Dara Wilson-Grant has been contributing to research at Carolina for 17 years.
Dara Wilson-Grant has worked for UNC-Chapel Hill in several roles, most recently as director of postdoctoral career and professional development for the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs within the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research.
What brought you to Carolina?
Born and raised in New York City, I never wanted to live elsewhere. But then the tragic events of 9/11 happened. I was working at the Newark, New Jersey campus of Rutgers University as a career counselor at the time. As the planes hit the World Trade Center, my colleagues and I watched from the windows of our building. I couldn’t get home to Brooklyn that night, so I stayed with family in New Jersey. The next day I rode the train with people covered in ash, and the World Trade Center stop — my stop to change trains — was gone.
In the following years, I found myself Googling “best cities to live.” Cary, North Carolina held the #4 spot, so I flew down to visit and signed an apartment lease. And as fate would have it, the perfect opportunity presented itself at Carolina, and I did not let it pass. In 2003, I joined University Career Services as the assistant director of career exploration.
How has your role here changed over the years?
Having changed careers myself, I really enjoyed the career exploration aspect of my first role at Carolina. I started my career in accounting and worked on Wall Street but wasn’t happy with that path. So, I went back to school for counseling. Having that experience has been helpful in connecting with people who are searching for what they want to do.
A couple years into my role with career services, a career coaching position opened in the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA). I wondered why this group of people with their PhDs would need counseling. And then I discovered the unique position that many postdoctoral researchers are in.
Postdocs have been students and trainees almost their whole lives, and some of them don’t understand the career options available to them. They also have financial responsibilities and sometimes families to consider as they weigh their options. Knowing the complex situations they can be in, I was immediately interested in helping them explore, plan, and advance their careers.
Since 2006, my primary responsibilities have centered on designing and leading career management workshops and providing one-on-one career coaching to our postdoc community, and this is what I am most passionate about.
One unexpected shift in my career has been sharing my expertise with others. I’ve been asked to give talks at universities, professional associations, and government agencies. Helping our postdocs succeed is rewarding. Impacting the broader community is the icing on the cake.
What’s kept you at Carolina?
It’s simple: I love what I do. Plus, I get to work with postdocs across STEM, humanities, and social sciences, which means I’m always learning something new.
What contribution are you most proud of?
At OPA, we gather data on the career paths of our postdocs after they leave Carolina. Over the years, I have received messages from some, now tenured, expressing gratitude for the personalized coaching and support we provided. I have also heard from postdocs who transitioned to non-academic careers, thanking us for building their confidence and equipping them with tools to change course successfully. It is truly satisfying to know that we have made a meaningful difference in people’s lives and helped them achieve their career goals.
What is a uniquely Carolina experience you’ve had?
While leading a career decision-making workshop in 2003, I asked first-year students what motivated them to come to UNC-Chapel Hill. Many enthusiastically said, “Roy Williams!” At the time, that meant little to me. When it came to college sports, I was oblivious. In fact, I misheard their response and thought, Roy Rogers? What an odd draw for a group of Millennials. And what’s his connection to Carolina? Needless to say, after multiple championships and even running into Coach Williams on campus, I will never confuse the two Roys again.
Rooted recognizes long-standing members of the UNC-Chapel Hill community who have aided in the advancement of research by staying at Carolina. They are crucial to the UNC Research enterprise, experts in their fields, and loyal Tar Heels. Know someone we should feature? Nominate a researcher.