March 27, 2007

Carolyn Miles Named Director of Corporate Relationship Management

She speaks the corporate language, having worked with energy companies and clients, such as the New York Stock Exchange and Goldman Sachs. Add that to her knowledge of McCombs from her two-year service as senior associate director for MBA Career Services, and Carolyn Miles is a natural fit as the Office of Resource Development’s new director of corporate relationship management.

Miles received her master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University and a bachelor's degree in political science from Indiana University. Prior to coming to McCombs, she managed public policy issues for high-level clients at Public Strategies, Inc., advised companies on strategic communications surrounding issues of investor relations and mergers and acquisitions for The Abernathy Macgregor Group, and worked as an energy consultant with Cambridge Energy Research Associates. In MBA Career Services at McCombs, Miles directed recruitment outreach, secured sponsorships and managed three major annual recruiting events. Her understanding of the corporate world, coupled with her knowledge of McCombs’ assets gives her a unique perspective.

“In my position at McCombs, I worked closely with the corporate relationship management team and I’ve seen what works,” Miles said. “I communicated with some of the same alumni and company recruiters that I’ll continue to work with as director of corporate relationship management.”

Companies often work with numerous program staff and faculty throughout the school. Miles sees the corporate relationship team as playing a vital role in driving strategy and continuity in those efforts and in making processes easier for both companies and departments.

“We provide many opportunities for corporations to gain exposure to our talent, from sponsoring student-led activities and participating in our school’s research centers to having access to faculty-led research and partnering with our career services,” said Miles.

Ultimately, she’ll be driving momentum for the dean’s strategic plan and creating alliances between the school and corporations. She’s looking forward to it, and knows McCombs has a great foundation on which to build.

“All of our academic degree programs are highly ranked, and we can offer opportunities for companies to engage with faculty and research,” she said. “We are able to connect the business world with the top talent, and there’s great opportunity to build synergies with companies.”