About Us

The Center for Career & Professional Development helps students and alumni plan, prepare, and promote their careers.


The mission of the Center for Career & Professional Development is to prepare students for lifelong career achievement. Specifically, we will:

• guide students through the process of exploring and choosing careers;
• engage the faculty to help students connect the dots between their academic and career development;
• facilitate alumni engagement to further students’ career and professional development; and
• provide students and alumni with the tools and skills needed to access experiential opportunities and to achieve post-graduate success.

As part of our mission, the Center for Career & Professional Development offers the following services.

Career Development

• Career Coaching: One career coach is assigned to each academic division. In addition, one career coach is assigned for undecided students. Topics covered are at student direction, but often include: choosing a major, career exploration and decision-making (including self-assessments like YouScience, MBTI, Strong Interest Inventory), choosing and locating experiential opportunities, job searching, researching and applying to graduate school, and personal statement reviews.
• Career Roadmap: a four-year guide to career success.
• Career KickStart: an annual career exploration event for Sophomores.
• Career Chats: a monthly series focused on a different career field each month.

Professional Development

• Emerging Professionals series: a monthly series focusing on professional development topics.
• Career Mentor Network: an online directory of alumni who have volunteered to provide career information and/or advice to students.
• Resume and cover letter reviews.
• Mock interviews.
• Direct connection with employers: on-campus information sessions, on-campus and virtual interviews, resume review and mock interview days, Spotlight Career Fair.

Internships and Internship Funding

• The CCPD works directly with students to help locate and apply to summer and school-year internships.
• Internship funding programs to help support CentreTerm and summer internships.

Career Peer Mentors

• Career peer mentors are Centre students trained to provide front-line services to their peers.
• Weekly walk-in hours in the CCPD.
• Presentations for residence halls and student organizations (upon request).

Additional Special Events

• Senior Celebration
• Etiquette Dinner
• Law School Fair
• Local Internship Fair
• Programs specific to certain majors, in partnership with academic programs.

 

 

Meet the Staff

Joy Asher, Associate Dean for Career Readiness and Executive Director of the CCPD


Joy Asher

Associate Dean for Career Readiness and Executive Director of the CCPD
859.238.5284
joy.asher@centre.edu


Biography

Joy Anderson Asher is an alumna of Centre College and has worked at Centre since 2000. She has a M.S. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kentucky and is certified as a Master Career Specialist. Prior to returning to her alma mater, she served as the Director of Graduate Employment Services at Spencerian College and a graduate intern at the University of Kentucky Stuckert Career Center. Joy provides strategic leadership on career readiness and is passionate about career success for all students. She has given national presentations on career leadership, scaling career services for students, and career data and outcomes.

Kirk Knott, Associate Director, Division I and Undecided Career Coach


Kirk Knott
Associate Director, Center for Career & Professional Development

Career Coach Division I: Humanities and undecided
859.238.5286
kirk.knott@centre.edu


Biography

Kirk Knott joined the Center for Career & Professional Development as Associate Director in 2014. In this role, Kirk provides comprehensive career counseling to students and alumni in Division I (Humanities) and to all undecided students. Kirk comes to us from Bluegrass Community and Technical College, where he has worked as both a career counselor and a faculty member. Kirk has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and English from the University of Texas, and a Master of Education in community counseling from Texas Tech University.

Nathan Meissner, Assistant Director, Division II Career Coach

Nathan Meissner
Assistant Director, Division II Career Coach, Center for Career & Professional Development
859.238.6224
nathan.meissner@centre.edu
Biography

Nate Meissner is an Assistant Director for Division II Social Sciences and oversees the Career Mentoring Program. In this role, Nate focuses on guidance and personal mentoring for student professional development and is a faculty liaison for Career Exploration Communities. He joined Centre in 2016 as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Anthropology with specialties in economic anthropology and archaeology. Nate received his Ph.D. and M.A. from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in anthropology, and his B.A. from St. Cloud State University in anthropology. 

Sharon Duncan, Associate Director of Internships

Sharon Duncan
Associate Director of Internships, Center for Career & Professional Development
859.238.8792
sharon.duncan@centre.edu
Biography

Sharon Duncan has been a member of the Centre College staff since 2009. She joined the Center for Career & Professional Development in July 2022 after thirteen years in the Registrar’s Office. In her role, she oversees and administers all aspects of the Centre internship program and improves access to internship opportunities. She is also involved in Staff Congress and the New Horizons program. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and Master of Arts in Management. 

Michael Taylor, Assistant Director for Career Exploration Communities

Michael Taylor
Assistant Director for Career Exploration Communities
859.238.5306
michael.taylor@centre.edu
Biography

Michael Taylor joined the Center for Career & Professional Development in January 2023. In his role, he oversees the implementation and management of Centre’s newly developed Career Exploration Communities, including employer outreach and event planning. Michael holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education, a Master of Education in School Counseling, a Master of Arts in Professional Counseling, and is a Certified Career Counselor through the National Career Development Association. 

Bryana Miracle, Employer Relations Specialist


Bryana Miracle
Employer Relations Specialist, Center for Career & Professional Development 
859.238.5949
bryana.miracle@centre.edu

Biography

Bryana Miracle joined the Center for Career & Professional Development in January 2019 as the Employer Relations Specialist. Through her role, she strategically plans and oversees all aspects of employer engagement to develop internship and post graduate employment opportunities. Bryana is an Eastern Kentucky University graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Studies through the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences.

Sherri Gowins, Senior Administrative Assistant

Sherri Gowins
Office Coordinator, Center for Career & Professional Development
859.238.5283
sherri.gowins@centre.edu


Biography

Sherri Gowins joined the Center for Career & Professional Development in 2001 as the Administrative Assistant. As the Senior Administrative Assistant, Sherri ensures that the daily operations in the office run smoothly.  She serves as the primary contact for visitors and assists with special projects such as the annual outcomes report for graduating seniors, the Law School Fair and the Internship Fair.  Sherri provides technical and logistical support for multiple meetings, conferences, and workshops.

Student Staff

Sarah Koch, Lead Career Peer Mentor


Biography
Sarah Koch is a junior majoring in Anthropology/Sociology and Spanish, with a minor in social justice.  She is also a Spanish tutor, a student researcher in the anthropology department, and a member of CPA, SPEAC, and Centre Feminists.  Sarah is passionate about helping students achieve their goals, and she is so excited to be Lead Career Peer Mentor this year! She loves working with students and helping them plan for the future. 
 

Fernanda Scharfenberger, Career Peer Mentor

 

Biography


Joseph Falcon, Career Peer Mentor

Biography
Joseph Falcon is an Anthropology major with a minor in Linguistics. He is currently the President of the Delta Chapter of The Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity. His other involvements include being a Circulation Assistant at the Grace Doherty Library and ANT120 Human Biological Origins Lab/Teacher's Assistant. His favorite experiences at Centre are attributed to his study abroad opportunities such as a semester in Akita, Japan at Akita International University, CentreTerm in Malaysia: Ceramics, Cuisine, and Colonialism, and an archaeological excavation field season in Perú. Exploring archaeology further, Joseph combines ancient methods of ceramic art from archaeological finds for his independent research as a John C. Young Scholar. Several students have expressed that Joseph has been very helpful in providing guidance and feedback as a Career Peer Mentor. Stop by the CCPD and take advantage of the services provided by our Career Peer Mentors!
 

Diana Sandoval, Career Ambassador


Biography

Diana Sandoval is a Mathematics and International Studies double major with a Spanish minor. Excited about what lies ahead, Diana became a Career Ambassador to challenge herself while helping her and her peers achieve their career goals and create deeper connections.

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