Spring 2009

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Career Services Director Helps Students Reach Their Potential

By Susan Thompson

Mike Gaul understands the students who arrive at college unsure of what they want to do after graduation. He understands because he was one of them.

Gaul, director of agriculture and life sciences career services, grew up in a Chicago suburb. “My father had beehives on a nearby acreage and at one point he considered switching careers from personnel management to owning an orchard or dairy farm. I grew up a city kid, but I’ve always loved being outdoors,” he says.

He earned a degree in biology at Luther College in Decorah. Not sure what to do next, he came to Iowa State and earned a master’s in horticulture in 1986.

Gaul’s future wife Kim was working in the horticulture department, a position she continues to hold today. They married and Mike was hired as an assistant greenhouse manager.

When Mike Chaplin became chair of the department, Gaul talked with him about wanting to do something more.

“Horticulture was becoming trendy,” Gaul says. Anticipating an influx of students, Chaplin created the Horticulture Resource and Career Center and put Gaul in charge.

Gaul visited high schools to recruit students and developed stronger ties with industry. He advised students and taught entry-level courses. The number of undergraduates in the department climbed from 90 to more than 300.

“It was tough to leave,” Gaul says. “I tell students it’s easy to get in a comfort zone and difficult to leave, although sometimes that’s what’s best for you.”

Gaul had worked with Roger Bruene in the college career services office (see Bruene’s story on page 7) to increase the number of horticulture-related companies participating in the college’s annual career fair. When Bruene retired in 1998, Gaul stepped in.

“I wanted to continue the legacy Roger established, which was always putting students first,” Gaul says. “We have the best students on campus, and we work in a great industry.”

Recruiters say Gaul is a strong advocate for students.

“Mike does a great job of understanding the type of candidates we need and makes sure we don’t miss a potential fit,” says Tim Heiller (’90 animal science), Elanco Animal Health sales representative. “He makes it easy for us to recruit effectively at Iowa State.”

The biggest change in Gaul’s time at the helm has been the role technology plays in a student’s job hunt. For the past four years, Gaul’s office has connected students and alumni with employers through the online Iowa State University Career Management System. About 12,000 companies are registered with the site.

The office’s Web site also includes features on young alums and student internships, and provides details on career days, on-campus interviews, job openings, salary data, writing resumes and more.

Chad Meyer (’93 ag business) is client relations/communications director for MaxYield Cooperative. “Mike’s office combines the best of both worlds in recruiting,” he says.

“You can use their Internet-based system to post jobs, and you can call Mike to personally discuss openings and who might be a good fit.”

Meyer describes the effort Gaul and his team makes to prepare students for internships and career planning as “second to none. There is not another college we go to that has its students as prepared for internships and careers,” he says.

Career Placement by the Numbers

More than 160 companies and 1,200 students participated in the 2008 fall career fair. In the three days surrounding the fair, 650 on-campus interviews were conducted. In2008, Gaul added a spring career fair, with 100 companies and 400 students participating.Statistics show 98 percent of recent Iowa State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences graduates were employed, pursuing advanced degrees or serving in the military within six months of graduation. Nearly 70 percent stayed in Iowa for their first jobs.

STORIES online extra:

Visit the Agriculture and Life Sciences Career Services Office.