Lock Haven Graduate Spearheads Launch of Professional U

When 1978 Lock Haven University graduate, Dr. Philip Burlingame, joined the Lock Haven University Alumni Association board of directors, he believed his 35-year career in academia could positively impact students' pre-professional experiences at Commonwealth University-Lock Haven.

In less than one year, Burlingame and a team of alumni volunteers have helped the university's Center for Career and Professional Development launch Professional U, a groundbreaking initiative that integrates successful alumni into the student experience. Professional U opens doors to highly-impactful mentorship, internships and other career development opportunities that help distinguish Lock Haven graduates above their job-market competitors.

Establishing Professional U at Lock Haven began with the formation of the Alumni and Professional Engagement Committee, a group of Alumni Association board members that includes Burlingame (chair), Terri (Wise) Koehler '85, Brandon Pardoe '92, Kyle Losch '15 and Emilee (Mallams) Sassani '15/'17M.

In partnership with Dr. Darwin Kysor, CU-Lock Haven's director of employer engagement, the team embarked on the task of adopting Professional U, a program already in place at CU-Bloomsburg, and tailoring it to meet the unique needs of Lock Haven's student and alumni populations.

"The Alumni Association's Professional Engagement Committee is just getting started, but we have already made significant strides," Burlingame said. "Our committee has customized Professional U to fit the Lock Haven community, and alumni can now register to volunteer their time and expertise."

Burlingame envisions Professional U as a transformative force for both students and alumni.

"This program will help the Alumni Association connect with many graduates who have never volunteered before," he said. "We have thousands of alumni who have built outstanding professional careers, and I am sure many will be happy to provide volunteer help to current students."

What sets Professional U apart is its adaptability and inclusiveness. Alumni can choose the level of involvement that matches their availability and interest, making it accessible to everyone. Whether they can spare a few hours to review resumes or commit to a year-long mentoring relationship, each volunteer can make a meaningful difference in the lives of Lock Haven students.

Along with fostering student-alumni partnerships, a major focus of Professional U is to provide hands-on experiential learning opportunities that enable graduates to seamlessly transition to the workforce upon earning their degrees.

Professional Experience Grants (PEGs) help make these lifechanging career experiences accessible to students. Koehler, along with her husband, Joe '84, were celebrated in early 2023 as the donors of the Lock Haven University Foundation's first-ever PEG, "The Joey Koehler Educational Professional Experience Grant."

Named in honor of The Koehler's deceased son, Joe III, "The Joey PEG" supports education majors on their journey to becoming educators, specifically by assisting student teachers with expenses like traveling for student-teaching assignments and/or placement exams, purchasing classroom supplies, obtaining background clearances and certifications and other student-teaching needs.

"Helping students get hands-on, pre-professional work experience is vital," Burlingame said. "If we are successful in raising funds to support PEGs, students from low-income families enrolled at Lock Haven will be able to engage in a powerful pre-professional experience - like an internship, job shadowing, or a meeting with company C-suite executives - to gain cutting-edge insights and learning."

Events and meeting with students, faculty, deans and department chairs are being organized to identify the best opportunities to further integrate alumni into student success at The Haven.

"When a student makes a professional connection with an alumnus, two very important things can happen," Burlingame said. "First, a student can immediately see the possibilities for a future career. Second, students feel a powerful sense of support by knowing and connecting with someone who has walked the same path and cares enough to volunteer."

Anyone interested in registering to become a Professional U alumni volunteer, can do so by completing the Center for Career and Professional Development's survey at http://www.lockhaven.edu/career/alumni/index.html.