Intern Taylor Crooks Presents Career Connections Project at Regional Research Conference
Press Release
NEW CONCORD, OHIO — Villa Maria College intern Taylor Crooks, a junior at Muskingum University in New Concord and a Barnesville High School graduate, recently presented a career-readiness project at the Northern Rocky Mountains Educational Research Association (NRMERA), highlighting cross-institutional collaboration to make meaningful connections between academic experiences, career preparation, and improved communication.
Crooks presented the project, “Building Undergraduate Career Communication Strategies Through Cross-Institution Collaboration,” which was developed through an internship focused on strengthening how Villa Maria College communicates career connections and labor-market information to students.
Working with Dr. Kristin McCombs, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, Crooks contributed to a project designed to help students better understand how their academic programs connect to careers, employment opportunities, and the skills employers seek. The project incorporated career and labor-market information into a student-centered approach to career readiness.
“This project gave Taylor the opportunity to take something we are actively working on at Villa and approach it as a researcher and student professional,” said McCombs. “The presentation demonstrates the value of giving students authentic opportunities to participate in institutional research, communicate findings, and share their work with a professional audience.”
Through the internship, Crooks gained experience with research, data interpretation, career-readiness communication, and professional presentation. Presenting at NRMERA provided an opportunity to share the project beyond campus and engage with researchers, educators, and students from across the United States.
The project reflects Villa’s broader commitment to career readiness as an integral part of the student experience. Through curricular initiatives, internships, industry connections, and intentional career preparation, the College continues to seek ways to help students recognize the relationship between what they learn in college and their future professional lives.
For Crooks, the conference presentation represented both an academic accomplishment and a professional-development opportunity. Muskingum University provided Crooks with a high-impact travel grant to cover the cost of attendance.“Working as an intern with Dr. McCombs and Villa Maria College gave me the ability to grow as a student in Journalism. Through this internship, I was able to gain hands on research experience which benefited both myself and Villa Maria College. Presenting my findings at the NRMERA conference was a huge opportunity for me. I am very grateful for the students and faculty who helped me with this project and making this experience possible,” said Crooks.
(Villa Maria College Press Release)
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