Charles Wilcox joined Career Services as executive director in October after the position was left vacant in August. 

Wilcox filled the spot left by Ken Koopmans, who held the position for nine years. Wilcox graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor of Arts in economics and political science in 2002 and a master’s degree in education and organizational leadership in 2003.

“I graduated in a not-that-great, not-the-worst job market ever,” Wilcox said. “And for something like four months, I just got up every morning, I got dressed, I went to a coffee shop, I got on my computer, I looked for jobs, and I applied for things.” 

Wilcox’s first job came when someone asked if he was interested in a position at Vanderbilt in student communications. 

“You could have something happen to you that alters the entire tapestry of your life,” Wilcox said. “And so I always encourage people to look for things like that. And every single job that I got in my entire career, I never thought that I was going to do it, and then I knew a guy or something just came out of the blue.”

Wilcox also worked for the Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University. He was the chief operating officer for the Institute of Economic Affairs in England and worked for the Pacific Legal Foundation, which is an organization that sues the government when it violates American’s constitutional rights, according to their website. He is also the founder and Principal of Wilcox Strategies LLC.

“I wanted to be at the intersection of education and nonprofit and freedom, and I had no idea how to make that happen, but I’ve ended up there for most of my career,” Wilcox said. 

While working for the Pacific Legal Foundation, Wilcox said he helped create a system that allowed employees to work online from anywhere, so they could hire talented people who would not be able to move. They finished the system three weeks before the pandemic. 

“This might be the thing that I’m most proud of in my entire career, is that we invented a concept called a seamless, national, distributed workforce,” Wilcox said. “So the idea was, as long as you have an internet connection, you can work from anywhere in the country.”

Diane Philipp, vice president of student affairs, was part of the search committee to find and hire Wilcox. 

“We selected Mr. Wilcox because of his proven experience designing and leading comprehensive programs that successfully placed students in internships, fellowships, and full-time roles,” Philipp said in an email. “He has a strong track record of building effective pipelines connecting students to outstanding opportunities in law, policy, education, and a wide range of other fields.”

Philipp said the college is excited for Wilcox to bring his expertise to Career Services by strengthening employer and alumni partnerships and helping position the college as a leader in preparing students for impactful and meaningful vocations.

“Mr. Wilcox has made a strong impression as our new Career Services executive director,” Philipp said. “He is approachable, insightful, and clearly invested in our students’ success. His collaborative style, fresh perspective, and expertise are a welcome addition to the team.”

Sharon Rupp, director of employer relations for Career Services, said they are looking forward to Wilcox filling the role left vacant since August, and that he brings a wealth of ideas shaped by his background in the conservative liberty movement.

“With his strategic leadership and operational background, I think that he has a welcoming and refreshing perspective, which is energizing,” Rupp said. “My hope is that his background will allow us to continue to grow and provide new opportunities for professional development for students.”

Wilcox said he’s never been anywhere where people talk about community as much as they do at Hillsdale.

“My colleagues are people of extremely good character and dedication,” Wilcox said. “They want to see the students and the alumni succeed, and they will sit down and take a half-hour with anybody. And so I’m really appreciative of getting to work with people like that.” 

Wilcox said the students he’s met with so far are looking to find their purpose in life and not just a paycheck. 

“I think we can do more to talk to students about what their interests are and where impactful jobs for them might be,” Wilcox said.