A Lifetime of Guidance

By Patrick Bohn, July 6, 2026

At Ithaca College, career services help isn’t just for students, but for alumni as well.

Johnathan Chalmers showing alumni a document

Jonathan Chalmers, a Career Engagement Specialist in the college’s Center for Career Exploration and Development, often provides guidance on specific skills such as networking.

(Photo by: Forest Floor Creatives)

In a rapidly changing professional landscape, the idea of getting a job with a company immediately after college and staying with it for 40 years is increasingly looking like an anachronism, as jobs and roles shift rapidly.

And while that can feel overwhelming, Ithaca College graduates can take a deep breath knowing that career services professionals are there to help them, no matter how long it’s been since they’ve graduated.

“That’s part of the value that you get when you come to Ithaca, and it’s something that you can count on as you enter the professional world,” said Jonathan Chalmers, a Career Engagement Specialist in the college’s Center for Career Exploration and Development.

The work that Chalmers, and others like John Fracchia, a Career Engagement and Technology Specialist do, can broadly be put into two categories. The first focuses on the more black-and-white aspects of professional development: help formatting a resume, creating a strong LinkedIn profile, or running through job interview questions or salary negotiation scenarios.

“There’s a ‘why’ behind any job you want to do. With a lot of alumni, we’ll have a conversation around their priorities, values, strengths, and holistic mentality.”

Jonathan Chalmers, Career Engagement Specialist

But the other portion of it focuses on making sure that a potential job fits with what the seeker wants.

“There’s a ‘why’ behind any job you want to do,” Chalmers said. “And it centers on self-actualization. How do you get the skills you need to design the life that you want? With a lot of alumni, we’ll have a conversation around their priorities, values, strengths, and holistic mentality.”

Dylan Davenport ’21 and Chalmers initially connected towards the end of Davenport’s time as a student, working on polishing his resume and navigating the job application process. An Ithaca native and business administration major, Davenport got a job at Tompkins Financial Corporation as a loan servicing specialist after graduation but admitted that he had his sights set elsewhere.

Ensuring that alumni are pursuing jobs that fit with their personality and long-term goals is another way the office works with alumni during their search process. (Photo by: Forest Floor Creatives)

“I had always wanted to work at Cornell, but I didn’t think it was in the picture for me at all,” he said. “But Jonathan and I were staying in touch, and in our conversations, he was always encouraging me to challenge and push myself. So, I applied for a job and spent two years as an analyst within their finance department.”

While there, Davenport received his master’s degree from the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University, and during that time, was recruited by Goldman Sachs, where he now works as a senior analyst, advising investment banking clients.

“Staying in touch with Jonathan was a huge help during that process,” Davenport said. “You shouldn’t be afraid to reach out and use your resources, and the career services office is one of them. It can play a huge part in your journey towards professional success.”

Jordan Stecker’s ’21 journey towards success also began when he was a student, initially connecting with Fracchia at a Student Leadership Institute event, and then again when Fracchia spoke in a strategic communication course Stecker was enrolled in.

“Jon was a wonderful mentor, and later, when I realized I wanted to go to graduate school, he helped me with the application process,” Stecker said. “And at other times, he’s worked with me on preparing for interviews, delivering an elevator pitch, and even salary negotiations, by talking with me about how to express my worth.”

After getting his master’s degree from Columbia University’s Teachers College, Stecker is now the Assistant Director of Career Advising at Yeshiva University.

“At IC, career services assistance doesn’t stop just because you graduate,” Stecker said. “They have the back of any alum, and they want to help, and I’m grateful for that.”

“We explore lots of things in a non-judgmental place,” Fracchia said. “We want alumni to feel heard, supported, and celebrated. It can be a freeing experience to learn that just like a student can change majors, you can change careers.”