Gillings Career Services Cares for Students and Alumni Amid Federal Funding Cuts

The impact of layoffs was clearly noticeable in the sudden shift in demand for Career Services appointments. “Historically, about 75% of my appointments have been with students and about 25% with alumni. However, after last year’s public health cuts, that flipped and for several months about 75% of my meetings were with alumni who needed immediate assistance,” said Derek Just, MEd, assistant director for student and alumni career services.

The team, which also includes Gregory Bocchino, EdD, and Lidia Colato Raez, MEd, provides a full slate of career services offerings to current students and school alumni. The Career Services team offers one-on-one appointments, hosts webinars and live events, and provides coaching on topics such as interviewing, resume preparation and networking.

I’m so grateful for the Gillings Career Services team because they were like a life raft.

Meeting students and alumni where they are

In the aftermath of funding cuts and workforce reductions, many people came to Career Services for help preparing resumes, cover letters and LinkedIn profiles for a job search. Others who came in for appointments were doing a more significant recalibration and questioning if there was still work for them in the field or if they needed to make a career pivot. These appointments required a more personal approach.

“Meeting with a student or someone who was laid off shortly after taking a position looks very different from meeting with someone who was laid off after working at an agency for a decade and hadn’t touched their resume during that time,” Just said. “Many people’s lives were completely disrupted when they suddenly lost a job that they had always believed was secure, and they weren’t sure how they would afford their day care and mortgage payments.”

Bocchino convened a Career Services Workgroup at the Gillings School with representation from faculty and staff across every academic department, along with key partners from the Office of Global Health, advancement and the Master of Public Health practicum team. The workgroup is intentionally structured to strengthen career event planning, enhance collaborations and deepen engagement with departments, students, alumni and external partners.

Providing steady support in a disrupted job market

Fouad Abu-Hijleh ’22 was working at the public health and education organization JSI, on projects funded by the United States Agency for International Development when funding cuts led to a stop-work order and his being laid off in February last year. He quickly scheduled a virtual appointment with Just, who helped him think through the brain shift and resume updates necessary to apply to jobs in the private sector.

“I was looking for help at a time when everyone else was looking for help, and all of my former bosses and colleagues were also drowning,” said Abu-Hijleh, who started a new role as a senior analyst at CVS in July 2025. “I’m so grateful for the Gillings Career Services team because they were like a life raft. They reminded me that I wasn’t alone and offered an array of resources so that I could easily reach in and take the specific resources I needed.”

Aria Gray ’17 was a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ reduction in force last year. She set up a virtual appointment with Just, who helped her update her resume and connected her with the Heels Engage platform and other job-hunting resources.

“There were so many resources being shared at the time, especially living in Washington, D.C., that it was overwhelming trying to figure out where to begin and what was worth the time,” said Gray, who began another position at HHS in December 2025. “With Gillings Career Services I was able to receive high-quality services quickly. And all the work I did with Derek Just had me well-prepared when someone in my network reached out about a position.”

Simplifying job searches

Job searches require taking many steps, but the Career Services team recommends that job seekers begin the process by identifying all of the resources available to them. And for Gillings students and alumni, many resources are available. The Gillings group within the Heels Engage alumni engagement platform is a great starting point, as it serves as a one-stop shop for every career services resource, including checklists to guide a successful job search. The Gillings Career Services LinkedIn page is also a useful resource, where the team reposts jobs and shares resources almost every day.

The Career Services team has also collaborated to include their work in the MPH program and the Health Equity Alumni Panel, and they have coordinated marketing of global health-related job opportunities. This year, they are partnering again with the North Carolina Division of Public Health (NCDPH) to convene alumni, current students and NCDPH leaders for a focused opportunity to network and learn about career pathways and opportunities in state public health.

“We’re constantly evolving and working to be responsive to the changing needs of students and alumni,” Just said. “We take care of our students and alumni by listening to them, staying on top of the job market, providing them up-to-date resources and tailored coaching, and continually developing relationships with employers. We do all this to help them reach their career goals, whatever they might be.”