For the ninth consecutive year, the initial employment and graduate school placement success rate of recent ����vlog���� graduates exceeds 90 percent, according to the University’s 2025 First Destination and Career Profile Report.

The latest survey looks at the Class of 2024 graduates and whether or not they had employment or were in graduate or professional school within six months of graduation.

 The report found that 95 percent of the respondents had either full-time employment, were in graduate or professional school or were employed part-time. Out of 153 graduates, only eight were still seeking employment.

It is the ninth consecutive year that the University’s success rate for its graduates has exceeded 90 percent. The average for the past five years is 95 percent.

 “Our 95 percent job placement rate after graduation—well above the national average of 85 percent—really shows the strength of the Ozarks experience,” said Matt Bewley, director of career services. “Being a smaller institution means our students get personalized support from the career services office as well as faculty, and staff who know them by name. I also believe our LENS program plays a big role in this success. When students graduate with a combination of majors and minors, it gives them a unique, well-rounded experience that really sets them apart in today’s job market.”

According to the 2025 First Destination and Career Profile Report, the 2024 graduates were working in 15 states and 10 countries. In addition, 26 members of the Class of 2024 were in graduate or professional schools in seven different states. The largest number of employed graduates were in the professional fields of healthcare (20), K-12 education (17), banking and finance (12), retail (7) and higher education (7).

The University follows the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) standards and protocols for the collection and dissemination of initial career outcomes for recent graduates.

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For the eighth consecutive year, the initial employment and graduate school placement success rate of recent ����vlog���� graduates exceeds 90 percent, according to the University’s 2024 First Destination and Career Profile Report.

The latest survey looks at the Class of 2023 graduates and whether or not they had employment or were in graduate or professional school within six months of graduation. The report found that 95 percent of the respondents had either full-time employment, were in graduate or professional school or were employed part-time. Out of 154 graduates, only nine were still seeking employment and one did not respond to the survey.

It is the eighth consecutive year that the University’s success rate for its graduates has exceeded 90 percent. The average for the past five years is 95 percent.

“Reaching a 95 percent success rate in helping our graduates find jobs or pursue further studies showcases the dedication and teamwork of our entire University community,” said Matt Bewley, director of career services. “Our staff and faculty collaborate to provide individualized support, ensuring our students are well-prepared and confident for the next steps in their careers and education.”

According to the 2024 First Destination and Career Profile Report, the 2023 graduates were working in 22 states and nine countries. In addition, 17 members of the Class of 2023 were in graduate or professional schools in nine different states. The largest number of employed graduates were in the professional fields of business and finance (25), education (22) and healthcare and mental health care (17).

The University follows the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) standards and protocols for the collection and dissemination of initial career outcomes for recent graduates.

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Matt Bewley has been named the director of career services at ����vlog����. His first day at the University will be April 10, 2023.

Bewley has served as executive director of the Clarksville-Johnson County Chamber of Commerce since July 2022. Before being named executive director, he was the community relations director at the chamber.

As director of career services, Bewley will provide career discernment support, career, professional development, job search assistance, and graduate school-internship placement assistance to current Ozarks students as well as alumni.

“I am excited to join the ����vlog����’ staff,” Bewley said. “I have always been impressed with the caliber of the University’s students and staff, and I cannot wait to learn and grow from this new opportunity.”

A graduate of Russellville High School, Bewley earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business from Arkansas Tech University. He has served as a campus pastor and worship pastor and was also a bank branch manager.

He and his wife, Kerry, have two sons, Liam and Rylan. He is a member of the Clarksville Rotary Club, president of the Resource Alliance Group and co-founder of Project Community.

Outside of work, his hobbies include playing music, hiking, chasing waterfalls, and spending time with friends and family around a meal.

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Still three months away from graduating, ����vlog���� senior Brilliant Pasipanodya has already aced one of her most important tests.

The math and business administration major from Harare, Zimbabwe, has secured a full-time position with BlackRock, Inc., a multinational investment management corporation and the world’s largest asset manager. Pasipanodya will serve as an analyst in the corporation’s Business Operations group in Atlanta, starting Aug. 1.

Pasipanodya was offered the job on Feb. 2 after several online interviews with the company. She got the offer during a Webex meeting by the vice president of campus recruiting.

“He told me that the teams I had interviewed with spoke highly of me and therefore BlackRock was extending an offer,” she said, “ I could not believe it. Getting a job offer from the largest asset manager in the world is a dream come true for me. The first person I told was my boyfriend. I had to wake him up because he was sleeping in Zimbabwe. He was so excited about the news.”

