Carolyn Brodnicki Serdar '99 '02

From her earliest days, Carolyn Brodnicki Serdar '99 '02 had a unique connection to Lewis University. "As a high school student, I volunteered behind the scenes at the Philip Lynch Theater. I fell in love with the faculty, staff, and students, as well as the theater program curriculum," she recalled. Lewis University was already part of her life, as her parents worked at the university, and frequent visits to the campus made her appreciate its beauty and community.

At Lewis, Carolyn found a place where she could challenge herself and discover her vocation through supportive experiences like campus ministry and the theater program. She immersed herself in campus life, engaging in various clubs, organizations, and activities that forged deep friendships. "Some of my favorite activities included joining the Peer Ministry program and starting the college’s first LGBTQ+ club," she says. Her involvement in the Koinonia retreat, the church choir, and a service trip to Appalachia with the campus ministry program left lasting impressions.

Academically, she thrived in her psychology and theater classes, feeling a strong sense of community and belonging from her professors and staff. "Lewis instilled a sense of confidence in my evolving abilities, which led me to pursue new ideas like writing a regular column for the school newspaper," she shared.

During a pivotal advising session in her sophomore year, her theater professor, Dr. Keith White, gave her the hard truth that an acting career might not be in her future. "He taught me how a theater degree can support so many different occupations, including teaching and leading others," she explains. Her psychology professor equipped her with skills to understand people, transforming her approach in her current work.

Immediately after graduating, Carolyn worked as a stage manager in professional Chicago theater, determined to use her theater degree. However, her desire for stability led her to social work, bringing her back to Lewis to study Counseling Psychology. During that time, she discovered a passion for teaching, prompting her to pursue a Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky. Though she left her program ABD, she found her calling in higher education, working in career services.

Today, Carolyn leads The Aspire Center at Carthage College, a nationally award-winning career center. She guides a team of ten staff members to help students develop skills for today's job market. Throughout her career, she has relied on her liberal arts education to speak confidently, think strategically, and connect with diverse backgrounds. "Lewis prepared me with skills for a lifetime of pivoting when things don’t always go as planned," she notes. Her career is her "way of giving back to others, the way Lewis poured support into my life," she says.

Carolyn credits Lewis with emphasizing the importance of kindness and teamwork. "The theater program instilled in me the idea that you must be kind to everyone because we need everyone to make the show a success," she emphasized. This lesson extends into her professional life, where she is committed to building relationships with all staff members, recognizing their essential roles, and creating success.

Her advice to future Flyers is, “Say YES! Take advantage of every opportunity. You never know where your network will develop or if you’ll discover a new skill until you give it a try. These moments may not make sense in college, but later you will thank your younger self for trying new things.”

Carolyn Brodnicki Serdar '99 '02 is a Flyer who maximized her Lasallian education at Lewis to develop a strong sense of self to find her life’s calling. Her story is a testament to the impact a Lewis experience can have and exemplifies how our alumni are succeeding in making a positive impact in our world.