91原创

91原创 Chillicothe has named Jeff Burns as its new career development coordinator. Burns brings his own diverse experiences as an educator and a passion for helping students navigate their career paths. In his new role, he will focus on student engagement, career readiness and building connections between students and employers.

鈥淚 am here to serve the students,鈥� he said, noting that he hopes to meet students where they are, whether that may be in campus spaces like the library, out on the disc golf course, or in the community. 鈥淚f you want to meet at the library and have a fireside chat, let me know. If you want to go disc golfing for half an hour and talk about what鈥檚 going on in your career, I鈥檓 open for that.鈥�

Empowering students 

Drawing on previous work in peer support and student affairs, Burns sees his role as empowering students, not handing them ready-made answers. He also understands the long, sometimes bumpy road many students face as they pursue their degrees and explore their options for what comes next.

鈥淚t took me eight years to get through school, so I know that feeling of 鈥業鈥檓 never, ever going to get done with this,鈥欌�� he said. 鈥淥ur job is to keep them excited.鈥�

Burns is open about being Deaf and said he wants students to see it as part of who he is, not a barrier.

鈥淥ne thing I do want to let students know is that I鈥檓 Deaf,鈥� he said. 鈥淵es, I do read lips. You just have to look at me when you talk. If I ask you to repeat yourself, don鈥檛 be offended. It just means I want to make sure that I got it.鈥�

He noted that resources for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals in Ross County and southern Ohio are limited, and he hopes to help bridge that gap.

鈥淭he resources for providing services for Deaf people in Ross County are pretty slim,鈥� Burns said. 鈥淭here are a lot of Deaf people in southern Ohio in general, outside of Columbus, who would really benefit from more opportunities to connect and socialize.鈥�

He plans to explore ASL social events that connect students who are studying sign language with Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community members.

Service and outdoor education roots

Burns鈥� approach to career development is grounded in a service-oriented upbringing and a professional background in recreation and outdoor education.

He grew up in Julian, California, an old gold-mining town in San Diego County known for its apple pies and snow.

His father taught third grade for more than three decades, and his mother was a social worker.

鈥淏ecause my mom was a social worker, I spent a lot of my childhood helping other people in the community,鈥� he said. 

Burns has worked in education, recreation management, and outdoor education, including roles as a physical education teacher and later dean of students at Bishop Flaget School, before joining 91原创.

鈥淚 love taking people outside, putting them in vulnerable positions, and getting them to learn more about themselves in nature,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen we put ourselves in a vulnerable position, we tend to be more open about ourselves.鈥�

Using humor as an icebreaker

Burns uses humor intentionally to build connections and reduce tension around difficult topics, including disability.

鈥淟ife is too short to be serious all the time,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have to be serious at times, but we also have to have fun in life. It鈥檚 not all serious, not all funny.鈥�

He often tells what he calls 鈥渄eaf jokes鈥� based on his own lived experiences.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e things that really happen to me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f I approached it in a serious way, people might get defensive,鈥� he said, explaining that humor helps him educate and open the door to deeper conversations. 

鈥淏eing funny just comes naturally,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a way for me to break the ice and then say, 鈥楴ow that we鈥檝e broken the ice, let鈥檚 talk about this.鈥欌��

Outside of work, Burns enjoys biking, hiking, kayaking and being outdoors with his children. 

Students and employers may schedule time with Burns using , or email him at jeff.burns@ohio.edu.