Nurturing Growth and Goals from Campus to Career

Over the last several years, Faulkner Automotive has established a strong relationship with Bloomsburg by actively participating in on-campus events and online platforms like Handshake to recruit students.

And it all began with two Bloomsburg alumni.

Kaeli Quick '20 has been a human resources generalist at Faulkner for nearly three years. She mused about how the partnership between Faulkner Automotive and the university began through a connection with fellow alum and general manager, Kevin Rogers ‘03. The positive experience she enjoyed in both places made for an easy recruiting assignment, noting that the nurturing environment she enjoyed at Bloomsburg equipped her with the skills necessary for her role at Faulkner.
"Bloomsburg is where I found my home and developed into the person I am now," explained Quick. "Everybody was supportive and kind at Bloom [and] that's how I feel here now [at Faulkner]. It's been great going to Bloom to talk about how great Faulkner is."

Both Quick and Human Resources Manager Kaitlynd Seaman say that the professional preparedness of Bloom students makes them consistently stand out among other candidates and noted their well-dressed appearance, polished resumes, and confident elevator pitches. Seaman further emphasized their strong work ethic and communication skills as notable attributes.

"They stand out and are ready to enter the next chapter of their lives," observed Quick. "I've met with first- and second-year students who were rock stars. We want someone who is excited and wants to grow and put their heart and soul into the work, and that's what I've seen in Bloom's students, and that's exciting for us."

Seaman emphasized that the benefits are mutual, echoing Quick's love of the company and citing its dedication to being an employer of choice for new college grads by offering employees management training and growth opportunities. Quick says she is always eager to help spread the word about the culture of support and growth at Faulkner to potential hires.

"You can feel that when you enter any dealership," explained Quick. "Culture makes it a comfortable place to be. We want everyone to grow and hit goals, so the company offers resources like training and speakers - anything to help them become the most successful. I can talk about Faulkner forever; I have such a passion for this company and what it's given me, so I try to paint the picture and help students visualize what I experience every day."

The enthusiasm for Bloomsburg Quick brings to Faulkner - and vice versa - underscores the importance of preparation, passion, and potential in the recruitment process and illustrates a successful partnership between academia and industry under the Professional U umbrella at Commonwealth University.

"I've felt at home in both places," concluded Quick. "Now I'm taking Faulkner to Bloomsburg, so it feels full circle. It makes me happy that others from Bloom found what I did."