Sara Wells has devoted over 15 years to youth and workforce development. Wells is passionate about creating engaging content for diverse youth populations aimed at increasing career readiness competency. Her ultimate goal is that the students she serves will compete for the best professional opportunities no matter the resources they bring to the table.
Wells currently manages career readiness initiatives for Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success (ACES) – a unique college access program for students in Montgomery County, MD. She leads a team to create innovative, hands-on career curriculum and experiential learning models that impact 2,000 students annually, many who are the first in their family to go to college. The career readiness support model she has built follows students progressively from high school to baccalaureate degree completion. This approach includes engaging students in targeted coaching, simulation training, meaningful service learning, virtual experiences, and a toolkit of activities engaging with business professionals. To promote student success she draws on her training as a Global Career Development Facilitator and Certified Professional Résumé Writer. She recently completed a Master of Education from the University of Maryland, in which she focused her research on the development of career readiness competency in disadvantaged populations. Prior to her transition to working in higher education, she managed out-of-school-time programs for under-served primary and secondary students and helped dislocated workers reach employment transition goals. She currently serves as a leader for campus and county wide career readiness competency integration in her region and the model of progressive career competency instruction she developed has been leveraged and replicated for multiple K-16 partnerships.
The Universities at Shady Grove
Building I, Office 207
Office phone: 301-738-6276
swells12@umd.edu