Dee Polat joined the Feld Center for Career & Alumni Engagement in January 2024 as Director of Alumni Engagement, bringing 18 years of experience advancing student, alumni, and institutional engagement within higher education. Her background spans alumni engagement, strategic planning, advancement and fundraising, industry relations, career services, program and event management, CRM strategy, marketing, and cross-functional partnership development.

Prior to joining Boston University, Dee served as a Career Counselor and GEL Instructor at California State University, where she supported students and alumni in career exploration and professional development, served as the career liaison to the College of Business Administration, and taught a required career readiness course for first-year students.

Previously, as Assistant Director of Alumni Career Engagement at the University of San Diego, Dee helped launch and expand several initiatives designed to support a community of more than 65,000 alumni, including a university-wide mentorship program, alumni job board, and webcast series. She also co-led the university’s annual hiring campaign. Earlier in her career, as Associate Director of Alumni Engagement at St. Joseph’s University, she oversaw recent alumni programming and helped rebrand and expand mentorship, webinar, and alumni council engagement initiatives for the Brooklyn campus.

In addition to her higher education experience, Dee is a Professional Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation and previously worked as an outplacement coach with the global career transition firm IMPACT Group, providing individualized career coaching and job-search support to professionals navigating transition.

Dee brings an international perspective shaped by having lived, studied, and/or worked in Turkey, Russia, Germany, and the United States. She holds a BA in International Relations from Bilkent University in Turkey, a Master of Public Affairs from Indiana University, a master’s degree in Leadership Studies from the University of San Diego, and a Certificate in Advanced Coaching from New York University. She is also certified in CliftonStrengths, the Strong Interest Inventory, and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.

Outside of work, Dee is a mom of three girls and enjoys baking and ice skating.