Alumni undergoing a career transition should know about the services the Career Center offers and about master’s degree opportunities through the School of Graduate Studies.
The most headline-making job losses of the first half of 2025 took place within the federal government; as of May 12, more than 58,000 federal workers had been cut, more than 76,000 workers took buyouts, and nearly 150,000 more positions were set to be eliminated, according to The New York Times. Private companies have also been conducting layoffs at a high rate. According to the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., U.S.-based employers announced 696,309 job cuts through the end of May, an increase of 80% from the 385,859 announced in the first five months of last year.
“Career paths are rarely linear. Whether prompted by industry shifts, personal goals, or unexpected life changes, career transitions are a natural part of professional life,” says the Career Center’s Director of Career Coaching and Education Caitlin Bach. “For alumni facing one of these pivotal moments, it’s not something they have to face alone.”
Muhlenberg’s Career Center and Muhlenberg’s School of Graduate Studies both offer options for alumni who have lost their jobs or are simply trying to make a change.
Career Center Resources
The most common Career Center service utilized by alumni, Bach says, is individual career coaching. This coaching can be done in person or virtually and can address a number of different topics, including a review of application materials, interview preparation and mock interviews, maximizing job search platforms, and utilizing networking in professional life. Career coaching for alumni is available for life, free of charge. Alumni can contact to learn more and make an appointment.
Alumni can also access Handshake, the college’s career development platform, which offers a number of industry-specific career-related resources. Additionally, the Career Center can provide strategies on how to make connections with other alumni in positions or industries of interest.
“The Career Center is here to help alumni assess options, clarify goals, and take confident steps forward,” Bach says. “Our team is committed to empowering alumni with the tools, insights, and support needed to thrive in an ever-changing professional landscape.”
Master’s Degree Opportunities
Job-seeking alumni may choose to pursue an advanced degree to improve their hiring prospects and build knowledge and skills that will help them excel in a new role. Muhlenberg’s School of Graduate Studies offers the Mules Advantage Scholarship for alumni who enroll in one of the college’s graduate programs. Alumni are eligible for a $7,000 scholarship, which is applied as a 20% discount on tuition for every course in the program.
“Your undergraduate experience gave you the tools to launch your career; a master’s degree from your alma mater will give you the expertise to lead, innovate, and shape the future of your field.”
—Vice President and Executive Director for Graduate and Continuing Education AJ Lemheney
“Your undergraduate experience gave you the tools to launch your career; a master’s degree from your alma mater will give you the expertise to lead, innovate, and shape the future of your field,” says Vice President and Executive Director for Graduate and Continuing Education AJ Lemheney. “This isn’t about coming back — it’s about going forward with the institution that first believed in your potential, now equipped with the real-world perspective that will make your graduate studies more meaningful and impactful than ever before.”
Currently, the School of Graduate Studies offers fully online master’s programs in applied analytics, digital learning, healthcare management and leadership, and organizational leadership. A Master of Business Administration (MBA) program is on track to launch in the 2026-2027 academic year. Alumni can contact to learn more about any of these programs.
These student-athletes used their extra year of eligibility to compete for their teams while pursuing master’s degrees from the School of Graduate Studies.
Founder and owner of Dogwood Entertainment, Ally Marman Mueller ’05, a political science major, produces custom props for film, television, and live events.