Pasipanodya said she entered college planning to pursue a career in engineering but a quickly developing love of math and business steered her toward finance. Once she learned about BlackRock, she was determined to pursue a position with the company.

“Before I applied, I knew that BlackRock was a big finance company and I came across the analyst position while I was searching for full-time positions on the internet,” she said. “The position suited my profile and I also liked BlackRock’s purpose, which is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. I really connected to its mission and principles.”

The job offer came after several months of diligence and persistence.

“It was a lot of work. I put so many hours on the resume, job search, networking and interviews,” Pasipanodya said. “The BlackRock process began in September of 2021 and between then until the offer I went through a lot of interview coaching, did thorough research and really prepared.”

Pasipanodya credited the University’s Career Services Office as well as her Ozarks professors for helping her navigate the job-search process.

“I had so much support from the Ozarks community,” she said. “I also received the senior development fund that helped me with my interview attire. I had three rounds of video interviews for this position and having that financial support really helped. I received a lot of help on my resume from the Career Services Office. I got rooms reserved for my interviews in the library and the Chapel. There was just so much assistance I got from my professors and from the staff at Ozarks. My advisor, Dr. Matt Myers, was also very supportive. I almost dropped my math major because it was so challenging, and he encouraged me to soldier on. I am so grateful for all the support I received because I certainly could not do this alone.”

She also gave credit for her successful job search to an internship she had during the summer of her junior year at Simbisa Brands in Zimbabwe.

“I was a business operations and management intern for two months,” she said. “I had the opportunity to work with different teams, such as human resources, corporate office and marketing. At the end, I provided a detailed report on the brands’ strengths, weaknesses and areas of improvement. The internship helped me with my analytical, interpersonal and critical-thinking skills. It was such a valuable experience.”

During her time at Ozarks, Pasipanodya has shown that she’s not afraid of hard work. She has served as a student-worker in a number of areas, including the cafeteria, grounds and maintenance and in the printing and engraving shop. She has also worked as a tutor and in the administrative suite.

“I think I get my work ethic from my mother,” she said. “My mother has always instilled in me the importance of hard work and that’s something that just comes natural. My on-campus work experience was very valuable in my job search. Ozarks taught me that all work experience is good work experience, whether it’s in the cafeteria or in an office.”

While studying in a foreign country has its challenges, Pasipanodya found a strong support team, both on-campus and off. She credits her host parents, Chris and Heather Dickerson, and her church, the Link Church, in helping alleviate any homesickness.   

“Being a small college, Ozarks has a very supportive community. The professors really care about students and the staff also takes time to know students and support them,” she said. “I have so many special moments here and most of them were shared with my friends, my host family and my church family.”

She said deciding to pursue an education at Ozarks has been one of her best decisions.

“The liberal arts education that Ozarks offers allowed me to explore so many areas and to realize that my options are limitless,” Pasipanodya said. “The diverse student body at Ozarks allowed me to learn so much from other students and be able to relate more with people from different cultures”

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When Eder and Nedgee Thermozier graduate from the ����vlog���� this month, they plan to use their education to continue a life of service and benevolence that began more than a decade ago in their home country in the Caribbean.

The twin brothers from Leogane, Haiti, will graduate from U of O during the fall graduation ceremony on Dec. 18. Eder (pictured left) will earn a BS in business administration and Nedgee will earn a BS in biology.

Growing up in Haiti, the Thermoziers were taught by their parents the importance of serving and helping others. That led them and four other friends to create an organization called BLEUET, which helps disadvantaged Haitian children, including those in orphanages.

“We would take our small savings and collect money and then do whatever we could to help children,” Nedgee said. “It’s something that has slowly grown over the years and now we have several people who help support it. Every year, we help more than 200 children by providing scholarships, giving them toys, hygiene kits and other commodities. We also supported people after the deadly Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and also the earthquake in August of 2021.”

Eder, who is a few minutes older than his brother, said the idea of serving others first came about following the major 2010 earthquake in Haiti that killed more than 200,000 people.

“We were just 10 or 11 years old, but we saw the importance of coming together and helping each other to get through those difficult times,” Eder said. “We saw our parents helping people and doing what they could and I think that inspired us. Helping others has been important to us since then.”

When the Thermozier brothers boarded an airplane for the first time in January of 2018 and left their island country to attend Ozarks, they had no idea what to expect.

