Parents can play an important role encouraging their students to keep the future in sight as they navigate their college experience. Internship, graduate school and career planning should begin early. The Vocatio Center has resources, events and personalized help available for Â鶹ÊÓƵ students.
Resources for Parents
Parents can play an important role encouraging their students to keep the future in sight as they navigate their college experience. Internship, graduate school and career planning should begin early. The Vocatio Center has resources, events and personalized help available for Â鶹ÊÓƵ students.
Encourage Your Student
College can be such an exciting, fun, challenging, and overwhelming time for students and parents alike. It is a season of letting go and looking ahead. Some students begin with the end in mind, while others search for the paths they are to take. Parents continue to play important roles in their students' lives. It is important for students to be encouraged to look for the gifts the Lord has uniquely crafted in them and how to use those gifts for His glory. As your student prepares for the career the Lord has laid out for them, encourage them to do their best and to enjoy this time of preparation. Trust the Lord to lead them well, and as their time at Â鶹ÊÓƵ concludes, you will be able to look back and rejoice over what the Lord has done. — Amy Eads ('95) Â鶹ÊÓƵ Parent
The Four-Year Plan
Freshman Year | Start early
Start Early. Listen, Explore, Set Goals, & Participate.
Start your life calling and career planning early by trying out classes that interest you in addition to taking core classes which will give you a firm foundation in the Liberal Arts. Pursue excellence in your academics.
Explore majors/disciplines to find out what they are really about.
Explore graduate schools to find out early about specific areas of expertise and the preparation and academic requirements necessary to get into outstanding programs.
Look carefully at all the options for involvement outside of class where you can develop transferable skills. Think about areas of service where you can be utilized for God's glory.
Think about what you most want to get out of your college experience.
Develop tentative short- and long-range personal goals.
Take the Myers-Briggs personality profile through the Vocatio Center for professional assessment and interpretation.
Identify interests, values, and abilities through Vocatio Center programs and printed resources/books (i.e. What Color is Your Parachute). As a believer, it is your responsibility to utilize and understand your giftedness and to seek to apply those gifts for service worthy of your calling (Romans 12).
Explore different life calling and career fields and gather information about options by talking with professionals and reading vocational interests books, articles, and other resources. Talk with faculty.
Visit the Vocatio Center to secure an appointment for an initial intake interview to discuss your academic, life calling, and career goals and to begin developing your professional documents such as the résumé, cover letter, portfolio, etc.!
Log on to Handshake to update your personal and academic profile so that you can begin networking at the very beginning of your college career. Through Handshake you may find a Servant Leadership opportunity or a University mentor-both will support you in pursuing your goals.
Sophomore Year | Stay focused
Stay Focused! Explore More, Decide, Self-Assess, Re-assess, Shadow a Professional.
Further explore academic disciplines/majors of interest.
Decide on a major. Work diligently towards academic excellence in your field.
Find a "sub-group" where you can feel a part and exercise your abilities and skills and grow personally and professionally as you move further into your college career.
Shadow someone in your field of interest and continue exploration of life calling and career options. Visit the Vocatio Center to get assistance securing a job shadowing assignment.
Take full advantage of in-depth opportunities for self-assessment of strengths, unique abilities, interests, personality types, and values. Schedule an appointment with a Life Calling and Career professional.
Consider career-related internships, practica, volunteer opportunities, and independent study options.
Re-assess your life calling and career interests, abilities, and values to ensure that you are on track with God's calling for your life.
Participate in best-fit on-campus mentoring and recruitment opportunities available.
Conduct informational interviews to learn more about the real world of work and career options.
Identify possible internship areas available through your academic department and/or the Vocatio Center.
Begin your internship research and begin to apply for opportunities. The Vocatio Center can help with interview prep for your summer internship opportunity prior to your junior year!
Log on to Handshake to update your personal and academic profile so that you can continue networking at the beginning of your college career. Through Handshake you may find a Servant Leadership opportunity, a University mentor, or an on- or off-campus internship-each will support you in pursuing your goals.
Junior Year | Aspire
Aspire. Research Grad Schools and Professional Internships.
Participate in the Vocatio Center's Five-Star Aspiring Pre-Professionals process to develop in five critical areas.
Graduate school and/or an internship for academic credit should be foremost in your mind, so start researching and begin the application process for either or both! Start the application process now.
Focus on/explore several career possibilities more in-depth; select at least five that are most interesting.
Work with a Life Calling and Career professional to develop your application materials.
Sign up for an internship now or early senior year through your academic dept. and/or the Vocatio Center.
Determine requirements, academic and experiential, for these choices; continue self-assessment.
