Testimonials
I have worked alongside Marian for twelve years at the University of Georgia Career Center and watched her evolve into a professional who has the career management skills and diversity and inclusion background to add significant value and perspective to any organization – higher education or corporate!Scott Williams, Executive Director, University of Georgia Career Center
Dr. Marian Higgins is a contributing facilitator at UGA Training and Development. Dr. Higgins’ teaching style combines passion, academic expertise, and a wealth of experience in Higher Ed. She successfully encourages adult students to be active learners by using a variety of engaging activities in the classroom. Her method promotes a spirit of discovery through participation. Dr. Higgins’ approach is successful, in part, because of her ability to make valuable one-on one connections in the classroom. In this way she is part mentor, part instructor and is a vital part of accomplishing our mission of creating a more educated workforce at UGA.Vickie Coker, Senior Professional Development Leader, University of Georgia Human Resources
Dr. Marian Higgins has been in the forefront in disrupting career development and how we think about diversity and inclusion. In my experience, Dr. Higgins has been thoughtful and respectful in providing safe spaces to have dialogue about diversity and inclusion for students and for staff.Sarah Park, Associate Director, Industry Relations, UCLA
Dr. Marian Higgins is one of the most amazing and accomplished professionals that I have had the privilege to meet. The Georgia Career Development Association was honored to have her speak for one of our events on the topic of, “An Ethical Dilemma: Bias and the Implications for Career Development Professionals”. Her keynote address was factual, well organized, and intriguing to the listener. She presented in a positive manner that clearly created a strong rapport with the audience. From group participation, to NCDA Code connections, to theory applications, and case studies that were discussed, Marian received multiple excellent survey reviews.I highly recommend Dr. Higgins as a keynote or webinar speaker in any professional organization.Debra Ruddell, MS, MCC, DCC, Georgia Career Development Association, President
Dr. Higgins presentation of Diversity & Inclusion in Career Services was a masterful illustration of how college demographics are changing and how career services practitioners need to adapt to meet the needs of our students. Dr. Higgins’ unique presentation style blended current research and real-world applications to illustrate how career services can better meet the needs of a diverse student population and prepare them for the transition to the global workforce.Dr. Robert Shindell, Vice President & Chief Learning Officer, Intern Bridge, Inc.
I’ve worked with Dr. Higgins in many capacities over the past six years. She has served as a supportive and caring direct supervisor, efficient and attentive campus partner, and a thoughtful and honest mentor.As a speaker and presenter, she is able to easily adapt her facilitation style to engage her audience and create an atmosphere that is welcoming and inclusive of all voices and identities.
As a campus partner, Dr. Higgins has consistently supported the mission of the T. Howard Foundation (THF) to diversify the media and entertainment industry by helping us identify and recruit diverse talent
for our open internship positions. Because of Dr. Higgins’ advocacy, over 26 UGA students from underrepresented populations have been placed into competitive THF internships at global media and entertainment companies.
I’ve witnessed the hard work and diligence she’s put into her D&I research as a scholar and the care and compassion she shows in her coaching and advising. Dr. Higgins is a passionate and loyal advocate for the needs of her clients, employer partners, and her local community.Shakira Smiler, Associate Manager, Special Programs, T. Howard Foundation
Marian Higgins was the key conduit for helping to drive Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) minority recruiting at UGA for the past 7 years. Her development and facilitation of diversity panels and professional development workshops has yielded outstanding results for attracting and developing minority students into the MLT program. Many of these students have yielded great corporate roles in top organizations including Deloitte, Google, P&G, Clorox, LinkedIn, and General Mills to name a few.Rishal Stanciel, Senior Career Coach and Recruiter, Management Leadership for Tomorrow
Dr. Higgins was the keynote speaker at the Kentucky Association of Colleges and Employers Fall 2018 Conference. We had the honor of hearing her speak about diversity, inclusion, and equity in career development & recruiting. She definitely enlightened attendees and made them think. We were made aware of things that we did not think of prior to Dr. Higgins joining us. With her speech and tips, we hope to be able to see differently and make changes where necessary in our organizations. She was great to work with and would do it again in a heartbeat. She is worth whatever you are offering plus more.Caroline Houchins, President, Kentucky Association of Colleges and Employers
Dr. Marian Higgins was the Keynote Speaker for our Fall CCDA Conference in Denver. It has been almost 4 months since was here and people are still talking about her presentation and enthusiasm. Marian’s topic was about inclusion, diversity and social justice in Career Development. She instantly brought energy into the room and inspired everyone to think hard about the way we approach the subject. One attendee said it was a “breath of fresh air because it was more than Diversity 101”. She spoke to our hearts and pushed us to think about what we would do differently and the impact we could make. Marian received a standing ovation, something I have not seen at this conference before. She is engaging and empowering and wonderful to work with. Do not hesitate to call upon her as a presenter!Karen Adducci, Career Development Specialist, Regis University, Denver, CO-Board Member for the Colorado Career Development Association
Dr. Marian Higgins joined the North Carolina Association of Colleges & Employers annual conference as a keynote speaker / facilitator. With an audience of 150+ attendees, she seamlessly guided the group through critical diversity, equity, and inclusion frameworks in an engaging and interactive way. I was deeply impressed with her ability to zero in with depth on such important work to the Career Development & Recruiting industry with a room of professionals at various career stages and awareness of best practices in facilitating equitable and inclusive strategies. Her method of speaking and engagement is a clear testament to her expertise, energy, and commitment to the work. I would recommend Dr. Higgins for any professional development meeting, conference event, or team development workshop.Tiffany Waddell Tate, MA - President of North Carolina Association of Colleges & Employers