New Director of Career Services, Diava Carter, eager to help students, build connections

Photo of IU Northwest's Director of Career Services, Diava Carter. Diava Carter may be new to Indiana University Northwest but career services has been her calling for as long as she can remember.

“Many people would say it’s a gift,” said Carter, the university’s new Director of Career Services. “My joy and passion is definitely with the students. My joy and passion is helping others, it’s allowing others to see their potential and see what could be next for them.”

While Carter is only a few months into her position, she’s already seen a want — and need — from students to have someone assisting them in achieving their professional goals.

For the last 15 years, Carter has worked in career services at the United States Department of Labor, higher education in admissions and elsewhere before accepting her position at IU Northwest.

Now, the Gary native is excited to return to her hometown to help develop students in Northwest Indiana and beyond.

“It’s beautiful,” Carter said. “There’s history here. There are roots here and I’m big on giving back to the community. I’m big on helping others. Why not do it in your hometown?”

A month before her first official academic year on campus started, Carter says she’s had an influx of students approach her seeking help. Prepared for the challenge, it’s motivating for her. There’s no secret in the importance of the role she will play in the lives of future IU Northwest graduates.

Leading career services, Carter said she’s excited to implement various workshops, from resume writing and interviewing to developing a mentorship program and providing internships and work-study opportunities for students across all disciplines.

Carter said her model is helping students from “cradle to the stage,” supporting them early on before letting them flourish across the Commencement stage and beyond.

“My goal is to educate, motivate and inspire all the students that come into the career services office,” Carter said. “My goal is to provide the wraparound services that are definitely needed. … My goal is to make sure that all students are committed, make sure they are prepared and make sure they are responsible for when they hit that stage and the workforce.”

Working in career services for the past decade-plus, Carter also understands that the professional world is changing. With the rise in remote work, artificial intelligence and more, today’s graduates must be prepared for anything.

Even traditional internships are being flipped on their head.

Indiana University Northwest recently partnered with Parker Dewey on a new initiative called micro-internships. Unlike traditional internships which last several months, micro-internships are 5-40-hour project-centered experiences where students get paid to complete tasks for employers while getting experience in the industry of their choosing.

Sign up for micro-internships

“Now you don’t have to wait until your senior year to do an internship,” Carter said. “You can do an internship your freshman year, your sophomore year, junior year. Those are the needed skills to develop and place on your resume.”

Akin to Indiana University’s Strategic Plan, IU 2030, which focuses on improving the lives of the people and economic vitality of Northwest Indiana, Carter is eager to build pipelines to businesses in the area. This will not only allow students to get real-world experience while in college but also prepare the future workers and leaders of the Region.

While some students know what they want to do in the future, others might not have any idea. Either way, Carter said the Office of Career Services is always open to all students.

“Once you identify who you are, your passions, your skills, your needs and abilities, that’s when we’re really able to assist,” Carter said. “Have an open mind and an open heart and we will have an open door to assist you.”

Learn more about the Office of Career Services

IU 2030: Student Success and Opportunity IU Northwest will ensure the long-term success of all students while remaining grounded in our unique identity as an Hispanic-Serving Institution and as a Minority-Serving Institution, with a commitment to meeting the needs of our entire student body.

IU 2030: Service to our State and Beyond IU Northwest will improve the lives of the people and economic vitality of Northwest Indiana and beyond by fostering and strengthening collaborative relationships that promote, build and sustain the well-being of the campus and our communities.