“The System is Built Upside Down”: Constructing a Collaborative Model for Career Awareness” by Jacqueline Tiermini
What is your research challenge?
Many rural students graduate from high school without adequate exposure to career possibilities or a clear understanding of how their education connects to future opportunities. This lack of career awareness is often compounded by structural challenges—like limited staffing, underfunded programming, and a lack of alignment between K-12 schools, colleges, and local industries. My research sought to understand how regional partnerships can address these gaps by creating collaborative, career-connected learning experiences. The goal was to identify the systems, relationships, and practices that enable rural students to envision and pursue meaningful postsecondary pathways.
What Inspired you to do this work?
As a former special education teacher, I’ve always been drawn to supporting students who are often overlooked or underserved. Later, as a college professor teaching first-year students, I witnessed firsthand how unprepared many were for the transition from high school to whatever came next—college, careers, or beyond. I had the privilege of working on a regional grant that brought high school and college faculty together to bridge those gaps, but it didn’t go far enough. I chose Northeastern’s EdD program specifically because of its focus on action research—on doing something meaningful in the space where you live and work. I entered the program wanting to better understand this “in-between” space, and along the way, I learned more about educational systems, transitions, and the landscape of college and career readiness. I also discovered a national network of experiential learning programs that inspired me to envision something new for my region. This research became the foundation for that vision.
What is the outcome and impact of your work?
“This research affirmed my perception that rural regions like mine need stronger, more intentional systems to help students explore meaningful postsecondary pathways. The findings showed that while many schools care deeply about career readiness, they often lack the cross-sector coordination, sustainable staffing, and shared language needed to make those efforts effective and equitable. The most successful partnerships were grounded in trust, student identity development, and a balance between workforce needs and student agency.
This work also pushed me to move from insight to action. Shortly after completing my study, I proposed and was awarded multi-year grant funding to design and lead the Finger Lakes Mosaic Collective—a program that brings rural high school students to our community college campus to work on real-world projects for business and nonprofit partners. Mosaic is rooted in everything I learned from my research: the importance of experiential learning, the need for educator and employer collaboration, and the power of helping students see themselves in new futures.
The impact continues to grow. My study has informed ongoing conversations about career-connected learning in our region and has shaped professional development for educators and partners across sectors. More than anything, it gave me a clearer sense of purpose—and the tools to make something tangible and lasting for the students and communities I serve.”
What’s next for you?
“Since completing my dissertation, I’ve already begun applying my findings through the launch of the Finger Lakes Mosaic Collective, a regional initiative that offers high school students real-world, project-based learning experiences in partnership with local businesses. This work has been grant-funded through 2027, and I am currently focused on scaling it sustainably, strengthening district and employer partnerships, and measuring long-term student outcomes.
Looking ahead, I plan to use this research as a platform to inform policy and funding conversations around rural career-connected learning. I hope to publish practitioner-facing pieces, consult with other communities exploring similar models, and contribute to a broader conversation about how to redesign educational systems that better serve students in the space between high school and what comes next. I’m also exploring opportunities to expand the Mosaic model into new regions, adapting it to reflect local strengths and needs.
This research has become the foundation for the next chapter of my career. It continues to guide how I lead, design, advocate, and serve.”
Connect with Jacqueline on LinkedIn.
