The Republic Bank Foundation Institute for Career Development & Graduate School Planning (ICG) at Thomas More University creates a lasting impact on the lives of the students it serves. Dedicated to empowering students on their career development journey, the ICG offers training and support for a range of job-seeking skills, such as interviewing and resume writing, provides graduate school advising, and connects students with experiential learning opportunities, including internships, co-ops, and full-time employment opportunities.

Tyrice Walker ’21 recalls that his involvement with the ICG began as an accident – or more so, an act of kindness. Shortly after transferring to Thomas More as a sophomore, Tyrice says one day he noticed a woman struggling outside of the cafeteria. “She had this huge, long folding table,” Walker says, adding, with a laugh, “It did not look like a winnable scenario.”

Walker, then a 6’4’’ guard for Saints men’s basketball, stopped to offer his help.  “The next thing I know, I’m checking people in, passing out tickets,” Walker says. He ended up staying for the entire event. The woman he had stopped to help was Samantha Palmer, then coordinator of career planning for the ICG. The connection Walker made that day, forged through kindness, would later pay off with an opportunity to join the ICG in an official capacity as one of its first career ambassadors. 

The goal for the career ambassadors was simple – to tap into the talents of a standout group of students to help market and support ICG services for the Thomas More community. The ambassadors supported the ICG during campus events, helped manage Handshake (an online job board platform), created content for the ICG’s social media accounts, and conducted peer reviews for students seeking help with their resumes.

A self-described “people person,” Walker says his favorite part of the role was helping students prepare for upcoming interviews. “It’s a combination of building a resume and then having the courage to speak about it,” he says, reflecting on the experience. Walker says that through the ICG he received in-depth training on how to build resumes and showcase skills and experiences to employers. He didn’t fully realize it at the time, but his training and experience coaching students in the ICG helped lay a foundation to begin his career, putting him on a path to discover his professional passions. He now works as a human resources manager for P&G’s Global Oral Care Design teams. “Never in a million years did I think I’d be in HR when I was in college,” Walker says. “Looking back, I don’t think I fully appreciated the opportunity, at the time.”

Mason Kramer ’22 also gives credit to the ICG for helping him build the professional background to land his first internship. “I knew that networking would be important to finding a job,” Kramer recalls. While juggling responsibilities as a student athlete for the Saints football team, and working part-time jobs as a valet and for a local landscaping company, Kramer says he became connected to the ICG through an advertisement for the career ambassadors program.

After applying for and landing the role, Kramer says working in the ICG had one outcome he didn’t expect. Not only did he learn new skills such as graphic design and interviewing, but working in the ICG helped him create order in what could be a chaotic schedule as a college athlete. “I could go to the ICG, work on homework; it helped me with my academics and gave me some structure,” Kramer says. “After a few semesters, I was honored as an Academic All-American.”

Later in his college career, a friend introduced Mason to a prestigious internship opportunity at Medpace, a global clinical research organization (CRO) headquartered in Cincinnati. Building on his experience at the ICG and academic success, Kramer landed an internship in the spring of 2021, and through his efforts secured a full-time job offer with the company after graduation.

 “My experiences at the ICG – knowledge about resumes, experience with mock interviews and what businesses are looking for – helped me secure this role.”

ICG programming, now led by Coordinator of Career Planning Emilee Huser, continues to support career exploration and coaching, as well as job search and skills training for Thomas More students. “Emilee’s plans for the upcoming academic year are chock-full of programs and initiatives to support our students and foster a culture of excellence,” says Kim Haverkos, assistant vice president for academic and student success. “We are excited to continue to leverage the Republic Bank Foundation Institute for Career Development & Graduate School Planning as a structure that provides comprehensive support to our Thomas More students in the development of professional skills, with a focus on high-impact practices and experiential learning.”

Services the ICG provides are open to Thomas More students and alumni. For more information on services and resources, visit thomasmore.edu/icg. In-person assistance is available via appointment with Emily Huser by emailing husere@thomasmore.edu or calling 859-344-3386. The ICG is located on the second floor of the Administration Building in the Academic Services wing. For employers who would like to engage with Thomas More’s Republic Bank Foundation Institute for Career Development & Graduate School Planning, please contact Emily Huser.