven Novel by Denise Giardina (check your local library for a copy 😊)#careerdiscovery #uvawise #appalachia