Welcome to "Reality 101"
By Paul Grondahl

Shirley Downey, director of UAlbany's Career Development Center, and Justin Koehler, right, a doctoral student in counseling psychology, are implementing a grant from State Farm to help seniors with career decisions.

Tanya Carroll, B.A.’92, was looking for a way to give back to the University at Albany as she rose through the ranks of State Farm Insurance Companies. Carroll, a sociology major, works as director of diversity in human services at its Ballston Spa, N.Y., regional headquarters. When the company’s philanthropic wing, State Farm Foundation, put out word that funding was available to identify a “partner school” to work with, Carroll knew just the place.

Carroll’s drive and persistence on behalf of her alma mater paid off. The University was awarded a two-year, $75,000 grant from the State Farm Foundation last summer. UAlbany is one of just 13 colleges and universities nationwide to whom State Farm awarded this type of partnership grant. The money covers the salary of a graduate assistant coordinator and a budget to develop programs and to bring in speakers who will assist University students with career development.

Alumna Tanya Carroll, a State Farm employee, helped develop the partnership.

“It’s an excellent opportunity for our students, a good partnering situation between State Farm and the University and a win-win situation all around,” said Shirley Downey, director of the Career Development Center. “Tanya is the one who helped us develop the proposal and made it happen. We can’t thank her enough.”

The graduate assistant coordinator for the State Farm Professional Development Series is Justin Koehler, a doctoral candidate in counseling psychology at UAlbany. Koehler is organizing 10 presentations each semester and he’s booking nationally recognized experts to present talks, including Paul Tieger, best-selling author of Do What You Are. Koehler’s other workshops discuss subjects such as how to stay out of debt while attending college and diversity in the workplace. The workshops bear titles such as Reality 101 and Procrastination Nation. “We wanted realistic topics with more meaningful material that’s both entertaining and informative,” Koehler said. “We’re offering cutting-edge courses. We’re not just about doing resumes anymore.”
With a limited staff, demands on UAlbany’s Career Development Center continue to grow. Last year, the staff handled more than 2,000 student-counseling appointments, and more than 1,000 additional students were served during open drop-in hours. The number of freshmen students using the Center’s services has climbed from 187 five years ago to 651 last year. “We’re encouraging students to come in during their first year, which means we’re very busy,” Downey said. “It’s great to partner with a corporation like State Farm. Their funding allows us to do something we couldn’t have done with our own staff.”

Carroll said State Farm is reaping benefits, too. “The seminars are an opportunity to meet very high-caliber, competitive (job) candidates, and with a lot of diversity,” she said. “We also get the State Farm name out there, and a lot of brand recognition.”

Koehler said his own jagged career path is a good advertisement for the need for the State Farm Professional Development Series. He started out planning a career in theater and vocal performance, then worked in advertising, and later managed a small medical practice before returning to graduate school. “I had a difficult time deciding what I wanted to do,” Koehler said. “If I’d had workshops like these when I was in college, the transition after graduation would have been easier.”

For more imformation, please contact Carol Bullard in the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations at 518-437-4976.

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