Donna Milmore, assistant director of the Career Center for the past 14 years, passed away suddenly on Feb. 16. She was 63-years-old.
Dean of Campus Life Bruce Reitman announced her death to the Tufts community in an email he sent last Tuesday.
In her work at the Career Center, [Milmore] has touched the lives of thousands of Tufts undergraduates, graduate students and alumni, Reitman wrote. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.
At the Career Center, Milmore was responsible for consulting with students about careers, job searches and graduate school decisions, according to her colleagues Jean Papalia, the Career Center director, and Donna Esposito, the Career Center senior associate director.
She was really a cheerleader, Papalia said. She always really supported people and their goals and dreams and what they wanted to do.
Over the years, Milmore maintained close relationships with hundreds of students and alumni whom she worked with while they attended Tufts graduate and undergraduate programs, Papalia added.
Her office [was] always covered with postcards and thank you notes, correspondence of students and alumni as they would graduate and keep in touch with her, she said.
One such alum, Bob Curry (A 04), who began working with Milmore as a freshman in 2000, explained that he had kept in touch with Milmore since he left Tufts. Milmore also attended his childrens baptisms.
She was someone I was very close with, Curry told the Daily. I may have only talked to her once every six months, or once every three months, but she always was there.
Alumnus and Associate Director of Admissions Dan Grayson, who met with Milmore during his senior year at Tufts to discuss potential career paths, said he remembers being impressed with Milmores ability to not only give him meaningful advice in styling his resume and cover letters, but also to make him feel confident about his plans after graduation.
You need to be excited enough that seniors with no clue what they are doing and I was a senior with no clue of what I was doing can start to get excited about their own job searches and their own futures, he said. But the energy needs to be wrapped in a way that doesnt create anxiety and fear, and I think thats a tight balance to walk.
Grayson added that it was Milmore who first suggest that he look into jobs at higher education institutions.
Milmore began employment at Tufts later in life after gaining a background in public relations and marketing, according to Papalia. Having received an undergraduate degree from Suffolk University in 1976 and a Masters in public relations from Boston University in 1984, Milmore held key positions at a number of businesses, including Nicolazzo & Associates, Costello Erdlen & Company and Haymarket Consulting Group. Milmore also worked as a freelance writer for the Boston Globe until 2008.
Papalia said that Milmore considered her job at the Career Center her real passion.
This was sort of her real calling, Papalia said. She loved work everyday.
Outside of the university, Milmore, a resident of Charlestown, Mass., was an active member of the St. Mary - St. Catherine of Sienna parish and of her former parish, St. Marys of the Annunciation of Melrose. Esposito and Curry said Milmores family three grown daughters and four grandchildren composed the center of her life.
She loved children, Curry said. She babysat [her grandchildren], got to spend time with them, and that was something she always cherished. Family was always very important to her.
Carolyn Talmadge, who met Milmore as a Tufts graduate student, said she would miss the knowledge she gained from Milmore every time they spent time together.
[Milmore] was full of wisdom and advice and had the uncanny ability to make anyone feel instantly comfortable, Talmadge wrote in a letter addressed to Milmores family and friends. Her cheerful disposition and friendly attitude allowed her to light up any room and truly made her a pleasure to be around.
Papalia and Esposito agreed that Milmore quickly connected with both students and co-workers.
If you knew her for 15 minutes or 15 years, it really felt like she really knew you and really cared about you, Papalia said.
Sophomore Alexis OConnell, who works at the Career Center, and senior Meagan Edmonds both described Milmore as extremely caring and supportive.
[Milmore] went far beyond discussing resumes and cover letters, she took the time to get to know students as whole individuals, Edmonds said.
[Milmore] always made a point to make people feel very comfortable in the office, OConnell said. Most notably, she was always so grateful for the work that I and my fellow students did for her...The office is going to be very different without her.12
