07/23/2015

PAUL TIMMINS

PAUL TIMMINS, MCS

Candidate for President-Elect-Elect

Paul Timmins is the career services director in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota, where he leads a staff that helps students choose careers they are passionate about, secure internships or other experiences that help them develop their skills, and make a strong transition into graduate school or into their first job. He has served in his current role since 1999 and has previously worked in both public and private higher education institutions.

Paul has served on the Board of Directors of the National Career Development Association since 2011. He was first elected to the position of Midwest Region Trustee, and later became the Trustee for Higher Education Career Counselors and Specialists. He is a former president of the Minnesota Career Development Association and has also previously served as the chair of the University of Minnesota's network of career counselors.

He is a recipient of the University of Minnesota’s John Tate Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising, the Career Educator of the Year Award given by the Big Ten Career Services Consortium, and the Jules Kerlan Outstanding Achievement Award, given by the Minnesota Career Development Association in recognition of his lifetime achievement in the career development field.

He received his bachelor’s degree in speech communication and marketing from the University of St. Thomas and a master’s in student affairs administration from Indiana University.

GOAL STATEMENT:

Serving on the NCDA Board has been a highlight of my professional career. It’s been overwhelming at times, humbling at times, but inspirational always. While I’ve been involved in many other professional associations, NCDA has always felt like the group that’s been most directly connected with the heart of why I’ve pursued a career in this field: I want to support others as they are making the best possible decisions about their careers.

If elected as president, a key priority for me would be to promote an inclusive NCDA. Our members work in a variety of work settings. We come from a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds. We are trained in a variety of ways. But we all have a place in the Career Development profession. NCDA should be a welcoming home, a place for thought leadership, and the leading source of professional development for us all.