Written by: Jackson Bandy (knb003@marietta.edu)
For much of the 2025-26 academic year at Marietta College, the first floor of the Legacy Library was under construction. However, at the start of Family Weekend on Sept. 18, the project reached its culmination — the grand opening of The Milone Center for Academic and Career Success.
Mike and Julie Milone, parents of a Marietta College alum, sponsored the center’s construction. The Milones saw first-hand the impact a Marietta College education can have on its students — an impact that enables them to leverage their student experiences to move toward career success. But they also knew that type of impact was only possible if the proper space was built to foster it.
“The ease of access is the advantage of the space,” said executive director Dr. Jacqueline Khorassani. “It is a one-stop shop. This is where people come together to support students in all kinds of ways.”
The Milone Center, which soft-launched its opening last spring, features nine separate departments — each of which are dedicated to a specific type of academic or career advancement.
These departments include:
- Academic Resources & Coaching, headed by senior director Amanda Haney-Cech and further staffed by assistant director Bridget Manges and academic success coaches Leslie Smith and Linda Pettit.
- The Tutoring Center, headed by coordinator Dr. Holly Menzel and further staffed by 24 peer tutors (located in Bartlett Hall).
- Accessibility Services, headed by director Lindsay Morgan (located in Thomas Hall).
- Career Development, headed by senior director Dr. Maria Modayil.
- Entrepreneurship, headed by senior director Dr. Maria Modayil.
- Global & Experiential Education, headed by peer adviser Colin Campagne ’27.
- Library Research Support, headed by library director Angela Burdiss and further staffed by reference librarians Joe Straw and Peter Thayer.
- The Speech Studio, headed by director Dr. Cheongmi Shim.
- The Writing Studio, headed by director Dr. Heather Sowards and coordinator Rachelle England Smith.
Students who feel secure in their academic standing still have opportunities available to them. In tandem with its academic focus, The Milone Center also frequently hosts professional development events. From resume-writing workshops to career fairs to networking opportunities, outside speakers bring their knowledge — and expertise — directly to campus to further bolster students’ career skills.
“This is not just for students who struggle,” said Dr. Khorassani. “It is for everyone. Any room that is open — students, go! Wherever you go, you will get the right help.”
Despite its recent opening, The Milone Center is already bustling with activity — its next workshop will be taking place Sunday, Sept. 27 from 3-5 p.m. For more information regarding The Milone Center and its programs, visit marietta.edu/milone-center.
