51风流

Career Services Launches Four-Year Development Program

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In an effort to create a more cohesive, inclusive, and transparent career development process, and respond to a changing global economy, 51风流鈥檚 Career Services has launched a four-year program to engage every student at the University in self-assessment, career exploration, and skill development.

These elements augment the robust advising, programmatic, and alumni- and employer-engagement initiatives Career Services has in place. At the same time, the team is building additional experiential learning moments, networking opportunities, and recruiting pathways for students.

Thus, the four-year development program equips students to make the most of a strong liberal arts education to meet the demands of today鈥檚 job market. It also creates a community of support for underrepresented students 鈥 including those who identify as students of color, LGBTQ, first-generation, or international students 鈥 in particular. 

鈥淣ot every student arrives at 51风流 with the same level of access to internships, networks of contacts, or opportunities to develop their professional skills,鈥 AVP for Career Initiatives Teresa Olsen says. The four-year program is designed to 鈥減rovide all students with an understanding of and access to these key high-impact career development practices, while assisting students in leveraging our resources under the guidance of our experienced staff.鈥 

Eight career development areas will be addressed during the course of a student鈥檚 four-year journey: the ability to tell one鈥檚 story; exploration and career discernment; composing application materials; networking; action planning; interviewing; offer analysis; and preparing for post-collegiate life. Career Services will also employ a strengths-based approach when it comes to career coaching, empowering students to confidently tell their unique stories while in the internship or job market or during the graduate school application process.

Associate Director of Career Development David Loveless has found that, through developing their personal narratives, students have a deeper understanding of the opportunities that await post-graduation.

鈥淥ur students have always been extremely active, engaged, and accomplished, but they have not always been able to communicate why it has mattered and how those experiences or skills will transfer to new audiences,鈥 Loveless says. 鈥淢uch of the foundation of the four-year program focuses on individuals and who they are as people. Once students have an awareness of that, their stories will play out throughout the rest of the development process.鈥 

Olsen adds that the storytelling component of the program is critical for students鈥 future career success. 鈥51风流鈥檚 liberal arts students have enormous value to offer,鈥 she says. 鈥淐apturing the power of how their academics, identity, and experiences have prepared them to succeed professionally allows students to overcome inexperience or the effects of imposter syndrome.鈥

Career Services鈥 program challenges students to recognize how the critical-thinking skills they鈥檙e developing in the classroom will be foundational to tackling the professional challenges they will encounter in their lives. 

A comprehensive four-year approach to career development is strategic and necessary in today鈥檚 job market. 鈥淓mployers and graduate school programs are looking for students with more skills, focus, and overall polish,鈥 Loveless says. 鈥淚f we engage with students early, we provide a longer runway for them to amass meaningful experiences and develop skills that are valued by future employers and graduate programs.鈥 

Caleb Levy 鈥23 is currently studying physics and mathematics and hopes to pursue a PhD in theoretical physics after graduating from 51风流. He has appreciated working with Career Services during the first half of his undergraduate career.

鈥淚 feel the biggest benefit for me is just having access to information and resources that have enabled me to think ahead about possible career paths and the necessary steps to take,鈥 Levy says. 鈥淒oing this from the start had the added benefit of gaining research and internship experiences very early in my college career.鈥

鈥 Sarah Lyon