About Us

Our mission is to guide students and alumni as they explore, discover, and connect with their personal and professional goals. The Amica Center for Career Education embraces a comprehensive and holistic approach to career education and career management.

We espouse the following values:

• Student-centered: We are here for the students and our services, programs, events, and partnerships with employers and faculty reflect this;
• Diversity: We appreciate and value all of the expressions of one’s self and all others; we respect the rights and dignity of ourselves and others;
• Inclusion: We value each and every person with whom we work and see ourselves as part of the greater community;
• Collaboration: We value working with others because this strengthens relationships and improves outcomes;
• Innovation: We strive to improve and reach for higher and broader levels of impact, and create more effective methods of serving our stakeholders and ourselves; and
• Discovery: We value self-discovery, which promotes personal and professional development.

As a team, we hold many years of experience in career development and maintain memberships in the National Association of Colleges and Employers and the National Career Development Association. Many of our team members are equipped to advise students in their career development, averaging one career advisor per 700 students. 

Veronica Stewart, Director, leads our career development team in providing individual career coaching, programming, and high-quality career resources for students. She previously worked at Salve Regina University and Rhode Island College, and remains active on the Board of Directors for the Rhode Island Career Development Association and on the ethics committee for the National Career Development Association. Veronica has a master's degree in agency counseling with a background in mental health services.

Ashley Larson, Office Coordinator, assists in coordinating employer recruitment visits on campus, serves as the main receptionist for the office by effectively screening and handling phone calls and greeting guests. She also preforms a wide variety of administrative duties to ensure the efficient operations of the Amica Center for Career Education. Ashley has a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Coastal Carolina University. She previously worked at H. Olive Day Elementary School where she worked in the special education program.

Career Development Team

Nicolle Potvin, Senior Assistant Director of Career Services, oversees the career coaching team as well as the department's marketing and communications. She also continues to work closely with students, providing individual career coaching and managing the Career Advocate program. She is especially passionate about empowering students to honor their authentic selves in the workplace by dressing for success and celebrating diversity. Nicolle holds a master's degree in business administration from Bryant University. She also has a master’s degree in psychology from Northeastern University and holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and law from the University of Rhode Island.

Michael Wisnewski, Senior Career Coach, is a student-focused career development professional, with over 20 years of experience in higher education. Most recently, Michael served as Director of Career Development at Salve Regina University in Newport, R.I., and prior to that as Associate Director of Career Services at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. Michael earned his M.Ed. in Counseling from Bridgewater State College, a B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, San Diego, and he is also a Gallup Certified Clifton Strengths Coach.

Erin Cheschi, Senior Career Coach, is passionate about working with students to find out their "whys" and assist them in planning their future and securing jobs that will be the foundation of enjoyable careers. Along with previous experience in the industry, Erin holds a bachelor's degree in Special Education & Psychology from Westfield State University, as well as a master's in Public Administration & Healthcare from Roger Williams University. She is a lifelong learner and enjoys making connections with others and thinking outside of the box. 

Melanie Ok, Intercultural Career Coach, is passionate about ensuring that students feel seen, valued and supported in their education and life goals. She has a focus on students with minority identities and underserved populations to support diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging for all students. Melanie has a bachelor’s degree in Human Development & Family Science and English as well as a master’s degree in College Student Personnel from the University of Rhode Island. She previously worked at RI Educational Talent Search as a college access counselor, supporting students in planning their future post-graduation.

Experiential Education

Amy Steere, Assistant Director of Experiential Education, assists in supporting the experiential education and academic internship programs for Bryant students. She holds a B.S. in Biological Sciences and a minor in Business from the University of Rhode Island. Prior to joining the Amica Center, Amy worked at Rhode Island College, the Community College of Rhode Island, and most recently as part of Bryant’s Admission Events team. She enjoys being a part of the Bryant community and is also a mentor for the IDEA Program and a member of the Day of Understanding Committee.

Katie Taylor, Experiential Education Coordinator, assists in the development and implementation of the experiential education programs offered at Bryant University. She is currently working on completing her master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Southern New Hampshire University. Katie has a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education with a minor in Special Education from Salve Regina University. Katie previously worked at Lasell University in their Holway Early Childhood Centers supporting and overseeing students in experiential learning opportunities on campus.

Employer Relations

As Associate Director of Employer Relations, Pat Miernicki promotes Bryant University and its students to prospective employers, developing new opportunities for internships and full-time positions that meet students' diverse career interests. Pat holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science/Public Administration with a minor in history and women’s studies from Long Island University. She has 15 years of experience as a development officer at Bryant and, previously, at Providence College.

Scott Connolly, Senior Assistant Director, Employer Relations, responsible for career services management technology (i.e., Handshake) and other student-facing career exploration web-based technologies, the reporting of student learning outcomes and other assessment efforts of the Amica Center. Scott holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Stonehill College and a M.A. in Higher Education Student Affairs from the University of Connecticut. Scott joined the Amica team with 7 years of experience from Bryant’s Residence Life Office where he served in multiple capacities.