Dr. Rowena Winkler

Assistant Director for Graduate Student Career Development
rbwinkler@umbc.edu

PRIMARY DUTIES

  • Provide in-person and virtual career coaching/counseling to current graduate students and alumni.
  • Administer and interpret career and education decision making assessments including the MBTI and Focus 2 during one-on-one career coaching appointments.
  • Foster relationships and collaborations with various campus partners, including Graduate Program Directors, to increase graduate student engagement efforts and leverage resources to promote their career skills development.
  • Lead departmental efforts with the development of workshops and modules aimed to prepare masters and doctoral students to guide them through their career development and/or career transition process.
  • Spearhead partnerships with faculty, staff, alumni, and employers to develop, coordinate and promote career exposure activities (panels, speakers, and networking events) across graduate programs including the Career Paths for Graduate Students event.
  • Collect and analyze data on graduate student engagement and first destination career outcomes of recent degree recipients with advanced degrees.

DEGREES

  • Ph.D. in Communication, University of Maryland, College Park
  • M.A. in Communication, University of Maryland, College Park
  • B.A. in Communication Studies, The College of New Jersey

BACKGROUND/EXPERIENCE

Dr. Rowena Winkler joined the UMBC Career Center in January 2024. She uses her Ph.D. in Communication, along with her 15+ years of experience in marketing and communication, to help individuals gain clarity in their jobs, businesses, and lives through more authentic communication practices. As an award-winning teacher and scholar, Rowena presented at international conferences and mentored hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students. She then made a career pivot from academia to industry, leading communication teams and managing marketing projects. Now as a career and empowerment coach, Rowena’s methods enable clients and students to build confidence, get unstuck, and land their dream careers.

 

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