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Joseph Du Pont, a nationally respected leader in career services and current dean of the Brandeis University Hiatt Career Center, has been named associate vice president for student affairs at Boston College, where he will oversee the BC Career Center and the University’s career services effort.
Du Pont will be responsible for providing comprehensive career services to undergraduate, graduate and professional students in the College of Arts and Sciences, Carroll School of Management, Lynch School of Education, Connell School of Nursing, and Woods College of Advancing Studies.
In announcing the appointment, Vice President for Student Affairs Barb Jones described Du Pont as a proven career services leader with extensive experience in campus recruitment, career advising and development, and alumni networking.
“We are very excited to have Joe Du Pont join us as our associate vice president working with the Career Center,” said Jones. “Joe is a national leader in the area of career services with the vision and experience to take our career efforts to the next level.”
Du Pont, who served as vice president for career and civic opportunities at Teach For America and assistant director of career services at New York University before joining Brandeis in 2007, said he is thrilled to take on the challenge of expanding career service opportunities at Boston College.
“Boston College is a values-driven institution, which resonates with me, and the Jesuit values of discernment, service to others and high achievement are values that resonate well with career services initiatives,” said Du Pont. “Barb Jones’ goal of having a successful Boston College experience translate to career success is exciting and something I want to be a part of.”
Du Pont, whom colleagues describe as a collaborative problem-solver with a strong sense of possibility, says he is eager to work with BC students and alumni, and to expand ties with leading employers.
“By working collaboratively and intentionally with the entire Boston College community, we can create a united institutional approach to empower students to achieve career success,” said Du Pont. “There are endless possibilities for us. That is why I am excited to be coming to Boston College.
“I envision a Career Center that works with lots of different partners to help students reach their goals in a welcoming environment. Defining career success is a very personal process, and thinking about it can be daunting at times. Having a plan and using the many resources available at BC to help implement that plan can make it less stressful.
“Regardless of their ultimate goals, I want BC students, who are known to be bright, articulate and results-driven individuals, to be resilient, and to graduate with confidence about their career choices. They also need to be comfortable with some level of ambiguity in their lives, given that constant innovation in the workplace means that many of them will be working in roles 10 years from now that don’t even exist yet.”
A graduate of Duke University with undergraduate degrees in history and religion, Du Pont holds a JD from the Georgetown University Law Center and a master’s degree in student personnel administration from New York University. He also serves on the board of directors of the National Association of Colleges and Employers. He will assume his new position in July