Anyone who has passed through the College of Communication and Information Sciences in the past few decades knows they have a secret weapon – one that almost escaped the hallowed halls of Reese Phifer early this semester. To the dismay of many faculty and students, Jim Oakley, career counselor and recruiter, put in his retirement for January 2013.
Nevertheless, when Oakley’s situation changed, previously forcing him to consider retirement, he reassessed his plans for the future.
“I thought, ‘what am I going to do now,’” he said. “My three kids and the dean told me ‘Just stay,’ so here I am. I could be sitting at home at the coffee shop, but I’m here.”
Oakley’s relationship with the University began in 1985 when he retired from a long career in journalism as publisher for his local newspaper.
“My dad was a newspaper publisher, so I pretty much knew all along that’s what I was going to do,” he said. “I became an editor and then publisher, but eventually sold the paper in 1985 and retired for about two weeks.”
Oakley explained he received a phone call from the president of the University, his alma mater since 1958, telling him to call the journalism department; they could use him.
“He told me they didn’t need a teacher,” Oakley said. “They wanted someone to come and teach students how to produce a newspaper, so I taught newspaper management.”
After teaching this course for about a year, the department decided they needed someone to help their students with career counseling. Thus began Oakley’s career for the next 28 years.
Even after so many years of helping students find careers, Oakley said he continues to have defining moments in his career all the time.
“It’s when I help a student as a freshman maybe get a couple internships or job interviews and they call and tell me that they’re hired,” Oakley said. “That’s a crowning moment for me, and I’ve got them everywhere.”
Throughout his career, Oakley has helped several major success stories get their start while at Reese Phifer.
“Just a few weeks ago Rece Davis came to campus,” he said. “I remember telling him, Rece, you need to understand you aren’t going to graduate on Saturday and start working for ESPN on Sunday, but one thing led to another and I helped him find a job in Columbus at a TV station.”
One of Oakley’s longtime colleagues, Mary Ann Bradley, said though she was very happy he decided to stay, she encouraged him to not make any rash decisions.
“His intent was to retire and take care of his wife who was ill,” Bradley said. “When she passed away earlier, I told him to give it some time.”
Bradley, who plans on retiring this July, said she’s been taking care of Oakley for the past 28 years.
“I guess you could say we’re great buddies and we sort of take care of each other,” she said. “It’s like a work husband. His wife had him in the evenings and I’ve had him in the day for all these years. We’ve had a great time.”
Oakley said he plans to stay on board as long as he can continue to help students.
“We have the program here that will make a student successful, so what we need is for students to buy into that program and dedicate themselves,” he said. “We have a proven record, and our faculty and staff are amazing. Graduates are making a big impact on this world, and I’m proud of that.”
Leading in today’s Crimson White:
[Opinion] Students should shake up college routine, go abroad to expand their horizons
[Guest Column] Bonner’s behavior similar to Rowling’s Dolores Umbridge
