By Andi Anderson
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Iowa State University has announced the appointment of Eric Anderson as its new associate director of career services.
An Iowa native, Anderson is returning to his home state to begin his role in late February, bringing more than 20 years of experience in higher education career services.
In his new position, Anderson will help guide students as they prepare for internships, careers, and professional development opportunities. He will continue building on the strong foundation of CALS Career Services, which focuses on helping students gain practical experience and build competitive resumes.
“We are so excited to have Eric join our college next month. His breadth of experience in career advising and guiding students as they develop their professional skills will serve our students well,” said Carmen Bain, associate dean for academic innovation in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “I want to extend a huge thank you to the interim CALS Career Services team of Christen Burgett, Susie Stearns, Paige Zhorne and Carah Mabry for all their hard work this past summer and fall as they organized the annual CALS Career Day and assisted our students with career readiness. Their efforts are truly appreciated.”
Anderson’s career has included roles in South Carolina and Idaho, where he spent the past decade at the University of Idaho Career Services.
During his time there, he advanced into leadership roles and helped expand employer engagement and experiential learning programs. His efforts contributed to significant growth in both employer participation and student attendance at career fairs.
He also played a key role in developing cooperative education programs, career ladder internships, and on campus internship opportunities. These initiatives helped students gain hands on experience across many academic majors.
At Iowa State, Anderson will lead strategic planning for career readiness and employer engagement. He will oversee the Pathways to Innovation and Leadership program and work closely with alumni, donors, and employers. He will also help organize the CALS Career Day, recognized as the largest agricultural career fair in the nation.
“I’m excited to return to Iowa and start making connections with students and employers,” Anderson said. “Iowa State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is known not just as the destination in the Midwest, but the entire U.S., for preparing students to be work-ready through education and experiential learning. CALS is known as the school students want to attend and employers want to recruit from.”
This position is the first to be filled following recent retirements within the career services office. Additional career services roles will be posted in the coming months to further support student success.
Photo Credit: iowa-state-university
Categories: Iowa, Education