Career Coaches

Dillon Frechen

Assistant Director & Career Coach

What do you do?

As an Assistant Director, I collaborate with the other members of the UCS team to help craft and implement the office’s various programs and initiatives during the academic year. As a Career Coach, I engage with students in various ways to support them as they align their academic, personal, and professional goals. This comes in the form of career exploration, interview prep, resume/cover letter review, and job/internship searching.

Why do you do it?

I love working with students! As a first-generation college student, I lacked the social and cultural capital necessary to truly get the most out of my undergraduate experience and best prepare myself for life after college. As a higher education professional, it is my responsibility to be knowledgeable of a plethora of resources, offices, and ways of navigating a large campus that allow students to maximize their degree and time at IU. I am committed to empowering students to achieve a sense of purpose, personally define success, and develop decision-making skills for navigating collegiate and external contexts.

How did you get here?

As a first-generation college student, I learned very late in my degree that there was a whole network of resources, staff, and offices that I was not taking advantage of to help ensure a successful transition to post-college life. Put simply, I didn’t know how to “do college.” After graduation I had the life-changing opportunity to serve as an AmeriCorps volunteer in the College Advisor Corps and do college access work in several low-income, underrepresented school districts in rural West Michigan. Seeing many similarities between my students’ and my own level of college readiness in high school provided an incredible opportunity for me to, in a sense, give back and prepare students for what to expect in college and help successfully navigate and utilize campus resources towards earning a degree. I then earned a Master’s degree in Student Affairs Administration where I was able to connect theory to practice and study college students and their environments. During this time, I was able to intern in a residential business community (very similar to Kelley’s JLLC) and teach a first-year seminar. This opportunity ultimately led me to IU and Kelley! As a two-time alum of a Big Ten university, I enjoy reflecting on my own experiences as I challenge and support students to make the most of their time on campus.

What have you learned during your career?

Your major does not always need to dictate your career! Now more than ever before young professionals are working in a position for 3-4 years at a time and then move on to something else. I know this can cause anxiety for students. I see it as opportunity to think long-term about our life and career goals and remember the importance of being open to new experiences and possibilities.

What do you do away from work?

My partner and I, who is also a B1G alum, love attending B1G athletic events and spending time with our cats, Fred & George. I coach hockey with the Bloomington Blades organization and enjoy playing pickleball, going to concerts, and collecting vinyl records.

I strongly believe…

The most important lessons learned in college often do not reveal themselves until after graduation when you find yourself in new and uncomfortable situations. College is the time to practice being comfortable with being uncomfortable!

I wish…

Bloomington got more snow!

Contact

Conrad Prebys Career Center, 0200
dfrechen@iu.edu