BOONE, N.C. — Melissa Auten '12 '18 has joined Appalachian State's Career Development Center as the Assistant Director and College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Career Coach, beginning Tuesday, January 16.
Auten is an alumna of both the Beaver College of Health Sciences and the Reich College of Education. She graduated from Appalachian with her bachelor's degree in parks, recreation, and leisure studies and went on to earn her master's degree in professional school counseling. When asked how Appalachian prepared her for her future, Melissa said, “App State provided me with a high-quality education that included experiential teaching methods which were directly applicable to the career field.”
After graduation, Auten served in a variety of roles within the recreation field, most recently as the Director of Recreation at Mountain Youth Academy in Mountain City, Tennessee. She returned to Appalachian in 2022 as the Assistant Director of Graduate Student Life for the Cratis D. Williams School of Graduate Studies. In this role, Auten assisted with new student orientation, student workshops, graduate student life programming, graduate student government, and administrative support for the graduate academic policies and procedures committee.
In her new role with the Career Development Center, Auten will be providing CAS students, faculty, and alumni with resources to empower and educate through comprehensive career development services, including presentations, career exploration resources, resume and cover letter reviews, securing employment strategies, and preparations for pursuing graduate and professional schools.
"I'm excited to provide fellow Mountaineers with the tools to achieve life and professional success." — Melissa Auten '12 '18
A proud Mountaineer, Auten serves as the social chair for the App State High Country Alumni Chapter. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her dog, skiing, cooking and watching documentaries.
CAS students who would like assistance with their postgraduate plans can schedule an appointment with Auten via Handshake: appstate.joinhandshake.com/appointments.
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About the Career Development Center
The Career Development Center at Appalachian State University supports the mission of the university and its Division of Student Affairs in developing lifelong learners and leaders by engaging and challenging students within a culture of care and inclusion. Students who participate in the center’s services are able to identify core values, beliefs and skills and use them to articulate relatable career goals; acquire transferable skills and relevant experiences for future professional endeavors; and utilize resources that are available to gain experiential learning opportunities and cultivate professional networks. Learn more at https://careers.appstate.edu.
Written by Lauren Gibbs
January 18, 2024
BOONE, N.C.
Melissa Auten '12 '18
Melissa Auten '12 '18