Justin Edwards

Dr. Justin Edwards serves as Executive Director for Career Exploration & Development at Kent State University, bringing expertise in career counseling, academic advising, and career exploration to support student professional development. He also teaches part-time in the Career Navigation course.

Dr. Edwards holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Management from Capella University, an M.S.Ed. in Counseling from Youngstown State University, and a B.S. in General Studies from Youngstown State University.

His research focuses on integrating career development conversations within academic advising appointments, leading to the development of Kent State's Career Champions Training program for faculty and staff. His work particularly serves exploratory students, K-12 education majors, and students pursuing counseling careers.

Dr. Edwards utilizes global career tools like Handshake and GoinGlobal to support geographically diverse students with job searches, visa regulations, country-specific resumes, and professional cultural advice worldwide. He emphasizes helping students identify and leverage their strengths in the workforce while developing effective professional documents and interview skills.

As an educator, he values classroom relationships and mentoring, viewing higher education as "the most important tool for individuals to seek upward social mobility and equitable access to a more fulfilling life and meaningful work."