To Colorado’s career services professionals,

If you’re reading this, chances are that it’s in between meetings or appointments in your

busy schedule. I love that you’re taking the time to engage with the Colorado Career

Development Association, our vision, the movement we’re making this year, and the

difference we hope to bring about in the world. The reality is that you already are

making a difference if you work in career services. You already are bringing depth and

beauty to people’s lives. Don’t forget that as you critique your fifth resume today…or

explain OPT to another discouraged international student...or hand tissues to a tearful,

anxious client in the middle of a job search. The work we do as career practitioners

broadens our clients’ horizons, helps them to find doors to walk through, and empowers

them to take steps toward what they want and need. We get to be the people who give

water and electrolyte gummies to marathon runners and then pace them for the next 3

miles, encouraging them as they go.

My hope for CCDA this year is that we will continue build a stronger community of

career practitioners across our state – a community of people who support, resource,

challenge, and encourage one another. CCDA is meant to also enrich our practice as

professionals, which we will strive to do by offering valuable training opportunities

throughout the year. We hope to see you at our events not because we’ll feel

accomplished if a bunch of people show up, but because you have so much to offer

your peers (whether or not you’re in a season in which you feel particularly effective in

your work), a distinct perspective to share, and unique experiences that have equipped

you to do what we do.

I am hopeful that our members and event attendees will increasingly reflect Colorado’s

demographics in the coming years; we plan to uplift voices from minoritized groups,

consider how to better serve populations facing obstacles in our state, and ultimately

invest in our community’s ability to uplift and empower the clients they serve and the

those they hope to serve.

What a wild privilege to get to be a part of leading our marvelous Career Development

Association here in Colorado. Thank you for engaging with this association and, more

importantly, for giving of yourself to better the lives of the people you serve!

With gratitude,

Amy Kozlarek

President, Colorado Career Development Association

Career Counselor, Colorado State University College of Business