Career Center Staff

Career Center staff members coach and equip students and recent graduates for lives of achievement and service. We value connectedness, individualized support, reflection, relationships, and a welcoming environment.

We assist in the process by helping students and recent graduates connect their strengths, interests, and career-readiness skills with knowledge about careers as they prepare for purposeful work. Our Career Center is a member of the Liberal Arts Career Network. Sewanee is a member of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) and abides by the principles for professional practice.

Kim Heitzenrater, Interim Assoc. Dean for Integrated Advising and Career Readiness

Kim was named interim associate dean in July 2021 to lead Sewanee's vision and strategies to ensure career readiness, integrated career education, and holistic advising for all students. In addition to coaching individual students, she engages and collaborates with student leaders, faculty, advisors, staff, coaches, administrative leaders, parents, governing board members, and donors to create an equitable campus-wide culture of career-readiness. She served as Career Center director from 2004-2021.

Kim graduated from Sewanee with a degree in Art History and received her master’s in organizational leadership and communication from Belmont University. She recently served on the board of the Liberal Arts Career Network, a national consortium of 40+ career centers at top liberal arts institutions, and she participated in the 2019 Mastermind cohort through the Career Leadership Collective.

She and her husband, Jeff (senior associate director of admission), have two sons: Andrew, C’20 (Psychology major and Sewanee men’s basketball team) and Larson, C’23 (Economics major) at Wofford College.

Kate Reed, Associate Director, Student Engagement

Kate coaches individual students and coordinates programming and support primarily for juniors, seniors, and recent Sewanee graduates focused on their first job searches and graduate school applications. Kate’s other projects as Associate Director include the First Destination Survey and serving as a point of contact for technology vendors in our office.

She is currently serving on the Supervisor Training Advisory Group and was elected to serve as Staff Trustee beginning in July 2020. Kate is an elected Community Council representative and is involved in a number Sewanee community initiatives. When not working, Kate is renovating a historic home in the downtown village and enjoys spending time with her dogs!

Sallie Williams, Assistant Director for Internships & Experiential Learning

Sallie joined the Career Center to support the growing internship program. She worked alongside Melissa Webb to build employer relations, often with alumni, and continue developing top notch internship opportunities and first destination jobs. She studied micro-finance in Bangladesh as a Tonya intern in 2006 and witnessed Dr. Yunus and Grameen Bank receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Her passion for sharing stories and infusing creativity to connect people continue to inspire her work with students and alumni.

Shanna Abramson, Assistant Director for Employer Relations & Outreach

Shanna originally joined the Career Center 12 years ago, only leaving to be at home with her boys. She returned in 2019, when they decided to move back to the area to be near family. In her role as Assistant Director for Employer Relations & Outreach, she cultivates and maintains recruiting relationships with employers, alumni, and parents to expand the range of employment opportunities available to students. She holds a B.S. degree from Middle Tennessee State University in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. She and her husband Josh (Project Manager in Facilities Management) have two boys and a sweet dog named Izzy.

Josh Owens, Office & Events Coordinator

Josh joined the Career Center team in 2021 as the Office & Events Coordinator. He graduated from Eckerd College, C'17 with a degree in International Business and Chinese. He has spent the last five years living in Colorado in southern Wyoming. Josh grew up right here in Sewanee and is thrilled to be back on the mountain. When not working, Josh enjoys hiking, swimming, and exploring all that the domain has to offer.

connect with us!

43 Texas Avenue, Sewanee TN 37383

careers@sewanee.edu (931) 598-1121

Student Support

We are here for you!

The Career Center staff thrives on connection with and support of our students. We help students and recent graduates connect their strengths, interests, and career-readiness skills with knowledge about careers as they prepare for purposeful work.

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Career Competencies

Eight Career Competencies

Experiences both within and outside the classroom contribute to preparing students for life after Sewanee. Through the development of career competencies and readiness, Sewanee students are ready to enter the workforce or graduate/professional school successfully. The National Association of Colleges and Employers has identified eight career competencies.