Ben Hansen
President

University of Minnesota

Ben Hansen serves as the Associate Director for Employer Relations supporting CCAPS, CDes, and CFANS within Career & Internship Services at the University of Minnesota. With over 16 years of experience in career development, Ben brings deep expertise in both career counseling and employer engagement. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a Master of Science in College Counseling and Student Development from St. Cloud State University. Outside of work, Ben enjoys traveling with his family and has been to 36 countries and 30 states so far.

Melissa Scholten
Past President

Southwest Minnesota State University

Melissa Scholten serves as the Director of Career Services and the Center for Civic and Community Engagement at Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU). She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from SMSU and a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology with a focus on Career Development from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. Melissa is a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach and a Certified Practitioner of the MBTI (Step I and Step II Instruments). With 15 years of experience in career services and higher education, she is deeply invested in the evolution of these fields and the broader world of work. Outside of her professional life, Melissa enjoys reading, biking, cooking, traveling, and spending quality time with her husband and two children.

Lucas Vetsch
Treasurer

Hamline University

Lucas Vetsch is a Career Development Specialist in the Career Development Center at Hamline University. In his role, he partners with students, faculty, staff, employers, and alumni to integrate career development throughout the student experience. Lucas provides individualized career coaching, develops career education programming, collaborates with campus partners to embed career readiness into the curriculum, and creates resources that empower students to explore majors, gain experience, and prepare for life after graduation. He is also a Gallup-Certified CliftonStrengths Coach and enjoys helping students identify and leverage their unique strengths in their academic and career journeys.

Lucas earned his B.A. in Psychology and Sociology from the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University and his M.S. in College Counseling and Student Development from St. Cloud State University. Outside of work, Lucas enjoys making the most of Minnesota's beautiful weather by hiking, relaxing in a hammock, spending time near the water, and exploring local breweries and cafés in search of a great brew.

Mia Smith
Secretary

Macalester College

Mia Smith is the Exploratory Career Advisor at Macalester College. She works with all students, but primarily focuses on facilitating opportunities for first- and second-year students to reflect on and develop their values, interests, and strengths. She holds a B.A. in Educational Studies and Geography from Macalester College. Prior to her current role, Mia worked in college access, employer engagement, and food service.

Ethan Aronson
Member-at-Large, Professional Development Committee Liaison

College of Saint Benedict & Saint John's University

Top 5 CliftonStrengths: Adaptability – Empathy – Belief – Connectedness – Intellection

Ethan Aronson is the Associate Director for Community Engagement at the College of Saint Benedict & Saint John's University. Ethan's main focus is on building a Mentorship-Centered Community - creating comprehensive & curated pathways for students to connect with valuable mentorship opportunities throughout their college experience... and beyond.

He brings over 25 years of nonprofit/community development work; a solid amount of international & national experience of either living, learning, working, and/or exploring in 16 different countries and all 50 states; some decent barista props; wicked good driving skills; and a ton of passion for seeing students explore, do, reflect, and connect!

He loves helping students explore personal & professional growth by creating spaces & pathways to engage in transformative mentorship -- encouraging students to connect the unique dots in their own lives to the opportunities & experiences that will empower them to grow & to contribute to the "greater good."

Jae Louwagie
Member-at-Large, Diversity and Inclusion Committee Liaison

Hamline University

Jae Louwagie (they/them) is a Career Development Specialist at Hamline University who brings more than 5 years of experience in higher education to their current role. They are especially interested in providing individualized support that is rooted in equity. Jae holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion from Wartburg College in Waverly, IA, as well as a Master of Arts degree in Postsecondary Education: Student Affairs from the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, IA. Their previous and current roles have prioritized Career Development, Academic Advising, Residence Life, and Equity & Belonging. In their free time, Jae enjoys playing any one of the 7 instruments they’ve learned to varying levels of proficiency and being outside: either on a bike, playing tennis, spending time by water, tossing around a softball, or playing yard games.