Guiding Principles

1. Early and guided exploration

  • Connect with students immediately after they apply.

  • Hold events for potential students where they can learn about how college pathways and career pathways relate.

  • Provide tools for students to explore how their interests and skills relate to careers.

  • Integrate career exploration into the classroom, especially in first-year general education requirements.

2. Scaffolded career and major choices

  • Provide structure to decision-making. First-year decisions can include math pathways and metamajor choice.

  • Scaffold decisions around major choice in the second year following exploration of careers and majors in first-year courses and activities.

  • Offer career exploration through career fairs, industry panels, assignments in general education courses, and by meeting with a career counselor.

3. Community-building and networking opportunities

  • Build community among students in a metamajor and/or major.

  • Provide informal opportunities for students to connect with professors about their career journey and college experience.

  • Offer opportunities to connect with transfer programs and related industry professionals at networking or community-building events.

4. Integrated and normalized career exploration

  • Provide all degree-, certificate-, and transfer-seeking students with opportunities to explore careers and related education pathways.

  • Make careers part of the conversation that student support staff and counselors have with students.

  • Require students to participate in career activities in their first year.