MECOP Has a New Executive Director

It is my pleasure to introduce our next Executive Director, Yuliya Dennis! This recruitment process has been ongoing for over a year with significant effort required to ensure we were diligent in selecting our next Executive Director. The Board was patient and discerning throughout this process to ensure we found the right person to lead our organization. We are excited for Yuliya to step into this role with her relevant background, experience, and passion for our mission to lead MECOP into the future! Below is a quick summary of her motivation, background, and interests:

Yuliya Dennis is committed to being a good steward of MECOP and helping the next generation of leaders reach their full professional potential. Her passion is in external relations, career development and industry/education partnerships. Most recently, she spent 5 years serving as Director of Alumni Career Services at Oregon State University (OSU) Alumni Association and managed career programs for over 200,000 OSU alumni. She also served as the Assistant Vice President of Mentor Programs for Alumni Career Services Network (ACSN) from 2018-2021. She was the recipient of the 2019 Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Rising Star award for her work in alumni relations. Yuliya received her bachelors and M.Ed in College Student Services Administration from OSU. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, biking, traveling and reading. Her motto is: Be a good steward and excellent facilitator of organizational success. She looks forward to working with MECOP members, campus partners, students, the board, and staff.

Throughout the interview process and all interactions, Yuliya’s passion for our mission has shown clearly. In her own words:

“I’m really excited to work for MECOP! I truly believe in the mission of the organization and the excellent programs it provides. I’m deeply passionate about being a good steward of MECOP in all that I do moving forward. I look forward to working with you and the rest of the board!”

THANK YOU to the Board, University Reps, and especially the Recruiting Committee members for the time, effort, and expertise required to recruit Yuliya as our next ED. Your passion for, and commitment to, this organization and our mission is unwavering and unmatched.

THANK YOU to our MECOP office staff for managing the program well and persisting through a myriad of challenges over the past ~18 months. Through tireless efforts, ingenuity, and innovation the organization has continued to WIN-WIN-WIN on behalf of all of our stakeholders – and we’ve emerged stronger and more nimble than ever as a result. A special thank you to Dustin Scott for stepping up as Interim Executive Director while we worked through the recruitment process, this was no small feat and his dedication to the success of the program is steadfast. Please join me in recognizing our staff for their efforts in your own way when you have the opportunity.

I am looking forward to the future of MECOP with a new Executive Director while personally serving the organization in a new capacity.

Onward!