“I was hurt because it wasn’t based on discipline, it was based on cost-savings,” he said.
Vogler, who had previously earned an associate degree in sales/marketing at Cincinnati State, enrolled at Xavier University to complete a bachelor’s of liberal arts with a concentration in organizational leadership.
After starting and stopping the degree intermittently for years, he completed the 12 credits he needed in about nine months, then volunteered to be a mentor for Xavier undergraduates who are nearing completion of their degree and will soon be applying for work themselves.
His “mentee” is 22-year-old Samantha Bodner, a sports marketing major he meets on a regular basis to discuss resume tips, interviewing skills, LinkedIn strategies and worldly advice aimed at helping her finding a job.
Vogler, 47, also helped Bodner network with a recruiting company and connected her with professionals for resume advice.
“ ‘His big message there is ‘You can never give up.’ A door closes, he opens another one by finishing his education,” she said.
Jennifer Franchak of Liberty Twp., who serves as associate director of Xavier University’s Career Services Center, recruited Vogler for the mentoring program.
“I really saw some passion there,” she said. “One of the ideals that we promote at Xavier University is ‘men and women for others.’ At the time of graduation, it’s very much instilled in students to give back the privilege they received from ... being able to go to college.”
Franchak said Vogler could really relate to Bodner ‘‘in a way in which maybe some of other mentors can’t or have to really work hard to channel,” she said. “He really cares about her and her development.”
Vogler said he loves being part of Xavier’s mentoring program.
“I’m a point in my life where I want to pay forward and share what someone else helped me do, as far as leadership and provide someone with the experiences that I’ve already had ... so they can develop quickly in today’s environment,” he said. “Going through a job change in a period that I did, a lot of things changed. If I can pass that along to someone else, that’s the right thing to do.”
Vogler’s advice to Bodner paid off dividends for his own career. By staying focused on networking, he eventually was hired back by Grainger in November as an inventory solutions manager.
While the position doesn’t pay as much as his previous one, it does allow him to maintain the same amount of time off and retain his retirement benefits.
“I’m not hung up on titles,” he said. “I’m hung up on taking care of my family.”
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