About Mark Carolino

My role at Cal State San Marcos

I work with students and alumni to help them confidently make decisions about their careers. I do this through individual appointments and workshops where we can explore career options, assess your interests, skills, and values, and create a plan for gaining experience. I am also the liaison to the College of Education, Health & Human Services (CEHHS) where I work with faculty and staff to help students in their career journeys. Come by the Career Center and say hi!

My career path

In college I majored in Communications as I was hoping to work in the media. After interning at ABC for a few years I found that the corporate environment wasn’t for me and that I really enjoyed my experiences as a peer advisor and tutor. I minored in education after this revelation and, after a gap year following graduation, pursued my Masters in Higher Education & Administration at New York University. While I was a student I worked at the Multicultural Center and volunteered at the Career Center, which eventually helped me get a job as a Career Counselor after graduation. I have since worked at UC Irvine and UC San Diego as a career counselor and am excited to continue helping students at CSU San Marcos!

The rewards in doing what I do

“What am I going to do in/after college?” is a big question and can be both exciting and anxiety-inducing. I love seeing students feel more confident about these questions and in their career-related decisions.  

My words of wisdom to students

Taking risks and trying new things can be scary, but the worst case scenario is usually not as bad as you think. You can always bounce back and learn from mistakes so try to put yourself out there (even just a little bit at a time).

In my free time

I am usually exploring (locally and long-distance) with my wife and young son. We are often at a beach, park, or eating somewhere new. Whether I am driving or walking/running I am probably listening to podcasts on topics ranging from sports and entertainment to personal finance and current events. Depending on the time of year I’m probably also keeping up with college sports, the NFL, and the NBA (Go Lakers!).