Two staff from the Career and Experiential Education Center were recently recognized by the Midwest Association of Colleges and Employers (MWACE).
MWACE provides regional leadership in promoting and strengthening the relationships between colleges and employers who hire college students. The 2025 Annual Conference was held in Cincinnati, Ohio, in November and two members of the Mount community were recognized.
“At Mount St. Joseph University, we are committed to empowering students to experience learning beyond the classroom in order to build a life of purpose,” says Amanda Meeker, Director of the Career & Experiential Education Center.
Career and Co-op Coordinator, Christin Reynolds was selected by MWACE as a recipient of the Professional Development Scholarship. This scholarship is open to career services members, employer members, and graduate student members. The committee was especially impressed by Reynold's intention to become involved on a MWACE committee and her deep desire to learn more about best practices in experiential learning and cooperative education.
“The MWACE conference is where meaningful connections are made—connections that directly support the work we do with students,” Reynolds reflects. “Every session offers something I can bring back to the Mount, helping our students stay prepared, confident, and future-focused.”
Jessica Schueller, Ph.D., currently serves as the Associate Director of the Mount’s Career & Experiential Education Center. Jessica was recognized as the 2025 recipient of the John Steele Grant, which supports and encourages new research or assessment in career planning and college recruiting. Her proposal received the maximum grant amount, of $2,000, to support her research and she will present her results at the Midwest ACE 2026 Annual Conference.
Schueller, along with collaborating researcher Reynolds, will research career data practices across higher education institutions throughout the Midwest. This mixed-methods study will benchmark how institutions in the Midwest capture and report the full spectrum of career data at a time when measures of institutional accountability are often centered primarily with career centers.
“By benchmarking how career centers collect and report career-related data, my hope is for this study to serve as both a mirror and a roadmap—revealing effective practices and guiding shared standards as expectations for demonstrating return on investment continue to grow,” says Schueller.
Along with Schueller and Reynolds, the conference was also attended by Assistant Director of Career & Co-op, Hayden Skinner-Fine, and Amanda Meeker.
“I am incredibly proud of the work my team is doing and this recognition further demonstrates our deep commitment to student success,” says Meeker. “With the support and professional development provided by MWACE, our team will continue rising to new heights in our programs and initiatives that support student success.”