Academic Outreach & Impact
The Office of Academic Outreach & Impact leads the planning and execution of the university’s outreach and engagement actions targeting high schools, companies, and organizations with direct implications on the overall academic experience for students from recruitment to graduation.
Outreach is initiated via three centers of excellence: The Center for Outreach and Impact, the Career and Professional Development Center, and the Center for Veterans and Military Families. The Office also oversees and directs the University's student concierge team - a single source of knowledge for all campus and community information.The team of 40 student leaders provides information on a daily basis at the highly visible concierge desk, and engages in all things related to sales and service from outreach calls to prospective students, wellness calls to current students, creation and production of immersive experiences for high schoolers, and social media outreach.
For more information, contact Dr. Jill Kurp, Chief Academic Outreach & Impact Officer. Dr. Kurp hails from the Rockwell School of Business with over 20 years of teaching marketing in the undergraduate and MBA programs. She is also the Director of the Center for Sales Excellence.
Contact
Jill A. Kurp, Ph.D.
Chief Academic Outreach and Impact Officer
kurp@rmu.edu
412-397-6365 phone
Center for Outreach and Impact
The Center for Outreach and Impact (COI) is a dynamic center at RMU dedicated to empowering high school students with career education and hands-on academic experiences. With a mission to bridge the gap between high school education, college education, and real-world impact, the center offers a wide range of immersive high school programming and resources, designed to equip students with the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to thrive in their academic, personal, and professional pursuits.
Through comprehensive outreach initiatives and partnerships with area high schools, the center actively engages with high schools, educators, and students, aiming to enhance their educational experience and broaden their horizons. The COI supports the RMU in the High School program, where students can earn valuable college credits taking the same introductory-level classes offered at RMU from their own teachers in their own district.
The Center for Outreach and Impact values inclusivity and diversity, striving to create an environment where all students feel welcome and supported regardless of their background, abilities, or interests. By fostering a collaborative and nurturing atmosphere, the center encourages students to discover their passions and empowers students to become active in choosing their career path.
Rika Wright Carlsen is the Director of the Center for Outreach and Impact (COI) and is an Associate Professor of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering at Robert Morris University (RMU). She joined RMU in 2014 and has been involved in K-12 outreach at the university since 2016. Outside of work, she enjoys being a mom to a young daughter and spending time outdoors.
Rika Carlsen
Center Director
Associate Professor of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering
carlsen@rmu.edu
412-397-3531 phone
Career and Professional Development Center
For over 100 years, RMU students have been exploring their passions, gaining diverse experiences, and engaging in self reflection to identify their strengths, values, and interests, ultimately guiding them towards a fulfilling professional path.
The RMU Career and Professional Development Center represents our commitment to the success of our students and to serving the diverse needs of our vast and growing network of employers.
From the day students arrive at RMU, our dedicated team provides a wide array of professional development and career-related opportunities. Student centered and employer focused, the team concentrates on strategies to encourage students to engage in the career development process early and throughout their education.
That’s why we give you everything you need to become unstoppable in your life and your career. Beginning in the fall of 2023, the RMU Career and Professional Development Center is launching a series of academies available to RMU students that provide practical life and professional skills that are not typically covered by traditional coursework.
Upon successfully completing an academy, you will earn a digital badge that can be shared in various ways including on your digital resume and via social media accounts (LinkedIn). The process of earning the badges helps potential employers to better appreciate the competencies, skills and abilities gained. Showcasing your badge will help you to stand out in the job market as you display industry-recognized, employment focused credentials that highlights your professional development.
Experiences such as the fall and spring career fairs, academic internships and academies and digital badging are just a few of the highlights of the Career and Professional Development Center.
The Career Center team partners with employers to create academic and professional opportunities for our students and alumni and to build talent pipelines that will help our graduates thrive.
If you haven’t already connected with the career center, reach out to us today or utilize the available online resources to access valuable guidance and support for your professional journey.
Sue Walls, Director of the Career and Professional Development Center, brings career and professional development, enrollment management and corporate recruiting experience to the Center. Sue and the CPDC team work closely with students and employers alike to fulfill the center’s mission of developing “career ready” students. Sue is a proud RMU alumni and mother of four children, three of whom are also RMU alumni.
Sue Walls, Director, walls@rmu.edu
Kathy Graziani, Outreach & Career Development Specialist, grazianik@rmu.edu
Beth Miller, Career Development Specialist, millerb@rmu.edu
Linda Graziani, Career Center Coordinator, grazianil@rmu.edu
412-397-6333 careercenter@rmu.edu
Center for Veterans and Military Families
Why is RMU a Top Ten Military Friendly School, Spouse Friendly School, and voted Best of the Best Guard Friendly School? Because RMU’s commitment to our veterans, ROTC program, military members and military family members is unparalleled.
RMU established the unprecedented RMU Military Service Award in the spring of 2021. This Award allows Chapter 33, Post 911 undergraduate veteran, military member, spouse and dependent recipients to attend RMU tuition and fee free regardless of their benefit percentage. A tuition discount of, up to, 25%, is also awarded to veterans who do not have any or exhausted their VA educational benefits, graduate level students using any VA educational benefit and undergraduate students using any alternative VA educational benefit to Chapter 33, Post 911.
RMU’s military connected commitment continues within the Center for Veterans and Military Families (CVMF). The mission of the CVMF is to provide industry-leading support and services to veterans, ROTC cadets and military members and their families including holistic transition assistance that will be the cornerstone of their on-going personal, academic, and career success. Veterans, ROTC cadets, military students and their families have 24/7 swipe card access to the CVMF which provides 7500 sq ft of space with many amenities, are able to attend our annual Veterans Day Breakfast that honors those that have served, also attend our annual end of the year awards banquet highlighting the accomplishments of all of our students, and be a part of our robust SVA (Student Veterans Association) that embodies the meaning of supporting RMU’s student veterans.
RMU ROTC offers the best facilities and veteran friendly footprint in the entire Pittsburgh area Army ROTC program. In addition to full 24/7 access to the CVMF (and all its benefits), RMU has provided its ROTC program with exclusive access to a state of the art gym designed to train for the Army’s new fitness test. All classes and physical training are done in house at RMU with multiple full time Army instructors sitting in the CVMF.
Christie McFadden was the Veterans Benefits Specialist and School Certifying Official for 5 years at Robert Morris University before being appointed to the Director of the Center for Veterans and Military Families. Christie grew up in nearby Youngstown, Ohio and attended Youngstown State University and received her B.S. in Secondary Education with a focus in Life and Earth Sciences. While teaching high school science and coaching track and basketball, Christie earned a M.A. in Secondary Education, Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Akron. As the Veteran Benefits Specialist and School Certifying Official, Christie helped implement programming, developed policies, and provided extraordinary service and support to RMU's military connected students that resulted in RMU being awarded a Top Ten Military Friendly School.
Have questions regarding VA educational benefits or want to contact the CVMF? Please visit the CVMF webpage.