“We were a little nervous because we had never left Haiti, but mainly we were excited about the opportunity to study in the United States,” Nedgee said. “It’s pretty amazing how fast these four years have gone by and what a great experience it has been.”

Nedgee, who is graduating with Cum Laude honors (3.25-3.49 GPA), has been accepted into the Rutgers School of Public Health in New Jersey to pursue a master’s degree in global health. He is also still interested in his childhood dream of becoming a doctor.

“I want to do something in the biomedical field, whether that’s as an administrator or as a physician,” Nedgee said. “There’s a great need for better medical and healthcare systems in our country, so that’s one area that has really interested me.”

Eder’s career goals are centered on entrepreneurism. He has been accepted into the Hult International Business School for a master’s degree in finance and is waiting to hear from several other schools he has applied to.  

“My career plan is to be my own boss,” Eder said.

Eder said his favorite class at Ozarks has been a business communication class with Professor NaLisa Brown.

“This class has helped me to have a better understanding about business and technology, and also to develop professional skills such as, writing communication, oral presentation and Interpersonal and team communications,” Eder said. “I never get tired of waking up in the morning because every day I learn something different and Professor Brown is amazing.” 

The Thermoziers have not only shined in the classroom, they have made the most of their opportunities to get involved in extracurricular activities while at Ozarks. Nedgee has been a part of the Planet Club, Ozarks Biology Club and Ozarks Historical Society and Eder has been involved with Enactus, Caribbean Student Union, Rotaract, Ozarks Historical Society and Mediarks. 

“Ozarks has help me in so many ways,” Eder said, “It has helped me know myself better, face my fears, learn new skills and meet people from all over the world. Because of Ozarks, I have become more independent and self-reliant.”

Said Nedgee, “Ozarks helped me grow as both as a person and professionally. I was able to identify my weaknesses and work on them, while developing curiosity and leadership skills.”

Wherever their future education and careers lead them, one thing the Thermoziers are passionate about is helping their home country.

“Education is the key to helping my country and that’s my focus right now,” Eder said. “Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change our country for the better. We both want to do our part to help Haiti become better and it starts with getting as much education as we can.”

The Thermoziers, who have a younger sister in college in France, said they expect their parents as well as an aunt and uncle to attend their graduation. It will be an especially proud moment for the brothers.

“It will be emotionally amazing,” Eder said. “We were born together, finished high school together and now we will finish college in the U.S. together. That’s pretty incredible.”

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Meet Your Alumni Board members is an ongoing series where we highlight members of the Alumni Association Board of Directors. This month we are featuring board members Brittany Brantley ‘13, an attorney in Fort Worth, Texas; and Loscar Mejia ’01, a distribution center general manager for The Container Store in Dallas Texas.

Brittany Brantley ‘13

Tell us about your time at Ozarks. What did it mean to you? How did that time change or impact your future?

My time at Ozarks was the most meaningful period of my life filled with growth and learning. I am from a small town in Missouri and this was my first time leaving the area I had grown up in. Ozarks provided a safe and comfortable environment that allowed me to expand my mind. I am the type that would have gotten lost in the cracks at a larger institution but at Ozarks they provided me with the attention and care to help me thrive while away from home. This allowed me to eventually move further away from that small town in Missouri and go to a larger university in a much larger city for Law School without fear.

Why is being involved with Ozarks after you graduated important to you? Why have you chosen to give back to the University?

It is important for me to be involved in Ozarks after graduating because I would not be where I am without them. They gave me the education necessary to be successful, but more importantly they helped teach me how to build relationships, they provided services that promote self-confidence, and they instilled values that I hold close to me today, including serving my community, righting injustices, and always finding time to get back into nature (even if it is not as beautiful as the nature that surrounds the Ozarks campus).

What is your favorite Ozarks memory?

My favorite Ozarks memory is actually a compilation of memories. I was lucky enough to serve on the Student Foundation Board and I loved the preparation for Orientation week. There is a certain comfort in the chaotic energy of learning the skits, dances, and preparing for a new year with new faces on campus.

Who is your favorite/most impactful professor at Ozarks and why?

