Colleges and universities are expanding their career services offices, The Washington Post reports. In response to high consumer demand, increasing anxiety among college students entering a competitive job market, and rising doubt about the value of a college degree, institutions have increased funding for career advising, adding separate mentoring and networking programs for different majors. Colleges and universities expect that “tangible return on investment” will assuage consumer doubt and provide students, parents, and alumni with a sense of security and satisfaction.
Beloit College is expanding its Career Channels initiative to include two new schools to promote professional development for students, Inside Higher Ed reports. The initiative aims to address the perception that liberal arts colleges don’t prepare students for the job market and to ensure that higher education has a positive lifelong impact on students’ lives. Beloit offers eight Career Channels, including arts, business and entrepreneurship, curating and communication, health and healing, justice and rights, sustainability, world building and sports, and fitness and recreation. The channels are designed to be broad and encompass a variety of industries and roles, with suggested courses, campus activities, student work, internships, and off-campus opportunities.
The Student Success US event, hosted by Times Higher Education and Inside Higher Ed, discussed the definition and measurement of student success, focusing on four key questions. Defining student success, the panelists argued, includes students’ sense of belonging and engagement, as well as reconciling students’ definitions of success with the institution’s view of success. To measure student success throughout the student lifecycle, institutions should be considering retention, persistence, completion, and differences among student groups. The panelists emphasized the imperative to facilitate a campus-wide, unified approach to student success. The conference aimed to bridge academic and student affairs, focusing on sharing individual student success stories and how staff members have contributed to student success. The conference also highlighted the importance of being student-centric and considering the nuances of personal journeys and success.