Academy of Fellows, 2005
Linda Bates Parker
Linda
Bates Parker has been a career services practitioner for 25 years,
including 19 years as a director. During that time, many things have changed
within the profession, including the diversity of the practitioners.
"I was hired into an all-white, male, office and there were very few women or minorities in the profession locally or nationally except at HBCUs," says Parker, director of the career development center at the University of Cincinnati. "My College Placement Council [NACE’s former name] colleagues were mostly white males."
Throughout her career, Parker has worked hard to make sure the needs of all students are met. In 1976, Parker created the University of Cincinnati’s first Ethnic Student Career Fair to address employers’ growing concerns regarding the lack of diverse students using career services. She also developed the "Women in the World of Work" program to address issues and concerns of women students.
"I was actively involved in the College Placement Services (CPS)—[CPC was instrumental in the formation of CPS] to help historically black colleges develop and enhance their career services," Parker recalls. "A lot of this is now forgotten history. Thank goodness so much change has occurred." Parker has been an effective leader throughout her career. She has served on NACE’s Ethics Task Force, has been involved in NACE’s conference programming, and, for the past 15 years, has served as a member of the Urban Placement Directors group. Parker also has taken on multiple roles with the Midwest Association of Colleges and Employers.
"Many of us who have interacted with Linda over the years have recognized that hers has truly been a national voice, especially on issues relating to career development, recruitment, retention, and work force diversity," explains Tim Luzader, director of the center for career opportunities at Purdue University and former NACE President, who nominated Parker for induction in the Academy of Fellows.
Parker was the recipient of Working Mother Magazine’s National
Diversity Champions Award in 2000. She is a featured columnist for Black
Collegian Magazine; author of "Career Portfolio," a textbook
used in professional development courses; contributing author of
“The Senior Year Experience,”
a book about the unique needs of college seniors; and has written several
articles for NACE Journal.
Says Parker: "At this stage in my career, I believe my greatest contribution must be in sharing the learnings gained from my years in this profession. That is why I am so honored to be inducted into the NACE Academy of Fellows."