The most impactful professor for me at Ozarks was Dr. Heather McFarland. While she was great in the classroom, it was the extra effort outside of the classroom that helped show me she cared. I was preparing to take the LSAT but I could not afford a formal class. So, Dr. McFarland took it upon herself to purchase LSAT Prep materials and spent every Saturday morning for two months prior to the LSAT helping me prepare. The night before the LSAT she invited me to have dinner with her family where she cooked me a home cooked meal to make sure I was fed properly and fully prepared to take the test the next day. This is just one example of the many ways Dr. McFarland helped me, but I am certain that I would not have gotten into the law school that I wanted to and went on to become an attorney had I not been lucky enough to cross paths with such a kind and caring professor that went out of her way to ensure that I would succeed.

Why have you chosen to continue to serve Ozarks by sitting on the Alumni Board?

I have chosen to continue to serve Ozarks as a member of the Alumni Board because the school has provided me so much and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue that by providing to the current students and by connecting alumni.

What is your favorite thing about Clarksville or Johnson County?

I am not sure if Clarksville still does this, but my favorite activity was the Spring Greening Festival. It was put on my junior and senior year (2012 & 2013). There were live bands, vendors, and fun activities for families. It was a nice time to step out of the classroom just before the stress of finals and enjoy the outside with friends.

Loscar Mejia ‘01

Tell us about your time at Ozarks. What did it mean to you? How did that time change or impact your future?

At first, I came to Ozarks only because I wanted to play soccer at a collegiate level. I knew next to nothing about Ozarks when I was recruited to play and I would not have come here had it not been for the chance to help build the soccer program. As I started involving myself with the campus and the people, I realized that the values and beliefs of our institution lined up with the person I wanted to become. A small university like ours sometimes gets a bad rap because people think we won’t have access to the same opportunities as those who attend larger universities but that’s not the case. Attending Ozarks has opened so many doors in my career, particularly as I first graduated.

Why is being involved with Ozarks after you graduated important to you? Why have you chosen to give back to the University?

It took me many years to see the value in being involved with the University. There are so many priorities after college that seem to take precedence but over time, I came to realize that I could give back to the University not only monetarily (through the 1834 Club!) but also with my time. Our administration is so grateful to all of us who come back to campus to give back and they make it so easy to get involved. Dr. Eric Steinmiller, one of my best friends and teammates from college, really challenged me to find a way to get involved and helped me to see the value in giving back to my alma mater. I love showing my school pride and touting the amazing things that our University is doing.

What is your favorite Ozarks memory?

When we made it to the finals of the ASC playoffs my senior year. It was such a cool way to culminate the rise of the program from our inaugural season in 1997 at the bottom of the conference to the top within 4 years.

Who was your favorite/most impactful professor at Ozarks and why?

Dr. David Strain. Early in my freshman year, he saw potential in me and really invested his time in helping me succeed. He pushed me all four years and continued to challenge me even after I graduated. I appreciated and was so grateful for his influence in my life at Ozarks that I asked him to be best man at my wedding!

Why have you chosen to continue to serve Ozarks by sitting on the Alumni Board?

As I’ve grown older, I realize that I must find ways to give back to people and places that influenced and helped get me to where I am today. Ozarks played an integral part in molding me into the professional I am and I want to help the institution continue to have the same or bigger impact on the next generation. Being part of the board helps me to stay connected with the University and its mission and allows me to contribute to the institution’s success path.

What is your favorite Clarksville or Johnson County activity?

Friday/Saturday Dodge’s Chicken runs at midnight or later for a couple of pizza sticks and chicken strips.

Anything else you would like to add about Ozarks?

I encourage our alumni to step up and get involved in promoting and elevating Ozarks across the world! If you haven’t done so, come join me and other alumni as part of the 1834 CLUB!

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����vlog���� will welcome approximately 30 businesses, organizations and graduate schools to campus on Thursday, Sept. 23, for the University’s annual career fair.

Presented by the Office of Career Services, the event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Rogers Conference Center.

The career fair is an opportunity for University students to connect with local, state, national and international businesses and organizations as well as graduate and professional schools.

Andrea Cooper, director of career services, said she estimates that approximately 300 students will attend the event. U of O students are encouraged to dress in interview attire and bring their resumes to the event.

For information on having your business or organization represented at the career fair, please contact Cooper at acooper@ozarks.edu.

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Ruth Walton is retiring from her position as director of career services at ����vlog����, effective Dec. 31, 2020.

Walton, who joined Ozarks in 2015, will continue to teach classes in the business program.

“This decision, which I have been considering for quite some time, has been a difficult one,” Walton said. “I am forever grateful for the academic and professional development opportunities here at Ozarks. The teaching of Survey of Management, Human Resources, and Job Search classes has been extremely meaningful to me. Sharing real-world experiences with students is one of the highlights of my career. I am also grateful for the lifelong friendships I have developed and the camaraderie of our Ozarks family.”

