Michelle Kuhlhorst named executive director of the Career Development Center at Purdue Fort Wayne

When students at Purdue University Fort Wayne arrive on campus for the fall semester, many will notice a new, more convenient location for an office devoted to helping them find the right career path. They’ll also find a new leader overseeing its daily operations.

Michelle Kuhlhorst has been named executive director of Purdue Fort Wayne’s Career Development Center, which is currently in the process of moving from Kettler Hall to Walb Student Union. Most recently, Kuhlhorst served for nearly two decades in multiple leadership roles at the University of Saint Francis. Her positions at USF included associate vice president of enrollment management, chief of admissions, and director of retention and academic advising.

During her time in higher education, Kuhlhorst has collaborated with key institutional stakeholders to align unit strategies with broader organizational goals, fostering a unified approach to institutional growth. 

At PFW, Kuhlhorst will direct a center that assists students with career exploration, résumé reviews, practice interviews, identifying co-op and internship opportunities, career fairs, and securing on-campus jobs. The center welcomes more than 130 employers to campus each year while also helping students and alumni gain access to more than 1,000,000 jobs posted by nearly 24,000 employers worldwide who have chosen to connect with the university via the Handshake network.

The center’s move this summer involves trading spaces with PFW’s Office of Admissions. Both will be ready to welcome students and visitors well before the first day of the fall semester on Aug. 25.

Finding her way around campus should not be an issue for Kuhlhorst, who earned two degrees from PFW, a bachelor’s in interpersonal and organizational communication, and a master’s in professional communication.