Connecting Co-Curricular Activities to Career (feat. Ellen Awad)

Dr. Ellen Awad, Associate Dean for Student Life at Hope College, talks about how to help students connect their co-curricular experiences to career. 

In the episode, Ellen shares:

• The importance of connecting co-curricular activities to career development
• How to help students articulate the skills and competencies they learn in these activities
• The need for students to reflect on their co-curricular experiences and think about how they can apply what they've learned in different contexts
• How career services can partner with student life to support students in making these connections
• Examples of how she has helped students synthesize their co-curricular experiences and apply them to their resumes and job interviews
• The common skills gained in co-curricular activities, like communication, teamwork, conflict management, and goal-oriented thinking
• Why it’s so important for career services leaders to create space for students to reflect on their experiences and think about the significance of their involvement in co-curricular activities

“Our graduates need to not only be well-versed in what they majored or minored in, but they also have to be able to function with other humans in this ever-changing world in a way that they can take from one space to another, to a different setting, to a different context, and be more agile,” Ellen said.

“And they have to be creative in how they approach the work and be able to really apply what they've learned in their co-curricular experiences to whatever work setting they eventually find themselves in.”

Resources from the episode:

• Ellen’s LinkedIn profile

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