Spotlight on Elaine Morris
Elaine Morris, assistant director and senior career counselor in the Career Planning & Placement Center, makes a significant contribution to current USC students and alumni alike.
Elaine counsels alumni, graduates and undergraduates in career planning and job search techniques. She also designs and presents workshops on job search topics, including one of her favorites – negotiating a job offer.
“My special programming is with international students,” says Elaine. “I love helping them get jobs, and I enjoy working with the staff from the Office of International Services.”
According to Laurie Cox, associate director of the Office of International Services (OIS), “Elaine has consistently gone the extra mile to learn more about immigration regulations that relate to employment so she can help international students make life-changing career decisions.”
Elaine and Laurie collaborated to create a new program called Dining Like a Diplomat, which prepares international students for an interview luncheon or dinner. Elaine is currently designing a pilot six-week seminar on cultural differences in job searching for international students.
Elaine, who has worked at USC for the past eight years, earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from California State University, Fullerton and a master’s degree in educational psychology from California State University, Long Beach. She belongs to the International Career Development Conference.
“I love working with students and motivating them to find work they enjoy and, at the same time, learn to get value for their work,” says Elaine.