Davidson’s Strategic Plan, which Hicks guided, includes a four-year “Learning for Life” pathway that includes career coaches as part of an integrated advising model. The aim is to assist students in developing intellectually, personally and professionally. All students will have access to at least one high-impact experience before graduation and emerging technologies to complement resources already available on campus or through alumni.
Summers will be the first career center leader to carry the chief career officer title at Davidson, reflecting the college-wide role for career development and networking with employers in the Charlotte region and beyond, alums, parents and friends of the college. The college partnered with the national search firm of Heidrick and Struggles to identify the inaugural holder of that title.
The Matthews Center provides career planning, advising and workshops for professionalization and skill development and recruiting programs across a wide range of fields and graduate programs. During the 2023-2024 academic year:
- The career center conducted more than 3,600 advising interactions with current students and alumni.
- The center also held 139 employer events or interview days.
- Among first year students, 83 percent engaged with the career center.
- Six months after graduation, 92 percent of the members of the class of 2024 were employed or in graduate school.
The Matthews Center’s career fairs have drawn a 200 percent increase in student attendance over the past three years.