The story behind PathAdvisor
In 2023, Career Key’s CEO Juliet Jones-Vlasceanu noticed three trends,
- Increasing accessibility of Generative AI and AI-related technology
- Intensifying attacks on the value and existence of higher education
- Growing crisis in student and faculty well-being
Not wanting to leave Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Silicon Valley “tech bros,” Juliet looked for ways to harness AI in an ethical, science-based way to strengthen the well-being of college students and the faculty that teach, mentor and support them.
Leveraging Career Key’s proprietary counseling psychology, academic and career advising content, she and her team began work on publishing PathAdvisor courseware. While we believe all majors have value, it’s not easy for students to know what’s best to choose for their long-term well-being. PathAdvisor teaches them how to make those decisions.
2023 launch in VitalSource with 40+ faculty at the University of Alabama-Tuscaloosa
After 2 years of using Career Key assessments, Culverhouse College of Business at the University of Alabama – Tuscaloosa began using Career Key’s new courseware (now PathAdvisor) for their first-year business class, “Exploring Your Path.”
Purchased in the UA University Supply Store through Inclusive Access in VitalSource, Culverhouse students learn about themselves and explore Alabama majors where they will thrive. Over 3,000 students and over 40 faculty at Culverhouse now use PathAdvisor. They join other top U.S. and Canadian universities such as Kansas State University who use Career Key assessments and PathAdvisor.
Family-owned, independent
Because Career Key is family and woman owned, Juliet has the freedom to run the company and create products without compromising its independence and integrity. She practically grew up on the N.C. State University campus, where her father and Career Key’s founder Dr. Lawrence K. Jones, NCC was a counseling psychology professor in the College of Education. If you want an alternative to “corporatization” of education that strengthens students’ academic and career well-being, you’ve come to the right place.
If this sounds like the right approach to you, considering adding PathAdvisor as an assignment in your next semester’s course. It’s surprisingly easy to do.
All college majors have value. All majors can lead to financial well-being, that a person has enough money to do the things they want to do. Success is about well-being, not wealth.
Juliet Jones-Vlasceanu, J.D., GCDF, CEO of Career Key, PathAdvisor publisher
We believe…
- Higher education is valuable and necessary for a strong and prosperous society.
- All majors lead to students’ financial well-being (where a person has enough to do the things they want to do). But each major needs an intentional, personalized, flexible plan for postgraduate success.
- Helping college students take action and make confident, postgraduate plans is not “corporatizing” higher education. “Career” is not a bad word, but “underemployment” is.
- We should use artificial intelligence to enhance humans, not replace their judgment.