Before enrollment and beyond
Support at CMU begins before students even enroll, with the expansion of educational opportunity.
These efforts include the CMU Pathway Program(opens in new window), which offers tuition-free attendance to students from households earning under $75,000 annually. The program also offers loan-free attendance to those whose families earn $100,000 or less annually.
Others, like the Tartan Scholars(opens in new window) and Rales Fellows(opens in new window) programs, allow the university to bring in talented students from underrepresented or overlooked communities.
In recent years, the CPDC has focused on providing students with 24/7 interactive support. This includes digital tools such as the undergraduate-focused Career Launch. The center itself begins engaging new students approximately six weeks before the academic year starts, and students are encouraged to complete certain modules through the online platform before arriving on campus.
CareerEdge is a similar program currently geared toward master’s degree students in the School of Computer Science, College of Engineering(opens in new window) and Mellon College of Science(opens in new window). The team says they plan to expand the program to help graduate students in the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences(opens in new window), as well as the College of Fine Arts(opens in new window).
Tartan achievements in action
Joey McGinnis credits much of his recent success landing a job — which he’ll begin after graduating this May — to the CPDC. Originally hailing from High Point, North Carolina, McGinnis describes moving to Pittsburgh and stepping into his first year at CMU as a difficult adjustment.
A captain and starting quarterback for the Carnegie Mellon Tartans football team, McGinnis says he was fortunate to step into a community of like-minded, team-oriented individuals. His background in sports also gave him the chance to cross paths with the center before enrolling.
“My first interaction with the CPDC was when I met Kevin Monahan on my football game visit,” McGinnis said. “He greeted me and my family, and told us about how the CPDC has a special unit for student-athletes. I made it a point to meet with him when I arrived at CMU, and have been with him regularly ever since. He’s been instrumental in my professional and career journey.”
The journey since, McGinnis says, involved both hard work and open communication with those he has encountered along the way.
“I had significant career development over the course of my time in college,” said the mechanical engineering senior. “I obtained three summer internships and attended several professional conventions. It wouldn’t have been possible without the help I received from the CPDC, as well as my mentors and colleagues.”
This support system, in addition to his own efforts, gave him the tools he needed to build skills and confidence when transitioning into the job market.
“My network, I think, helped me beyond any measure that I could really fathom,” McGinnis said. “It can be easy to stay in your shell, but being able to build a broad network opens doors for you that you may not have even known about.”
Tapping into the CMU community and the resources provided, he was able to craft a college experience that also set him up for long-term career success.
“I’m indebted to a lot of people and programs for my success. Being on the CMU football team was an important part in shaping my mindset and mental fortitude, which helped me during my career journey.” McGinnis also credits being part of the National Society of Black Engineers(opens in new window) for creating a vital networking environment.
Championing student success
In January, the CPDC hosted an event showcasing Carnegie Mellon students like McGinnis, bringing alumni and employers back to the university to share stories of Tartan success with those who made it possible.
“Our team really focuses on lifelong career development,” Monahan said during the event. “We want our students and alumni not just to be ready for that first job, but we want them to be ready for the job when they are 30, 40, 50 years old.”
Monahan was joined by Marcie Foy, CPDC’s director of career consultants, and Sean McGowan, director of employer relations. The team explained that Carnegie Mellon’s interdisciplinary approach, particularly in fields like artificial intelligence, business and computer science, offers graduates an advantage in a cooling job market.
The staff members said that proactivity, empowerment, and trust are the driving forces behind their approach to career development at CMU. In addition to providing students with round-the-clock, interactive resources online, the center has also focused on equipping faculty and staff members with the tools they need to help support students professionally.
“We’re continuing to look ahead to being present in spaces where students are,” Foy said. “That could be classrooms, it could be seminars, it could be holding office hours or open drop-ins in different spaces.”
One initiative, the Career Champions Program(opens in new window), provides faculty and staff with training to give students resources for long-term success. The stated goal is to create an environment where students can hear career advice from those they work with and trust. Another, the Olitsky Program(opens in new window), gives career support to neurodivergent students.
“We’re trying to make sure that no matter how a student might feel comfortable interacting with us — in office, with their individual peer consultant, or just with the information that we’re putting out there — they have an avenue that’s going to fit their schedule, their needs, and their comfort level with asking for help,” Foy said.
“I think that speaks to the character of the students that come here,” Foy said, “that they’re willing and able to do the work to achieve their goals. We’re just here to make sure that they have every avenue in which to do it.”
The outcomes also show the strong relationships CMU has built with employers through quality alumni, McGowan added. “For our student population, alumni are more important than they ever were, because as recruiting teams shrink and companies target fewer schools, we need champions out there in these companies that are going to advocate for Tartans,” he said.
“Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The institution was originally established in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical School. In 1912, it became the Carnegie Institute of Technology and began granting four-year degrees.”
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