Her cozy corner office stands in the exact location that once housed the College bookstore when she was a student. Her cheery smile is a familiar face to students, many of whom know her by name: Joanna Wiseley, Director of Career Services.
This year marks Wiseley’s 30th year of association with Hillsdale College. After matriculating in 1972 and graduating in 1976, she returned to work as an admissions counselor, then as director of the Career Planning Office, renamed Career Services in August 2011.
On her bookcase, symbolizing her fondness for her alma mater, Wiseley keeps a brick from the old fine arts building and a block of wood left over after Central Hall was renovated.
As with many Hillsdale students, Wiseley’s parents initially steered her toward Hillsdale.
“My father, a small business owner, heard Dr. Roche on a program discussing the fight against the federal government,” she said.
But once she visited, she made the choice her own.
“I fell in love with the friendliness of the place and the personal attention by professors,” she said. “When I visited Michigan State, nobody spoke to each other. So it was an easy choice.”
Wiseley believes this is one of the core characteristics of the college that has endured since her days as a student.
“When I work with recruiters, they comment on how friendly and polite the students are,” she said. “And the friendliness is real, from the heart.”
The college has continued to be an important part of her family’s life. Wiseley said her parents, who are in their 80s, ended up moving to Hillsdale.
“They enjoy spending time attending CCAs and concerts and lectures, like the Mark Steyn lecture. They even went with me to a basketball game recently,” she said.
Wiseley’s oldest son also attended Hillsdale. “One of my proudest moments was when my son graduated in 2007.”
Her son, B.J., married a fellow Hillsdale graduate and now works as a physician recruiter, while his wife is a health care marketing director. Her second son, who attended Trine University, works as a golf course superintendent, and her youngest son serves in the Marine Corps.
Wiseley said her husband is very supportive of the time she spends serving the college.
“We have entertained students at our home throughout the years.”
As she has gotten to know successive generations of students, Wiseley said she believes the bar of academic caliber has continued to rise.
“These students are much more serious and have brought a lot of credibility to my hard-earned diploma.”
Wiseley majored in education, with concentrations in biology and physical education.
Wisely said one of her favorite classes was third-semester English literature, in which she studied “Beowulf” and Milton with former Professor of English James Juroe. She said she still keeps in touch with Juroe.
At Hillsdale, Wiseley participated in sports as a member of the cheerleading team and the synchronized swimming club.
Wiseley also worked on campus, cleaning the women’s locker room and working in Saga’s catering department.
“We didn’t have near the events Saga does now, but we did weddings and special events, like dinner at the president’s home,” she said.
She was active in the Greek system as the chapter president of Pi Beta Phi and a member of the Panhellenic Council.
“My fondest memory was being in the tricycle race on Super Saturday with three other short Pi Phis,” she said.
On Super Saturday, which in those days was the culminating event of Greek Week, she and her Pi Phi sisters borrowed children’s tricycles and raced them around the quad.
Wiseley said that though the quad and grounds look different today, the campus retains its spirit in the physical buildings as well as the people.
“It looks like it’s always been here,” she said. “Delp and Moss look like the buildings that were here.”
Wiseley said working at the college has allowed her both to keep in touch with classmates and sorority sisters and to be a liaison for alumni reunions.
Wiseley added that serving on the Alumni Executive Board after graduation afforded her a network of contacts that now helps her serve current students.
“I can get out in the summers and visit alumni and ask them to support our students with internships or mentoring,” Wiseley said.
Wiseley said adding support staff in August 2011 also expanded what Career Services can do for students.
“After being here for 23 years as a two-person office, it’s energizing and exciting to have Michael and Keith and Michelle join us to make a team,” she said.
Wiseley said expanding the team has enabled Career Services to assist more students with corporate contacts, internship opportunities, and one-on-one career coaching, but offering more services also keeps the staff busy.
“That’s the biggest change. I’m busier than I’ve ever been,” she said.
New services include the Living and Working job shadow programs in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Lansing, and, soon, Cincinnati (to be added in summer 2012).
Wiseley said about 20 percent of Hillsdale seniors go on to graduate school, and the Career Services Office often assists them with personal statements and testing.
Regardless of where graduates choose to go after Hillsdale, Wiseley said, she is proud of them.
“I’m proud of all of them, from those who stay at home to raise their children, to those who go out to serve in our national government offices, to the lawyers and the doctors,” she said.
Wiseley said she finds her work in Career Services fulfilling.
“Working with the students keeps me young, keeps me engaged,” she said. “I never dread going to work. I can hardly wait to go to work. I hope all students can get a job they love this much.”
sbarrett@hillsdale.edu