New home, job, family for Vaughn

Eric Vaughn knows his family history.

He uncovered a majority of his mother’s mysterious side of the family.

He had relatives in the Omaha area in the early 1900s.

And his great-grandfather’s brother had a different last name.

With all the time he’s invested in his family tree, it’s no wonder Eric Vaughn just loves to branch out.

But as the new Director of Career Development, Vaughn’s had to adjust from his time away from family in New York. An adjustment he said had been an easy one.

“The students here are so friendly,” Vaughn said. “I don’t have any family here with me so the college family of students and staff is mine.”

Vaughn said he became familiar with the Omaha area on visits to research his family history and liked the area so much he pursued a job here.

“I was a resident director for 600 residents and 19 resident assistants before Doane,” Vaughn said. “I loved where I was, but I knew I needed to grow.”

When Vaughn graduated in 2000 from the State University of New York at Oswego, or SUNY Oswego, he was prepared to begin his life as a math teacher. While Vaughn said he enjoyed his time teaching, it just wasn’t his passion and he decided to return to school for a master’s degree in college student affairs.

Vaughn then entered into an assistantship with St. Leo University in Fla. until he returned to SUNY Oswego for the RD position. After three years at the RD position, Vaughn said he was ready for something else, something that turned out to be Doane.
Although Vaughn has only been here since mid-July, he said he had already talked with a lot of students and was excited about the way Doane embraces change. And change is exactly what Vaughn said he hoped to bring to the Career Development office.

Vaughn started a newsletter called Tiger Career Weekly, which provides students with various internship and job opportunities in the area.

Senior Jaimee Cline said she thought the newsletter would work better into students’ schedules.

“It’s easier to look through it and catch all the available opportunities instead of looking through every email,” Cline said.

Sophomore Alaina Holtmeier said the newsletter was a great idea because she got so many emails she just ended up deleting most of them.

In addition to Tiger Career Weekly, Vaughn said he planned on moving the career fair to an afternoon schedule, hosting a graduate fair, holding resume workshops and competitions and celebrating a career success month in February.

Kim Jacobs, vice president for enrollment management and student leadership, said she appreciated Vaughn’s attitude.

“His willingness to get involved and get feedback is outstanding,” Jacobs said. “He’s shared lots of things and asks tons of questions.”

Vaughn volunteered to be the mentor to a group of incoming transfer students for orientation. Although he’s already involved himself in campus life, Vaughn said he wanted to concentrate on the students’ needs.

“I want to give them the opportunity to try new things,” Vaughn said. “The office is here for them and they are a big part of what’s going to happen.”

Vaughn knows his history and said he would continue to learn in whatever environment he’s in, but for now, he’ll have to focus on the students at Doane.

After all, it’s Doane students that are history in the making.