Meet the CES Team

Career and Employment Services (CES), supports students with two different but overlapping aspects of career development… Career Advising and On-campus Employment.

What questions do you have? Let us help. The CES team is here for you!

If you don’t know who to reach out to, please call 253.879.3161 or send an email to ces@pugetsound.edu. Thanks!

Maya Herran

Career Advisor; Instructor: Career Awareness (EXLN 101)

Hi, I’m Maya (she/her)! I’m a Career Advisor in CES, and split my time between meeting with students & alumni for advising appointments, facilitating classroom programs, supporting networking events, and teaching EXLN 101: Intro to Experiential Learning and Career Awareness.

My favorite part about my job is getting to work with Puget Sound students, understand your hopes and aspirations, and be a partner in your career development — I have a couple of tips and tricks to offer, as well. 😊

Whether you’re just starting to think about what you might want to be when you grow up, or you’ve got a plan from A to Z, you are welcome here! I’m here to support you in your journey.

When I’m not meeting with students or facilitating programs, you can find me exploring Tacoma’s local restaurants or adding to my handmade wardrobe.

What was your first, or an early work experience that impacted your career path?
During college, I held as many as three part-time jobs at one time and was always running from work to class to work. Not only did I get the opportunity to try out lots of different things – nannying, food service, music leadership, research, telephone outreach – but I became adept at managing my time and communicating to my supervisors. Ultimately I learned that I love to connect with people, solve problems and make a positive impact, and that I prefer a fast-paced work environment. I’ve found lots of different ways to do those things vocationally, including in my role here at CES!

What did you learn in your major field of study that you currently use in your work?
I studied psychology and anthropology, and my degree taught me so much that I’ve used in my work with other people! One of the biggest takeaways was the importance of perception to the human experience. Sometimes we go into college thinking there’s a right and wrong answer to every question. Through my coursework, I learned that in most scenarios, there are actually many right choices – what matters more is the motivation for the choice and the level to which an individual feels autonomy and ownership of that choice. I use this in my work with students making decisions about their futures – even when it’s challenging to hear that I don’t have one “right” answer, we work together to think through what might be a right next step for you in your journey.

What is your favorite location/event/hidden gem/thing about Tacoma?
If you take a 15-minute walk from campus to the pedestrian bridge on Yakima Ave, there’s an amazing loop through a residential area that I love to walk. It starts on West Road and opens up to a beautiful view of Commencement Bay, with Brown’s Point and Vashon Island in the background. It’s a quiet walk that feels like a secret and I often find myself heading in that direction after a day of work to relax and see the beauty that is right in our neighborhood!