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March 24, 2006 > News > Carrer Services Director Matherly takes Tulsa job

Carrer Services Director Matherly takes Tulsa job

By Beko Binder | Thresher Editorial Staff

Career Services Director Cheryl Matherly will leave Rice at the end of the semester to take a senior position with the University of Tulsa’s international education program.

Matherly, who is also the international opportunities director, has worked at Rice for 15 years.

Dean of Undergraduates Robin Forman said a job description for career services director was posted on the Rice Web site and national Web sites last week. Forman said he hopes to hire a new career services director within two months. He said a committee of faculty and students will help him select a candidate.

“[We’re looking for] someone who can effectively integrate Career Services with some of the other initiatives around campus and also work creatively to increase the number of employers that express an interest in hiring our students,” Forman said.

Matherly said her new job, dean of global education and assistant professor of education, will focus on increasing international opportunities for students at Tulsa.

“Tulsa has looked at some of the things Rice has been able to do successfully,” Matherly said. “Since 2000, we went from about 100 to almost 300 students studying abroad [annually]. That’s the kind of momentum they want to build.”

While at Rice, Matherly also developed courses such as HUMA 212: Career and Life Options.

Matherly said that when she was first hired by Rice in 1991, she did not intend to stay for more than a few years. But promotions and other opportunities kept her from leaving.

“It just seemed that every time I got to the point that it was maybe a time to think about a new professional challenge, there was an interesting opportunity that came along here at Rice,” Matherly said.

Matherly said her decision to leave was a difficult one.

“I’ve stayed at Rice for as long as I have because it’s a place that I feel very happy at and affectionate toward,” she said. “But when you work in Career Services, you have to be able to recognize when good career moves come along.”

Forman said losing Matherly will be difficult but that he is glad for her new job.

“If you have to lose someone this is really the way to do it — to see her go on to take advantage of an opportunity that is so exciting and for which she is so uniquely qualified,” Forman said.

Matherly said she will miss watching students discover opportunities after college.

“[Rice has] people who are these amazing individuals who I think are really going to be making a difference in the world.” Matherly said.

End of article

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