Walton, who earned her undergraduate degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University and her master’s degree in public administration from Rutgers University, previously served as director of career services at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J., and has more than 15 years of corporate experience in marketing, human resources and organizational effectiveness.

“My favorite board game growing up was Careers, and looking back I never imagined that I would be in the career industry for over 20 years,” Walton said. “After a career in consulting, I was ready to return to academia. I felt called to apply to only faith-based schools. Moving from New Jersey to Arkansas was a big out-of-my-comfort-zone decision. I discovered that my own willingness to change and adapt was a quality that would help me be a better coach to our students.”

Walton said her time at Ozarks has provided “blessings too numerous to count.”

“My dream was to teach a college level course and Ozarks opened that door to me,” she said. “I love to engage students and challenge their minds. Teaching is very rewarding for me because I can share my consulting experiences and bring real work examples into the classroom. I also have had the blessing of student interactions. It is the student who landed a summer internship at BookTrails in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. And, the student who interned at Duke University. It is the student who shares they no longer want to be a business major and instead wants to teach and goes on to work in training and development at a logistics company. Or, the student who wasn’t accepted into medical school as expected. Or, the student who has no clue what they want to do. The greatest joy was being able to help point students into a new direction.”

Walton also said she appreciated Ozarks’ sense of collaboration among the faculty and staff.

“I’ve been blessed to be a part of amazing collaborations on this campus, whether that’s serving on faculty and staff search committees, working with employers and faculty on developing internships, recruiting students, recruiting employers or working with student staff in learning together about the resources we have for students,” she said. “Ozarks is a village. It’s not about me, it’s about us; us as a community of learners. A community of educators. A community that embraces each member for who they are.”

Walton said she plans to devote more time to her writing. She writes a regular blog and devotional:

The University will hold a retirement reception for Walton later in the semester.

Brian Henderson, director of annual giving and alumni engagement, will be leading the search process for the new director of career services. Henderson will be working with faculty members to coordinate the career services duties starting Jan. 1, 2021, and extending until a new director is named.

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University of the Ozarks will welcome a record 40 businesses, organizations and graduate schools to campus on Thursday, Nov. 14, for the University’s annual Career Fair.

The Career Fair, which will run from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Rogers Conference Center, is an opportunity for University students to connect with local, state and international businesses and organizations as well as graduate and professional schools.

Ruth Walton, director of career services, said she estimates that more than 250 students will attend the event.

“I am excited that we reached our goal of 40 organizations and businesses to attend our annual Career Fair,” Walton said. “It is refreshing to experience so many companies understanding how important it is to have a presence at a university career fair.  Not only is it a cost effective way to recruit; it is building and fostering a collaborative partnership. We are a small, yet, mighty school.  As our University grows its enrollment, companies and graduate schools can depend on ����vlog���� to provide them with top candidates for their programs.”

U of O students are encouraged to dress in interview attire and bring their resumes to the event.

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The spring fair featured booths from 28 organizations which provided information on a wide range of career and educational opportunities. Among the organizations represented at the fair were:

• An area television station
• An area public school
• Branches of the armed forces
• An area law enforcement agency
• Two summer camps
• Three state governmental agencies
• A number of nonprofit organizations and corporations
• Nine graduate/professional schools

Plans are already underway for the fall 2013 Career Fair, and Ozarks’ director of career services, Kimberly Spicer, reminds students that the career fairs are an excellent opportunity for them to make connections with potential employers and to get a head-start on applying for various internships.

"Networking is the #1 source of job leads for job seekers," Spicer said. "The career fair is a convenient opportunity for students to visit with recruiters to learn about current openings and to receive insider tips on applying."

The fairs are also a great way for students considering graduate school or other professional programs to learn more about options available to them. "It provides students who are considering graduate school with the opportunity to talk directly with grad school professors, Deans, and graduate students about their programs and experiences," she added.

To learn more about the services offered by Ozarks Career Services, contact Spicer by email at kaspicer@ozarks.edu or by phone at 479-979-1320. You can also follow Career Services on Facebook to find out more about events like the fall and spring career fairs, and for helpful tips on the job search, securing an internship, or preparing for graduate school.

Regina Wilson and Leslie Walter, recruiters from the Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism, discuss internship and job opportunities with students at the annual spring Career Fair, held on Tuesday, February 26th.

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