Paul Keser is the the Manager of Security Operations at Spin in San Francisco. 

"I would like to give back by mentoring Augie students."

Graduation year: 1989

Majors: Business management and Asian studies

Post-grad: Information assurance/Network security

Campus activities: Swim team, Rho Nu Delta, Asian Quarter

Linkedin profile

Best way to contact him: Email or Linkedin message

Katelyn Kalck is a senior human resource generalist at LaSalle Network in Chicago.

"I would like to participate because I have a unique background. I originally went down the route that matched my major but my story leads me to a different career path. I want to make sure these young minds know that you do not need to know what your future looks like to be able to pick a college or a major. You just need to go with what you love and what excites you. I love psychology and I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it but it led me down so many paths and doors that I did not know were even available to me."

Graduation year: 2012

Post-grad: Counseling Psychology

Major: Psychology

Campus activities: Delta Chi Theta sorority, student ambassador

• Linkedin profile

• Best way to contact her: Email or Linkedin message

Emily Jacobs is the AVID (advancement via individual determination) Program Coordinator and Freshmen elective teacher at Dundee-Crown High School. Before this role, she taught Bilingual/ESL Social Studies (government, economics, U.S. history, world history) to students in Spanish and English at Dundee-Crown High School in Carpentersville, Ill.

"As an alumni, I want to stay connected with current Augustana students and recent graduates to support them in joining the workforce. I am so thankful for how Augie shaped me as a new teacher, that I want to give back.

As a teacher, the education program did an excellent job preparing me for pedagogy and philosophy, but there are a lot of hands-on lessons that you learn on the job. I can support students in navigating the job search, life as a new teacher, curriculum development, finding opportunities for professional development and how to expand your career into other parts of the educational field.

I have a wide range of experience that I can offer. After Augustana, I worked as a paraprofessional to get my foot in the door and also worked for a yearlong maternity leave position. Both of these gave me varied experiences and I can help students who are working to get into the right position.

Because of my Augustana degree and minor in Spanish, I was hired as a Bilingual/ESL teacher for all core Social Studies classes at Dundee-Crown and have been there for 11 years now. When I first started, I went through the process of getting a transitional bilingual certification and then ultimately my master's degree to have permanent endorsements. I can support students in navigating those processes and making choices about what qualifications are needed and where your career can grow. Being in that role, I have a lot of experience with culturally relevant teaching, counseling and educational resources for diverse learners.

For the last 5 years, I have been in my current role as AVID coordinator. In addition to this role, I continue to teach the Freshmen AVID elective course, which is a college and career readiness system focusing on writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization and reading skills. AVID methods and training are considered best practices and highly effective resources that I can share with Augie students. My day is partially spent as a teacher and partially as coordinator for this program that serves 10% of our student population. Since AVID serves first-generation college students, I have a lot of experience with community and parental involvement, field trips, and future planning. In my role, I am the direct supervisor for college students who are tutors in our program and I lead our PLC team in the development of scaffolded curriculum and engaging AVID students and families.

Though Augustana gave me the mindset and foundation I still bring to my teaching, much of what I do now is beyond the scope of undergraduate study and I can offer these experiences to Augustana students as a mentor in the field."

Graduation year: 2009

Post-grad: Curriculum and Instruction focus on Bilingual/ESL Education

Majors: Secondary education, history, Spanish

Campus activities: CA, Concert Band and private lessons, Chi Alpha Pi, Relay For Life, Honor Council

• Best way to contact her: Email or phone, 630-209-3126

Patrick Hunt is the senior vice president-director of operations for lending at Radius Bank in Chicago.

"It's extremely important to help mentor current students in order to facilitate their transition to the work force. I've been in the banking industry since graduation and have a lot of insight into the banking world as well as many connections. I am always willing to help an Augie student/alum as there always seems to be something special about them."

Graduation year: 2002

Majors: Business administration-management and marketing

Campus activities: Delta Omega Nu fraternity, men's volleyball, homecoming week co-chair, connections co-chair, Greek Week

• Linkedin profile

• Best way to contact him: Email

Mary Sophia Hawks is a Parish/Faith Community Nurse providing intentional care of the spirit and whole person care at Messiah Lutheran Church in Knoxville, Tenn.

