Joliet, Ill. – The past four years for Carol Sheetz, talent coordinator for the University of St. Francis (USF), have been filled with a variety of educational and professional experiences, all at Joliet’s only four-year university.
Sheetz transferred to USF in fall 2016 as an adult learner with two associate degrees. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, Sheetz joined the USF Human Resources Department in June 2017. She completed her undergraduate studies eleven months later when she earned her Bachelor of Science in business administration through USF in May 2018. Sheetz continued her education and earned her Master of Science in training and development at USF in December 2019. Now, an opportunity she learned of through her academic programs at USF has resulted in Sheetz earning a scholarship through the Association for Talent Development (ATD). The scholarship provides Sheetz with complimentary admission to the organization’s next annual international conference.
“In January, I was notified that I was the recipient of the 2020 ATD Student Scholarship to receive complimentary registration to the 2020 ATD International Conference & Exposition in May in Denver, Colorado. Because of the COVID-19 global pandemic, ATD will honor my scholarship at the 2021 ATD International Conference & Exposition in Los Angeles,” Sheetz said.
Sheetz values her association with ATD and regularly turns to the organization for talent management guidance.
“In my role at USF, my particular areas of interest in the employee life cycle include recruitment, onboarding, and development. Employee engagement is also crucial. As a member of ATD, I have access to resources on each of these topics written by subject matter experts as well as resources especially developed for the higher education community. ATD is an amazing site with incredible resources, so I applied for the scholarship because I wanted the opportunity to attend the ATD International Conference & Exposition where I could meet and network with other talent development professionals, listen to keynote speakers, and take part in learning sessions in person,” she said.
Sheetz, who earned her degrees as an adult student, touts the benefits that USF’s online programs offer adults.
“The online programs were exactly what I was looking for as an adult learner who worked full-time, because they allowed me the flexibility to set my own evening and weekend schedule for completing my coursework. I am self-motivated and have good time management skills, so online learning is a great fit for me as an adult student,” she said.
About the Association for Talent Development
According to the Association for Talent Development website, “ATD is a professional membership organization supporting those who develop the knowledge and skills of employees around the world. Our members and customers are professionals who help others achieve their full potential by improving their knowledge, skills, and abilities in the workplace.” Visit td.org to learn more about the organization.
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Currently celebrating 100 years of higher education rooted in Franciscan values, the University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 50,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.
University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.
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