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I’m Mark McKelvey, and I serve as a consulting Data Lead at The DeBruce Foundation. In my role, I manage our data warehouse to support research on the usage of our tools and performance. I also assess technology and guide our approach to new products from a tech perspective, ensuring we effectively develop tools that help to expand career pathways. I work with many organizations in this capacity and bring my learnings from them to The DeBruce Foundation.
Our data-driven insights help us tailor our tools and resources to better meet the needs of people who are choosing and changing careers. By understanding performance, we can continuously improve and support more users with better tools.
Surrounding Father’s Day this month, I reflect on my role as a dad. Preparing my kids for their futures is a top priority, much like our mission at The Foundation. I strive to equip them with the skills and confidence they need to succeed, just as we aim to empower our partners and users. Though, my kids don’t have the same patience for data and research that The Foundation does.
Here’s to all the dads out there!
Career Literacy Tool: Occupation Explorer
Looking to level up your career? Want to learn more about the income you can earn? Check out the Occupation Explorer!
When you select your #1 ranked Agility, the Occupation Explorer will show you a number of occupations that use that Agility the most. Then, for each job listed, you can learn its…
- Average annual salary
- Education requirements
- Tasks and activities
- Industry growth
Helping graduates take their next steps
The Graduation Toolkit, our gift of career resources to equip the Class of 2024, continues to spread across the nation!
Kristie Larson, Strategic Relationships Manager, was recently on Fox 4’s Great Day KC to share how the Graduation Toolkit helps graduates navigate the next steps in their career. Watch the segment and get the Graduation Toolkit.
Say hello to our fantastic summer interns
Grace attends Lincoln University – Missouri, majoring in Graphic Design (yes, she designed the adjacent graphic!).
Annalia attends KU, majoring in Finance and minoring in Public Policy.
Alexandria attends Colorado Christian University, double majoring in Business Administration and Marketing.
Jake attends MU, triple majoring in Journalism-Strategic Communication, Sociology, and Public Administration & Policy.
We’re grateful to work with them this summer to expand career pathways!
Career journey wisdom from Jennifer Alvarez
Jennifer Alvarez, Senior Director at The DeBruce Foundation, was recently featured by Roadtrip Nation, a nonprofit organization that shares empowering career stories:
“I started working in restaurants at age 14 and by the time I was 18, I knew I’d need to start supporting myself, so I went straight into the workforce without a college degree,” she said. “Throughout my career, I would consistently offer my assistance in opportunities outside my existing role in order to upskill, gain experience, and get to the next level.” Learn more from Jen.
Applying Agilities with Micro-Internships
Ricardo Luna, Class of 2023, discovered the importance of knowing his Agilities during his Micro-Internship via Parker Dewey:
Ricardo writes, “The Agile Work Profiler made me reflect on the natural gifts I have. Having that knowledge of where my strengths lie had helped me figure out what types of opportunities I’m a good fit for. I’m now able to consider opportunities in a more holistic fashion.”
Read more: Applying Agilities with Micro-Internships
Celebrating youth voice and impact
As the school year wrapped up, so did another great year with the DeBruce Career Corps!
Members recently gathered to celebrate another growth-filled, inspiring year in which they advised our team, gave feedback on our latest Career Literacy resources, and helped provide solutions to empower our workforce.
Their work is vital to our team, and we’re so grateful for their role in our mission of expanding career pathways! Have a great summer, DBCC!
Growing my career with Agilities
Annalia Escalante, Intern at The DeBruce Foundation, reflects on how her life has changed during her first year of college at The University of Kansas.
Annalia wrote, “I have experienced a significant amount of personal growth over the past year thanks to the abundance of resources provided from organizations such as The DeBruce Foundation and resources like the Graduation Toolkit.”
For her reflections on navigating college as a first-generation student, overcoming imposter syndrome, and the importance of her network, read the full blog.
Activating Agilities Webinar with CIC
The Council of Independent Colleges and The DeBruce Foundation are hosting a webinar on strengthening student career pathways through the Agilities.
Join us on June 24 at 2pm CT for a conversation among leaders from Missouri Valley College, Morehouse College, and Rockhurst University discussing how they’ve used the Agilities to support career exploration for students from all levels.
This webinar is open to all who are working at a CIC member institution. Register here.
Join us for a training
Are you looking for career-building resources for your classroom, curriculum, or organization? Register to learn about our career tools and resources, and then join us in expanding career pathways!
7/2 Agilities Tour
7/11-12 Agilities Coach Training
7/16 Agilities Tour