"After 34 years as a registered nurse, I still love my job! I have a wide background of experience and love to share. I currently serve as a community health rotation for BSN nursing students and I enjoy it tremendously. My psychology degree and time at Augustana prepared me for life-long challenges. I want to give back and to encourage students."

Graduation year: 1984

Post-grad: B.S. Nursing

Major: Psychology

Campus activities: Augustana Choir, Chamber Singers, Opera, Handel Society, SAI, honorary member of Sigma Pi Delta, campus ministries

• Linkedin profile

• Best way to reach her: Personal email, Messiah Lutheran Church email

Travis Greenlee is the Director of Engineering Career Services at The University of Iowa, College of Engineering. He assists student with their career readiness skills, aims to create meaningful connection opportunities between students and employers, and do some employer relations for the college.

"Career development is complicated and learning what you want to do in your work and in a career takes time and meaningful connections. I am interested in helping students explore higher education as a career option. I conducted several informational interviews with people who were already in the field and found those experiences for helpful. I hope to assist Augie students in a similar way."

Graduation year: 2011

Post-grad: Masters of higher education

Major: Communication studies

Campus activities: Office of Student Life, Student Life Programming Board (formerly CUBOM), Delta Omega Nu fraternity

• Linkedin profile

• Best way to contact him: Office of Alumni Relations

Shannon Greenlee is a speech language pathologist at Grant Wood Area Education Agency in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

"I would love the opportunity to connect with current students. Augustana played a significant role in the person that I am today, and I would love to 'give back' in a way that I am able to at this time. I welcome all questions and concerns about their future careers as well as the chance for me to learn what is important to students now and how I could be of service to them."

Graduation year: 2013

Post-grad: Speech language pathology

Major: Communication sciences and disorders

Campus activities: Delta Chi Theta sorority (spring term president), Office of Student Life (executive director, games chair, late night chair, Emerge), volleyball

• Best way to contact her: Email or phone, 815-988-4473

Jake Glimco is a digital marketing manager and oversees the national marketing for Cannabistry in Skokie, Ill. Cannabistry is a cannabis research and development company that develops technology and brands

"I enjoy helping prepare people for the careers and offering whatever advice I can. With 10 years in various marketing roles, I can offer a wide range of insight into not only how marketing students can use their learned skills, but also how other majors such as English can find their niche. I can share a particular depth of knowledge in the areas of digital marketing and ecommerce. Having always worked in small, entrepreneurial companies, I've had to wear many hats and have learned the value of being adaptive in my positions. Additionally, with my switch into the cannabis field as of August 2019, I can offer insight into this new emerging field, what positions exist and the challenges that come with this industry."

Graduation year: 2010

Post-grad: Masters of New Media Studies

Majors: English and business administration-marketing and management

Campus activities: Founding member of the Water Polo team, captain of men's swimming, Wennerberg Men's Choir, Omicron Sigma Omicron (OZO) fraternity

• Linkedin profile

• Best way to contact him: Email or Linkedin

Zachary George is the director of college and fair relations at StriveScan in Chicago.

"I was a music education major who now works in college admissions and technology: I think the true definition of liberal arts is taking what you learn in the classroom and crafting it to be whatever you want to be. I can offer experience in the start-up world, experience in technology, experience in admissions, and experience in a marriage of all of those different components."

Graduation year: 2008

Major: Music Education

Campus activities: Augustana Choir, Augustana Symphonic Band, Augustana Chamber Singers, MENC, student ambassadors, Student Life Programming Board (formerly CUBOM-College Union Board of Managers), dance marathon (executive board)

• Linkedin profile

• Best way to contact him: Email, Linkedin or phone, 815-531-7984

Brent Ericson works in the Student Affairs Administration, Dean of Students office at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.

"[I can] provide information and context for students who might be considering a job/graduate study/career in higher education administration."

Graduation year: 1996

Post-grad: Master and Doctorate in higher education

Majors: English and sociology

Campus activities: Delta Omega Nu fraternity, WVIK, Reading/Writing Center, orientation

• Linkedin profile

• Best way to contact him: Email, Linkedin, Office of Alumni Relations