Look at graduate school options and requirements carefully, and begin developing the personal statement and studying for the required grad school exam(s) for your program(s) of interest. Be mindful of application deadlines and meet them.
Work to establish professional contacts in areas that interest you.
Develop a résumé and cover letter that markets career-related qualifications.
Gain valuable experiences in your chosen area through internships, part-time employment, or summer opportunities.
Begin identifying preferred work settings (i.e. Christian, secular, large industrial, small business, non-profit, education, healthcare, social services) and geographic options. Develop ongoing contacts through alumni and personal networking.
Participate in any on-campus recruiting that is in your area of interest, especially through Handshake!
Log on to Handshake to update your personal and academic profile so that you can continue networking towards securing an off-campus internship which will provide you with hands-on experience in your field of interest.
Senior Year| Search and secure
Search and Secure. Prepare, Interview, Secure References, Pursue, Follow-up, and Celebrate.
Begin your life calling and career search now, before you graduate. The preparation that you make early in senior year will determine the opportunities you will have beyond commencement.
Attend capstone, discipline-specific workshops on résumé writing, interviewing skills, portfolio development, salary negotiation, and the overall career search process.
If you have not done so, apply in early fall semester and take necessary examinations for graduate school.
Continue to develop professional contacts in your field of interest and target your résumé for each opportunity.
Conduct more informational interviews especially early in your senior year before you accept any formal interviews.
Use resources for researching specific companies and graduate school programs which offer financial support through assistantships, internships, and part-time opportunities.
Upload your résumé to Handshake to ensure that employers can access your credentials.
Secure references from faculty, staff, or former employers who can attest to your qualifications. Select individuals who know you best and contact them for written references 4 to 6 weeks in advance
Develop lists of potential employers related to your occupational field. Utilize the NACE annual directory, chamber of commerce, library references, employer directories, etc.
Prepare contact lists of friends, faculty, and family you can contact regarding available openings, possible employers, and additional referrals. (About 75% of jobs are filled through personal contact.)
Aggressively pursue related leads through listings on Handshake and career expos.
Responsibly follow-up on leads and send thank-you letters after interviews for employment or grad school.
Celebrate that new entry-level career opportunity and/or your acceptance to grad school with a note to all of your networking contacts regarding your new position, and by all means, inform the Vocatio Center for Life Calling and Career on your success. We want to celebrate with you!
Log on to Handshake to update your personal and academic profile so that you can continue networking towards securing a full-time career opportunity.
Refer Your Student
If your son or daughter needs help deciding on a major or minor or in securing a great experiential learning opportunity, please refer your student to the Vocatio Center for Life Calling and Career by calling 731.661.5421 or emailing vocatiocenter@uu.edu.
A unique way to gain invaluable experience at Â鶹ÊÓƵ is to become a Servant Leader through the Servant Leadership Program (SLP). Many students can help defray the costs of their education by working through the Servant Leadership Program at Â鶹ÊÓƵ University which employs students who are eligible for Federal Work Study (FWS) as a top priority as well as Â鶹ÊÓƵ University Workship (UUWS). Factors considered in matching students with jobs include the skills and experience of the student, the availability of a suitable position, and in most cases financial eligibility of the student, as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. However jobs are sometimes limited, therefore eligibility does not guarantee employment on campus. Any questions concerning the Servant Leadership Program: On-Campus Student Employment can be directed to Stephanie Hawley, Programming Coordinator in the Vocatio Center for Life Calling and Career at (731) 661-5302 or at shawley@uu.edu.
Congratulations on your son or daughter's decision to attend Â鶹ÊÓƵ this fall! The team in the Vocatio Center is eager to serve you and your student.
If your son or daughter is interested in on-campus employment at Â鶹ÊÓƵ, please see below for more information.
The Vocatio Center partners with Â鶹ÊÓƵ faculty to offer a comprehensive, co-curricular, discipline-specific program, offering professional development and training to students in their areas of interest. Visit our Calendar of Events to learn about the campus-wide and discipline-specific opportunities available to help your student succeed.
The Class of 2023 (May Traditional Undergraduates) Career Outcomes is obtained through the First Destination Survey. This survey is conducted annually by the Vocatio Center for Life Calling and Career and measures student placement in full time and part time employment, continuing education, volunteer service, and military service within 6 months of graduation.
96.31% - Career Outcome Rate
90% - Knowledge Rate
71.89% - working
23.96% - continuing education
0.46% - volunteering
3.69% - still seeking
*the knowledge rate for this survey was 90%. The term "knowledge rate" defines the percent of graduates for which the institution has reasonable and verifiable information concerning the graduates' post-graduation career activities.
Refer Your Student
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