I was initially directed to the Center by my wife who had had a helpful experience there a few years earlier. I agreed to contact the Center, despite believing that I would not qualify, as I was neither a woman nor a University of Michigan graduate. Much to my surprise I was invited to come by to discuss my needs and to learn about the Center’s services. It was at this point that I met Lily Jarman-Reisch and began working with her. Her help and guidance would be invaluable to my getting the type of job I was seeking.

The most important contributions provided by Lily and CEW were of a psychological and emotional nature. CEW became a venue of hopefulness for me through this process. My weekly meetings with Lily and the CEW team were imbued with positivism and encouragement. I was always told that I was a good candidate, that I had valuable experience and that any company would be happy to have me. I was encouraged to “follow my dream”. This message, framed in a structured job search format and process, sped me along a path that ended up with my getting precisely the type of job I was searching for. The Center’s positivism and encouragement really let the way."

Calvin M. Johnson,
Participant in CEW's Professional Placement Program.