Every student, at some point in their college career, asks this one question: what am I supposed to do after I graduate? Career Development will attempt to answer this question and so many more at “Exploring Life after JBU.”
This event will take place on Friday, March 14 from noon to 4 p.m. in the Simmons Great Hall. There will be sessions each hour consisting of different speakers and alumni from the University. Each session is dedicated to different aspects of the world outside of college.
During the first session, there will be a question and answer with a panel of JBU alumni. Chris Confer, director of career development, will be facilitating the event. During this session, students write down some of their pressing, unanswered questions, and get a chance to talk with the speakers and how they need to prepare for life after graduation.
In the second session, business professionals will be available for question and answer session, and will be prepared to share key insights into what they have learned in the business world, as well as what they expect from future employees.
The third session will be a financial skills workshop. Through this time, students will learn the necessary skills to handle finances and other future responsibilities.
And finally, with the fourth session, students will hear how to be successful by business and digital media professionals. This session is focused on helping students understand not only how to keep a job, but how to rise to the top.
Thought career concerns will be the main focus of the event, social concerns will also be addressed. Some students have expressed concerns about facing new challenges outside the University’s “bubble” of safety, situations like ethical challenges, alcohol, and building new friendships.
These questions will also be touched upon during the event.
“I could say all of the same things these speakers are going to say until I am blue in the face, but it is different when it’s coming from a person out in the field,” Confer said.
Through this event, Confer hopes to help the students who are getting close to graduating and stressing over this question of ‘what do I do after college’ feel better about what needs to be done in order to be successful after President Pollard hands them that formal ticket out of here.
Event organizers intend for the event to be a very “organic” environment, where students can feel comfortable asking questions of people who have real-world experience outside of the University. Students should take comfort in knowing that other people have gone through the same issues students have, event organizers said.
Students interested in attending the event can sign up in the Student Development office. Sign-ups are due by Friday, March 14. A limited amount of seating is available.