Career Counselor Sawyer Receives High Honor

CHESTERTOWN—Vicky Sawyer, Associate Director of the Career Center at Washington College, has received the highest award of professional recognition from the Maryland Career Development Association. Sawyer was presented with the Lifetime Contribution Award at the MCDA’s annual conference in Bowie, MD on February 4 for her commitment and her impact on the career development field.

Jim Allison, the College’s Director of Career Development, says the award is well deserved. “Vicky Sawyer has been a credit to Washington College for more than 20 years. She’s to be admired for her tireless efforts and the dedication she has shown to the innumerable students she has assisted.”

It is this dedication that led to her nomination and eventual win, says MCDA Awards Chair Natalie Kauffman. “Throughout Ms. Sawyer’s professional life she has always incorporated an intensely personal and supportive approach that stretches the limits of her students' and alumni's talents and potential,” said Kauffman, who also noted that Sawyer’s influence reaches beyond Washington College. As an active member of the MCDA, Sawyer has “woven her coaching strength into the very fabric of the association,” helping them to improve the standards of career development services throughout Maryland. “We at MCDA are in her debt!” says Kauffman.

Sawyer, a resident of Worton, holds a degree in secondary education from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro and a master’s degree in human development and counseling from Eastern Carolina University. She continued her studies at Loyola College to become specialized in career development and counseling. In addition to serving as Associate Director of the Career Center, she is also the Center’s Internship Coordinator and Master Career Counselor.