Meet The Advisors

Michael joined Merrimack’s professional staff in August 2022 after serving in higher education at Suffolk University in Boston for over 5 years. At Suffolk Michael focused on student employment and faculty support. On campus, Michael supports students in the Business, Finance & Management Career Community.

Michael earned his bachelor’s degree in education from Humboldt State University in Arcata, CA.

What is most important about career development that you learned in college?

While in college I learned it’s never too early to start thinking about your future. My alma mater offered numerous workshops and events focusing on personal growth and career development. While I did attend a couple of these helpful events, I wish I attended all of them! Learning from my mistakes, it’s great to be in a position to encourage current students to take advantage of all the O’Brien Center for Career Development has to offer.

Sarah joined Merrimack in 2011 and provides career advising and education to undergraduate students in the Education & Social Policy Career Community.  Prior to many years working in career development, Sarah worked in admissions at both the University of Hartford and Merrimack College. After starting her master’s degree she realized she wanted to work more closely with students, and transitioned to focus on career advising.

Sarah received a master of education in higher education from Merrimack College and a bachelor of arts in communication from the University of Hartford.

What does Sarah wish she knew about career development when she was in college?  

I wish I had utilized my career center much earlier! I didn’t even think to do an internship until right before my senior year. I ended up not liking the career field I thought I would end up working in. This caused me to reevaluate my personal skills, values and strengths. Ultimately, this led me to a career that I love, but I wish I had explored this earlier in my college career, so I could have gotten even more experience and internships before I graduated.

Stephanie joined Merrimack’s career advising team in 2022 and works with students in the Arts, Communication & Society Career Community. She uses a holistic advising approach to guide students towards the career path that is the best fit for them and is passionate about helping her students find careers and internships within the arts, humanities, and social sciences.

Stephanie is a Triple Warrior and received a bachelor’s degree in communication and media, a master’s degree in higher education, and a master’s degree in communication all from Merrimack. Before coming to Merrimack as a career advisor, she was an academic advisor for college students and students in 6th-12th grade.

What does Stephanie wish she knew about career development when she was in college?

I wish I had taken advantage of more opportunities offered by the O’Brien Center when I was an undergraduate. Working with my career advisor was helpful, but I think I could have expanded my knowledge of career development and improved my skills even more by attending more events and workshops.

There are so many ways that students can expand their network and build their professional development skills to help them become a strong job applicant, whether it’s attending a career night or doing research on careers using Merrimack’s online resources. I tell my students that they’re only in college for a short time, so it’s important that they take advantage of all the opportunities available to them.

Laura joined Merrimack in the Spring of 2013 and provides comprehensive career guidance and support to students in the STEM Career Community and graduate students across the Education & Social Policy Career Community.  Prior to joining Merrimack, Laura worked as a Student Services Coordinator at a private college planning company guiding high school students and families through the college application and admissions process.  Laura earned her BA in Human Development from Boston College and an MS in Counseling from Fitchburg State University.  Laura is also a CCE credentialed Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF) and licensed School Counselor.

What does Laura wish she knew about career development when she was in college?  

I wished that I had learned about the power of networking and how helpful informational interviews can be.  Had I known, I think I would have been able to make much more informed career decisions for myself.  I try to impart this knowledge to my students and stress the importance of career exploration early on and throughout the four years so that when they graduate they feel confident and ready to take the next steps towards their future career.