Lauren Payne named director, Center for Career Engagement

Lauren Payne has been named director of Furman University’s Center for Career Engagement. She began her duties with the Center in March this year.

Prior to her post at Furman, Payne was associate director of the Career Development Center at the University of San Diego (USD), where among other accomplishments, she developed and piloted a Career Readiness certificate program for the College of Arts and Sciences.

She also served six years as director and associate director of University of California San Diego’s (UCSD) department of Career Education and Advising, where she managed a comprehensive, campus-wide career counseling program designed to empower students and alumni in fulfilling their career goals.

Earlier, as a career advisor for UCSD, Payne counseled students and alumni regarding career decision-making, career exploration, graduate school and job/internship search strategies. She crafted curriculum and taught career planning classes, delivered career planning workshops, and organized events to bolster career success among UCSD students. In her nine years at UCSD, she was twice presented with the Career Services Center Award of Excellence.

In all, Payne brings 14 years of career counseling experience to her role at Furman. Said Payne, “I am excited to join the Furman Center for Career Engagement and look forward to building the Customized Connection Model of career development for Furman students. This model promotes the creation of a University-wide ecosystem that connects students with alumni, employers, parents, faculty, and graduate schools. The model also provides customized information and resources that prepares students for a successful transition to careers and graduate education.”

Payne is a 2010 graduate of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Management Leadership Institute. She holds a master’s in College Student Development and Counseling from Appalachian State University and a bachelor’s in Psychology from Hillsdale College in Michigan.

For more information, contact the Furman News and Media Relations office at 864-294-3107, or visit Furman Career Services at this link.