“My CEW+ counselor made me realize that there was a lot more in the world that could benefit from my English education and writing background. That was very confirming to me.” 

Like many others in our community, Mary Princing (BA ‘60) first came to CEW+ when she was considering a career change.

Princing, a lifelong writer and lover of literature, majored in English at the University of Michigan. When she graduated, Princing thought that her English degree meant that she was destined to become either a lawyer or a teacher — and she didn’t want to go to law school.

So Princing spent the first part of her career teaching middle and high school English. After taking a break from teaching to raise her children, she knew she wanted to return to work — just not teaching. “I loved, loved, loved the kids, but teaching just wasn’t the right fit for me,” Princing said. 

It was then that Princing stumbled on CEW+. “I just walked in the door,” Princing said. “I told the person at the front desk that I didn’t really know what I’m doing here, or what I want, but she set me up with a counselor to talk to.” The counselor helped Princing see that her English degree could open up more doors than she had imagined. “My CEW+ counselor made me realize that there was a lot more in the world that could benefit from my English education and writing background. That was very confirming to me.” 

After a couple of counseling sessions at CEW+, Princing found a job working for the PBS station at Delta College, where she hosted a half-hour television show that featured local arts and culture called Marquee. “It was fabulous,” Princing said. Her skills and personality were well-suited to the research and interviewing that the show required. 

But Marquee had a limited run of only two years, so Princing would need to find another job. She recalls that her father gave her a life-changing piece of advice: “He told me to write down everything I liked about the job and everything I didn’t like that would paint a picture of myself, a profile, that would help me decide what to do with the rest of my life.” 

When the show was wrapping up, Princing received a call one day from the general manager of a General Motors Steering Gear division who praised Princing’s work on Marquee and invited her to visit him at his office. He told Princing that the business community could benefit from her people skills and her capacity for planning and research. “He told me that I ought to start a public relations firm,” Princing said. “So a friend and I researched and planned, and one day, we started a company. Our first client was General Motors.”

Princing’s firm became a full-service public relations, marketing, and advertising company in mid-Michigan. The firm was only the second women-owned advertising company in the state. “It was a good ol’ boys network. If you’ve ever seen Mad Men, that’s the world we were working in,” Princing said.

As the business grew, Princing’s firm developed clients in Ann Arbor, including CEW+. The firm developed branding and marketing materials for CEW+, and Princing developed a close relationship with then-CEW+ Director Carol Hollenshead. “She was so fun, so capable and sure of herself,” Princing recalls of Hollenshead. 

After a successful career, Princing retired and now lives with her husband in sunny Hilton Head, South Carolina. She is a passionate advocate for the arts and is currently writing a memoir of her adventures for her family. 

Princing is still grateful for the encouragement of her CEW+ counselor. Many people feel overwhelmed in the face of a decision to change careers — and the idea that you may have to spend your life doing something for which you feel no spark can fill you with despair. But Princing urges those facing such decisions to find out who they really are, so that they can find a career that lights them up. CEW+ Counseling services are here to help. To learn more about CEW+ Career & Education Counseling, or to set up an appointment with a CEW+ counselor, please visit cew.umich.edu/counseling.