New Staff Member Spotlight: Ralph Dickinson

Tell us a bit about yourself and your professional background.

I have worked extensively in higher education, career development, social services and the arts. I have directed programs and provided instruction in a variety of subjects including technology, visual arts, health education, independent living, disability justice, writing and math. I come to Purchase from CUNY’s Lehman College, where I directed a program that provided training and employment services for people at risk for homelessness. I previously managed the studio and editing lab at the School of Animation & Visual Effects at Academy of Art University. I hold an MA in Education with a Concentration in Instructional Technologies from San Francisco State University and a BA in Humanities with an Emphasis in Film and Culture from the University of California at Berkeley.

What drew you to Purchase College?

I grew up in Westchester but I was always drawn to the culture of the San Francisco area, where I was born and still had family. After living in California for many years, I was drawn back to New York by my friend group from childhood, who had stayed active in film, music and the arts. Purchase has the perfect mix of culture for me, with its progressive approach to education and lifestyle, and its vibrant arts community with access to New York City. Working at the Career Development Center allows me to continue the work that I did at CUNY - helping people connect their skills and interests to meaningful careers.

Tell us about the Career Development Center and any new or interesting initiatives people may not know about. What should staff know about the CDC?

We have a great team and great services, which we publicize widely. However, students often don’t know about our services and don’t come to the Career Development Center until they’re seniors, if ever. For instance, many students don’t know that we can help them find credit-bearing internships and provide stipends if their internships are unpaid.

A new initiative we have is Internship Registration Week, which will happen at the beginning and end of each semester. Fall 2025 saw a record number of stipends awarded to students because of outreach and initiatives like this. We already work with staff in many departments and we would ask them to let students know about our services and actively connect them to us. We’ve also helped departments that have lost funding for positions create internships to replace those positions.

On Tuesday, January 13, the Career Development Center will be the featured department at the PSC Lunch Club at 12:00pm where we will share more about how we support students through career exploration, internships, interviews, and professional development opportunities. We will also be accepting donations of lightly used professional clothing for the Professional Closet to help students prepare for interviews, internships, and career events.

What’s a fun fact that people might not know about you?

I was elected mayor of my second-grade class. I shared that at CUNY and a colleague still calls me “Mr. Mayor.”

I also play in a band in which we write our own music called The Collators.

The PSC Communications committee would like to thank Ralph for taking the time to introduce himself to us! Welcome, Ralph!