A new career support program has been created by the IU College of Arts and Science with a purpose to prepare students for work in their majors. Officially titled the Arts and Sciences Career Communities, the program starts with students when they declare their majors.
These communities are a model of what the different career paths would look like. Students become actively involved in the development of their career while taking classes to prepare for their future work. The Walter Center for Career Achievement is facilitating the program.
“The power of an arts and sciences degree comes in part from its wide applicability in the job market,” Director of Career Services Joe Lovejoy said in a press release. “The career community model demonstrates the marketable nature of an arts and sciences degree by connecting students to successful alumni working in a wide variety of careers.”
College of Arts and Sciences students are able to get involved in an array of career paths, including advertising and public relations, healthcare and wellness, design and education.
Alumni are an important part of the program, Lovejoy said in the press release. They serve as models of job success, and they can help students to be more advantageous in their job searches. IU is one of the first schools in the country to create such a program for arts and sciences students.
“We are now well-positioned to help our students translate their degrees into concrete action and meaningful employment,” Lovejoy said in the press release.
The Walter Center also allows students to use their career services. Some of these services include one-on-one career coaching and internships. The development of this model was created with funding from the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President. Their funding also helped to pay for hiring more professional career services for nearly 11,800 students.
“We are among the first in the nation to build a career communities model for arts and sciences students,” Larry Singell, executive dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said in the press release. “As others begin to emulate our program, what will continue to distinguish the College is the quality, consistency and comprehensiveness of the services we now offer our students.”
Alumnus Ralph Collins Walter gave $6 million to the College of Arts and Sciences in August. Half of his donation will be used to fund career-development-based scholarships.
“The College has a long history of producing graduates who go on to be leaders in their fields, and this new program will ensure that we continue to do so for many years to come,” Singell said in the press release.
Bailey Cline
