ARC offers summer workshop to help students find majors

By Katie Land, news editor

Career Expedition, a summer workshop developed by the Advising Resource Center (ARC), seeks to help students explore majors and career options in a small-group setting.

“Making a decision about a major or career path is a big deal,” said Lindsay Oliver, career and academic advisor for the ARC. “Students who spend the time to learn about themselves, their talents, strengths, and interests are in the best position to make a well-informed decision about their major or career.”

Throughout the course, students will take personality and interest assessments, utilize online career resources, set educational and career goals and create an action plan to help achieve those goals. Interactive activities will be used to demonstrate the differences between personality and career types in a fun and meaningful way, while illustrating how personality and interests can be applied to potential careers that compliment students’ strengths.

In its third year, the program maintains a small general group of seven to 12 students to allow for personal attention and open discussion, according to Oliver.

“We intentionally keep the group small in order to elicit a connection among students and to provide more individual attention,” she said. “This small-group also offers students the opportunity to learn how to research career responsibilities, job outlook and education, develop goals and create an action plan all while having fun and connecting with other students.”

Set in two different formats, students may enroll in either three short meeting sessions on July 8, July 15 and July 22 from 1-4 p.m. or one full-day session on July 21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Career Expedition is free for currently-enrolled OU students only, and is not open to the public.

“We see a combination of students in our career expedition groups who are undecided, re-deciding or looking to confirm their major. The group is designed to reach students at all levels of career exploration,” Oliver said. “The program is truly valuable for all students, but especially those looking to explore their major and career options in a meaningful way.”

To register for a Career Expedition session, visit www.oakland.edu/claw.

ARC career counseling is available for any Oakland student including academic advising for undecided and re-deciding students. For more information, visit the Web site at www.oakland.edu/arc, contact the Advising Resource Center by e-mail at arc@oakland.edu or visit 121 North Foundation Hall.