Executive Director of the Career Center, Victoria Kerr, was nominated this month for the Care to Share award at the Women’s Award Conference in Camp Hill, PA. This recognition reflects Kerr’s ‘student-focused’ leadership approach and her devotion to community partnerships.
“I am incredibly humbled and in awe of this nomination, as it reinforces my commitment to expanding mentorship, leadership development and community partnerships at Ship,” Kerr shared. She added that the recognition motivates her “to continue building programs that elevate students’ strengths, deepen alumni engagement and strengthen the regional workforce pipeline.”
Ship colleagues credited Kerr for her hands-on and student-first approach in leading the career mentoring and professional development programs for both undergraduates and graduate students. Kerr acknowledged that her work would not be made possible without the contributions of the Center for Career and Workforce Development’s team, staff, faculty across the university and community partners.
“I’m grateful to the women across campus in our community who consistently support one another and model leadership every day,” she said. “Carole, Alix, Nevin, Lindsey, Tracy and Hayley’s dedication is what makes our impact possible.” She also praised students for their role in contributing to her work: “My amazing undergraduate and graduate students empower me to keep educating, supporting and connecting them to possibilities.”
At the Women’s Award Conference luncheon, Ship alumna Betsy Hamm delivered a keynote speech that left an impression on attendees and reinforced Kerr’s mission within her role at Ship. “She has a genuine passion for uplifting others, and her keynote focused on amplifying women’s career growth, confidence and the importance of a strong support network,” Kerr said. Hamm emphasized the importance of women taking ‘actionable approaches’ that can help them advance professionally, including the ‘PIE’ acronym, which stands for Performance, Image and Exposure.
Kerr’s nomination stands as a testament to her dedication to preparing students for the workforce and keeping alumni engaged. She described the recognition as encouragement to “keep pushing for innovative initiatives that help our students thrive.”
