When opportunity knocks, CU alumni are holding the door wide open. Shortly after graduating with her MBA, CU alumna Haley Austin (BS, Criminal Justice) found herself in conversation with alumni board member Troy Simpson at an alumni event this past spring. Simpson serves as the Senior Director of HR Shared Services at Dollar General Corporate and assured Austin that he would keep her updated with any new job opportunities.
As promised, Simpson reached out to Austin just two months later with an opportunity she couldn’t pass up. “The process happened fairly quickly, beginning with two phone interviews then an on-site, in-person interview with HR supervisors that took about three hours in total,” said Austin. “The next thing I knew, I had a job offer! Now, I’ll be able to put to use everything I’ve learned at CU the past six years!”
Austin will join the Dollar General corporate team as an employee compliance analyst in Goodlettsville, TN at the end of August. In this position, Austin will serve as the primary support for policies and procedures involving background checks and drug testing for all DG stores, distribution centers and store support centers.
While at CU, Austin always felt like she was part of a family. “The small class sizes helped me to feel like a name, not just a number,” said Austin. “I would not have made it through undergrad and grad school without the support from Dr. Mary Haley, Dr. Eric Cummings, Joe Minor, Sheridan Henson, Abby Pitts and Courtney Vick. They always provided an open door when I needed advice, and always encouraged me to do things out of my comfort zone. They were my biggest supporters when I was figuring out what steps to take as I started my career, and I wouldn’t be here without them!”
Austin wasn’t sure what her future looked like after graduation, but through the connections she made while at CU, she was able to find a position that will challenge her to reach her full potential.
“Cumberland is where I have met some of my best friends and made some of the fondest memories,” said Austin. “CU will always feel like home to me.”
To nominate someone as an alumni spotlight, email Mattie Jennings at mjennings@cumberland.edu.