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Do you know your University: The Executive Director of the Career Center
Bob Beers, Managing Editor
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As a student, you spend thousands each semester for your education. There are key people who shape where the money goes and how it is spent. This week, Debbie Kaylor, the executive director of the Career Center, is the focus of attention.
She grew up in a small farming town in North Idaho. She was the youngest of eight children and was imbued early with a strong work ethic and community values. Debbie participated in her local 4-H club when she was younger and participated in a bunch of different family activities.
When Kaylor was ready for college she attended Boise State University with an initial interest in Communication. She would ultimately change her major to business and was the first in her family to graduate with a Bachelors degree.
“I graduated in 1993 and that was probably one of the worst economic downturns during that time frame; there were no jobs out there. I remember going in to interview for this human resource administrative assistant job that was $7 an hour, it had no benefits and every person I went to school with was in there interviewing for that job,” said Kaylor.
As the executive director of the Career Center, Kaylor has a very appropriate background for the position. She worked extensively in human resources and has been a central figure in the hiring and firing
of personnel.
Kaylor’s life developed as a wife and a mother. The career she was in did not fit well with her lifestyle changes. She looked back to Boise State, determined to find an occupation here in which she could flourish.
“There was an internship coordinator position open here and I knew it would be different and far less responsibility at the time from what I was doing,” Kaylor said. “It was a good fit, because in human resources you are hiring people and so you have all that background for what employers are looking for, what attributes companies are looking for and what makes a good employee.”
The role Debbie plays at the Career Center has the potential to vastly improve the ability of students to achieve their goals and to help them get jobs.
The Career Center is developing different programs that target that exact dynamic. The most recent example was the job search boot camp that brought together students and potential employers.
“It was a response to the economy and just trying to help students and to give them a little extra to get them out there and build their skills in order to find jobs. We had over a hundred students register for the boot camp,” said Kaylor.
Boise State students can rest assured that an individual like Kaylor is an available resource here on campus. She shapes the Career Center, which, in turn offers so many different opportunities for students to better position themselves for their future. With this economy, who wouldn’t want to take advantage of that?